Displaced people from Yado area in northern Taunggyi Township, Kayin State, are suffering from seasonal flu and need medicine as they have not been able to return home for more than four months following fighting that broke out in the area in July, according to IDP aid workers.
“They need medicines mainly because of the seasonal flu outbreak. Many IDPs have fallen ill because they lack medicines. There is still a Myanmar army outpost in Yado village. Because of this, residents no longer dare to enter the village. Now they’re seeking shelter in the forests on the outskirts of the village. It seems that aid organizations have no access because their location is close to the military checkpoint,” said a person helping the displaced.
Myanmar army troops have occupied civilian homes in Yado village since fighting between them and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) on 11 July, during which the military bombarded the Yado area with airstrikes and artillery strikes. The continued presence of junta forces in the village has made it impossible for displaced residents to return.
In addition, military checkpoints on roads leading into the area make it difficult to reach relief supplies, and displaced residents in Yado are now in need of medicines.
The Yado area is in close proximity to military bases and checkpoints, and only a few aid organizations are on the ground due to strict restrictions, so there is an imbalance between IDPs and aid support, according to the aid worker.
Although the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW) is providing necessary medical care in Thandaunggyi Township in Taungoo District – an area controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade (2) – some remote villages are still not accessible due to communication difficulties, according to KDHW.
“In Taw Oo (Taungoo) District, we have many health workers, including our department officer. We are providing health care as best we can. In Thandaunggyi, it is the same. We are present in many places there. However, I am not sure about the remote villages in the northern part of the township,” said a KDHW official.
Locals reported more than 30 airstrikes by the Myanmar military in July this year that displaced residents, including pregnant women, from Yado and nearby Warthawkho and Tatkone villages and damaged homes and religious buildings, according to the KNU.
Also in June 2021, the Myanmar army moved into the Yado area with a large number of troops and took up positions in the villages, forcing villagers to flee.
Since the June 2021 military coup, more than 20,152 people have been displaced from Taungoo District, according to KNU data released on 14 October.
Sent by KIC.