According to their relatives in the camp, ongoing conflict was the main reason why 36 percent of those left behind did not leave Myanmar (figure 15). They could not make the journey either because of the violence in 2017 or subsequently because of ongoing fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army. Other reasons why people have stayed in Myanmar include lacking the means to travel and pay smugglers for the boat journey to leave Myanmar (30 percent) and having married into a family that chose to stay behind (24 percent). Only 14 percent said their relatives stayed because they live in a place that remains safe. some families are in infrequent communication that makes it difficult for them to understand their relatives’ perspectives on security while the situation remains in flux, this finding indicates that conditions continue to be unsafe. According to their relatives in the camp, a plurality of those who remain in Myanmar still want to flee (figure 16). While their perspectives are anecdotal, and Day laborers want to flee because of extreme economic hardship and harassment, the man said. “They cannot work; they cannot fish; they cannot collect forest products. This is mainly due to the movement restrictions. It is a bit safer in Maungdaw right now. But there are still problems and reports of forced labor. We hear that laborers are working without pay in the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] cantonment as porters. They are often tortured.” According to one camp resident, a 52-year-old man from downtown Maungdaw, the poor are most likely to want to leave Myanmar. As he explained, “Those who are day laborers still want to flee to Bangladesh, but businesspeople don’t. Their business is going ok, so they are still managing to stay in Myanmar.” Figure 16. Refugees’ relatives in Myanmar who currently want to stay or leave 21% 35% don’t know According to the respondents, only 21 percent of their relatives in Rathedaung and 37 percent of their relatives in Buthitadaung still want to stay in Myanmar, compared to 40 percent of those in Maungdaw. Security dynamics are in flux in these areas; Buthidaung and Rathedaung experienced a significant increase in armed clashes in 2019 owing to the ongoing conflict between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army.27 Given Maungdaw’s proximity to the border, people from that township may find it easier to depart. want to stay 44% want to leave 463 respondents provided information about 967 relatives remaining in Myanmar Internet access in the camps is restricted, but many families rely on it to maintain contact with relatives in other countries and in Myanmar. 19

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