"...I visited the [Thilawa] relocation site last month and met several families who told me that the loss of their farmland has meant not only that they have no more income, but that they are now unable to feed their families. The results of a survey conducted by Physicians for Human Rights bear out the individual stories I heard. After displacement average household income plummeted by 78 percent among those displaced and 14 of 29 families surveyed dropped below the poverty line. Adding to the concerns of the families, the sanitary conditions at their new homes fail to meet the minimum standards for a refugee camp, much less for permanent relocation. These conditions were avoidable if the Myanmar and Japanese governments had followed international standards on forced displacement. Although both governments have committed to comply with the international guidelines regarding displacement, neither did so at Thilawa. These standards include ensuring that those moved are no worse off following relocation and that they should benefit from the development process on a sustainable basis. While initial compensation and housing was provided to these families, they are clearly worse off and have no sustainable way to provide for themselves following displacement. JICA released its own report on the status of the displaced families in which it refuted allegations of non-compliance with its own environmental and social standards. Specifically, JICA claims that Thilawa villagers were not intimidated during the relocation process. Yet every family I spoke with and 93 percent of those surveyed by PHR reported that they felt threatened or afraid of what would happen if they refused to move..."