June 9th, 2022
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Arakan State are in urgent need of help due to an acute shortage of rations.
Wartaung IDP camp in Phontharchaung village-tract in Minbya Township where nearly 200 people are taking shelter are facing a shortage of rations. The IDPs get some assistance as the region is accessible by water route alone.
The IDPs have to rely only on the rice donated by the military council. The IDPs are facing difficulties as the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement under the Military Council provides a rice can to a person. They don’t get Kitchen utensils. Only a few organizations make donations as the region is located in the remote area,” Daw Ma Yin Oo, the incharge of the Wartaung IDP camp told the DMG.
U Maung Sein, the in-charge from the Pipinyin IDP camp in MraukU Township where more than 2000 people are taking shelter said: “Rice rations provided in May have run out. I feel worried as we have not received assistance for this month. We don’t get rice from the ministry regularly. We don’t get sufficient rice. We have to earn our living outside the camp.”
The military council has suspended the supply of rice to the IDPs due to a shortage of budget. In May, the military council resumed its aid program.
U Than Aye, the information officer of Mahamyatmuni IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township said: “ Daily cash assistance of Ks-600 provided by the World Food Programme (WPF) is not sufficient. Our IDP camp has to prioritize the construction of houses rather than accommodation. Because we worry that we may face the problem in the rainy season. We all know whether a rice can and a cash assistance of Ks-300 are sufficient for a meal of a person during this period.
“The IDPs may face more difficulties if this situation continues. I would like to call on the WFP to provide food stuff instead of a cash assistance of Ks-600,” U Than Aye continues.
On May 9th, a fire broke out at Mahamyatmuni IDP camp, destroying 262 out of 432 houses. We are worrying about the timely completion of the houses before the heavy rains and a shortage of food rations.
The IDPs called on the military council, the CSOs and international organizations to immediately help build the damaged houses at the IDP camps as the rainy season has set in.
“Due to the rainy season, we face mosquito bites. The health department does not provide mosquito nets to the camp where a lot of IDPs are taking shelter,” said Ko Than Aye, an-charge from Nyaungchaung IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township where more than 3,000 people are taking shelter.
Some IDPs have returned to their homes due to the regional stability. Some IDPs continue to take shelter as their houses and villages are damaged.
“My husband picks bamboo shoots and cuts bamboos. He gets around Ks-40,000. Our family has to spend money in a thrifty manner. I feel worried about the danger of landmines when he goes to the forests. But he has to go to the forests,” a female IDP says.
They have been taking shelter at the IDP camps since the intense fighting between Myanmar army and the Arakan Army (AA) in late 2018. Most of the IDPs do not return to their homes as fighting may resume at any time despite the ceasefire.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)