The transportation of aid to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Tanintharyi Region faces difficulties due to the military council’s tightened inspections, said the persons helping the IDPs.
The military council has tightened inspections of food stuff and medicine at the check points due to the frequent clashes between the military council and the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) in Tanintharyi Region, an official of the joint refugee support group said.
The military council is carrying out more and more searches, inspections and confiscations of aid. The rising commodity price is a major challenge.
A 45-year-old female IDP from Tanintharyi Township said: “It is okay if we get shelter, rice, edible oil, medicine and salt only. We can find the rest in the forests. I am concerned about the health of children and the elderly.”
In addition to this, aid workers said that the military council pressured shops in the city not to sell materials and food freely. It was difficult for them to buy the necessary materials and rations.
The IDPs are in need of food and shelter as they live in makeshift tents in the forests and farms. They also need medicine as they may suffer diarrhea, flu and malaria in the rainy season, the persons helping IDPs said.
In the previous years, we had to help the IDPs in Palaw and Tanintharyi Townships in Myeik District. This year, we also provide aid to the IDPs in Kyunsu Township, the official continued.
Social organizations such as Nway Oo Myitta IDP Support committee, Twel Let Nyi Nyi IDP Support committee and Dawna-Tanintharyi IDP Support committee are providing aid to the IDPs.
Locals from around 30 villages in Palaw Township have fled to safer places. The number of permanent IDPs in the refugee camp in 2022 was only more than 1,000, but now the number of IDPs has reached more than 2,000, according to the data collected by the Palaw IDP Management Committee.
In addition, around 2,000 people are taking shelter in the villages of their relatives and downtown areas instead of IDP camps, the persons helping the IDPs said.
A member of Nway Oo Myitta IDP Support committee said: “We provided aid to more than 1,500 people from ten village-tracts in Tanintharyi Township in late May.
It is difficult to collect the number of IDPs as there is no separate IDP camp in Tanintharyi Township. In the entire township, there are more than 5,000 IDPs, including the permanent IDPs last May, according to the statement by the Dawna-Tanintharyi IDP Support Committee.
Around 1,600 IDPs are displaced by fighting near east Mawtone, west Mawtone, Banlamwit, Nyaungbingone, Kamto and Ranpho villages in June. The number of IDPs from Bandanae, Kyunthar, Myaingthar and Kanthar villages in Kyunsu Township, according to the aid groups.
Due to the lesser number of the aid groups in Palaw and Tanintharyi Townships, they are looking forward to the organizations that can provide help in Myeik District so as to fully provide basic needs for thousands of IDPs, the official of the IDP aid committee said.
The NUG is providing aid to the IDPs on a nationwide scale. However, the IDPs get limited amounts. In the long-run, the IDPs face hunger. There is an urgent need to meet the basic needs.
Sent by NMG