An interview with the Spokesperson of the Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN).
March 25th, 2022.
As the number of the IDPs has increased by around 20,000 in Karenni State, between February 28th and March 13th, the total number of the IDPs has reached nearly 200,000, according to the KCSN’s statement.
The total number of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Karenni State has reached 197,115 as the number of the IDPs in Pekon Township increased by 10,000 and 10,000 in Demawsoe Township.
The Network Media Group (NMG) asked the KCSN’s Spokesperson Khu Ruby about the situations of the IDPs and the civilian casualties in Karenni State.
Q: Why does the number of the IDPs increase? How many?
A: The increase in the number of the IDPs is due to the military council’s airstrikes. The 20,000 IDPs moved to other camps. The number of IDPs has increased due to the airstrikes in Demawsoe Township and intense fighting in Pekon Township. The average number of the new IDPs is 10,000 each in two townships.
Q: From February 28th to March 13th, 2022, 12 civilians were killed and two injured, according to the KCSN’s statement. May I know the number of civilian casualties?
A: Two or three locals were injured by the heavy shelling. According to the statement, the total number of those killed has exceeded 230 since the coup. The total number of the injured has exceeded 170. As I mentioned earlier, this is the collected list. The actual number may be higher than that.
Q: May I know the fighting and the military council’s military activities in Karenni State?
A: Till March 17th and 18th, it can be said that there were clashes almost every day. Karenni State has the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), the Karenni Generation Z (KGZ), the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and the Karenni Army (KA). Fighting may take place with any group. The military council suffers heavy losses in every fighting. The military tension continues to grow. The clash in Demawsoe is the severest. Because the military council carried out targeted attacks on that place with jet fighters. The military council conducted targeted attacks not only on the revolutionary forces and the places to which the IDPs moved recently.
Q: Why does the military council conduct targeted attacks on the IDPs?
A: I think the military intentionally disrupts the IDPs. The military attacks unarmed people when it suffers heavy casualties in ground battles. Because the KNDF is an organization which always defends the public. All revoluntationary forces attack the military by defending the public. The higher the number of the IDPs, the busier the revolutionary forces. In my view, the military council carries out targeted attacks on the public as the military is unable to fight against resistance fighters.
Q: How about the rations for the IDPs? Can you send rations to the IDPs?
A: The rations for the IDPs is a big problem. Because the donors and NGOs have to make donations secretly. It is not easy to connect between the members of the KA and the KNDF. Transportation is also difficult. There is no safety. Due to the difficulties, we cannot do it effectively. We cannot send the rations. We cannot go freely. The sure point is that it is not easy to send the rations to the new IDPs if they move to other places.
Q: How many times did the IDPs move? How many places did the IDPs move?
A: Some IDPs have moved very often. For instance, the people from Dawngankhar in Demawsoe move to Lwalnamphakwin. However, they have to move to Lobarkhoe due to the fighting in Lwalnampha and Nanmalkhone. They have to move to other places if the military council conducts airstrikes. Some IDPs have moved to at least three places.
Q: Do you have anything to add?
A: The bombardment on civilians is unacceptable not only according to international law but also on the humanitarian ground. I think the international community is required to strongly denounce it. If possible, I want to urge the international community to designate a no-fly zone. Because the public has no safety. The military council does aerial surveillance by drones before the airstrikes. That’s why the public has no safety at all. The international community needs to give protection to the public swifly. The IDPs are not safe rather than having the places to which they can flee.
Sent by the NMG.
