Displaced people from Karenni (Kayah) State who have fled to Shan State due to the ongoing armed conflict have to work for a daily wage to make a living, while some are trying to make ends meet with profits from selling goods.
An IDP aid worker from Hsihseng Township said: “Many of them work for a daily wage. Those who used to work on farms can find daily paid jobs when they arrive here. They can earn over 10,000 kyat per day. At least, it’s enough to get by. But there is not work everywhere.”
Some displaced people sell goods at the market, but as there are not so many local customers, profit is limited. After the end of the season, they can move on to picking maize, the IDP aid worker added.
As the displacement continues, the demand for food increases and some IDP camps are even experiencing food shortages, according to aid workers.
Currently, the IDPs need not only food, but also blankets, warm clothing, medicines, toilets, drinking water and so on. However, we have not found any donors to supply these items, according to the aid workers.
Most Karenni IDPs in Shan State are housed in religious buildings. Some have been staying in the yards of friends and acquaintances or have rented houses, said a local from Loikaw who is currently seeking refuge in Ayetharyar town in Taunggyi Township, Shan State.
“I know the rent is very high, but it is not convenient for the elderly among us to live in a place like a monastery. It is even more difficult as we could not bring cooking utensils and have to buy them here,” said a displaced person from Loikaw.
The rent varies between 50,000 and 200,000 kyat depending on the condition of the accommodation, with contracts being signed for three or six months at a time, according to the displaced people.
“Some owners ask for rent. Others don’t; they just let them stay. The rent also depends on the location. The better the location, the higher the rent. Some owners let them live rent- free,” said an IDP aid worker.
Some IDPs sell food door-to-door to earn a living, IDPs say.
An IDP from Ayetharyar said, “I tried to make Mohinga but sold like only three servings. That really made me feel down. I just want to go back to my own town.”
Most of the displaced people from Karenni State and the Shan-Karenni border area have been taking refuge in townships such as Hsihseng, Nyaungshwe, Pinlaung, Taunggyi and Kalaw, with an estimated population of 50,000, according to aid workers.
IDP aid workers are hoping to access humanitarian aid and have called for coordinated assistance with local groups, aid workers said.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times