February 17th, 2022
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) displaced by the fighting in Karenni State may face starvation as rations have dropped, said U Banyar, Humanitarian Focal Person of the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC).
Local donors cannot make donations. The IDPs may face starvation if international aid organizations do not distribute aid. Even the IDPs may die.
“The public and the IDPs, especially, the IDPs themselves are worrying about their livelihoods. It is found that spare food rations are very low when checked. Spare food rations kept in the IDPs are very low as well. We openly told some international organizations and embassies that the lists of those who will die of hunger would be in their hands if this situation continues for two months or three months at the most. This situation will really happen,” said U Banyar.
In addition to rations, the IDPs are in need of medicines. Due to a shortage of medicines, some sick people died.
The IDPs will be in trouble if they do not receive aid from the international organizations. Since September, last year, the military council has tightened the trade flow, especially the transport of rice and medicines.
It needs to ask for the permission from the relevant body of the military council to transport rice bags. The military has banned the transport of more than 20 bags of rice.
In the first week of February, Karenni State saw moderate trade flows. Although the trade in fuels has returned to normal, the transport of rice and medicine is still restricted.
Local IDP committees are distributing cash, rations and utensils to the IDPs.
Maw Pha Yay Myar, Secretary-2 of the Karenni National Women’s Organization said: “As a first priority, we provide aid to the mothers, the pregnant women and the children under five. We also provide basic foodstuff, waterproof sheets and necessary items to the elderly and the IDPs.”
More than half of the total populations in Karenni State are the IDPs. We are working on the availability of rations by affiliating with local and foreign donors as the rations may not be sufficient. Rations may run out within two weeks. Now the officials have submitted the ground difficulties to the KSCC.
Maw Pha Yay Myar, Secretary-2 of the Karenni Women Organization said: “I would like to call on the donors inside and outside the Karenni State and the NGOs to put more efforts in the availability of aid rather than the military council’s agreement. I want the donors to continue to provide aid from the humanitarian point of view rather than funds.”
Over 170,000 locals from Karenni State are taking shelter in safer places. The respective bodies have demanded international organizations to urgently provide humanitarian aid to the IDPs.
Sent by Maw Oo Myar (the Kantarawaddy Times)