An interview with an official of Nay Oo Myittta IDP aid organization which is helping IDPs, about the difficulties faced by IDPs in Tanintharyi Region.
According to a statement released by FE5 Tanintharyi, nearly 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes in April due to fighting in Tanintharyi Region, located in the southernmost part of Myanmar.
Fighting took place over several days after the military council forces conducted offensives in Dawei, Thayetchaung, Yebyu, Palaw, Tanintharyi, Myeik and Kyunsu Townships, forcing locals to flee, said those helping the IDPs.
Than Lwin Times interviewed an official from Nay Oo Myittta IDP aid organization, about the difficulties faced by IDPs during the rainy season, how health problem and medical needs are being solved, how food shortages caused by the military council’s four cuts strategy is addressed and the displaced children’s access to education.
Q: What difficulties are the IDPs facing during the rainy season?
A: With the onset of the rainy season, there is an urgent need for mosquito nets. Mosquito nets are very expensive for IDPs to purchase. We are still unable to distribute mosquito nets. During the rainy season, mosquitoes act as carriers for transmitting dengue fever and malaria. The use of mosquito nets is essential in preventing dengue fever and malaria.
Q: What is the demand for medicines to treat seasonal flu, diarrhea and malaria, which are common during the rainy season?
A: To tell the truth, we are able to stock enough medicine for the entire rainy season. We have stocked Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for IDPs. Now, the prices of those drugs have increased three or four times. This is because the military council doesn’t allow the people to carry medicines. Because of the shortage of medicines, drug stores are forced to buy them at higher prices. We have to procure medicines at higher prices in order to stock them.
In the past, we could buy medicines at a price of Ks-one million. Medicines worth Ks-3 million were enough for IDPs. Now Ks-3 million is no longer sufficient. The prices of medicines have surged sharply. And we are unable to get the medicines we need immediately. If medicine is urgently needed, even purchasing it at a high price may not guarantee obtaining the required quantity.
There is no medicine left, and there is no medicine as much as needed. We have medicines for IDPs, but it is not sufficient for all of them. The military council has blocked the road. We can’t buy the required quantity of medicines, and the prices of medicines have skyrocketed. Drug stores are unable to place orders for medicines.
Q: What problems do they face in treating these diseases?
A: We prefer prevention over cure as the outbreak is rampant. There may be some outbreaks. We must first prevent it. The prices of medicines are skyrocketing, and we do not have an adequate supply. Due to the current political situations, some families have fled to Tanintharyi Region. They are tired because they can’t bypass the military council’s positions. We are experiencing shortages of medicines and skyrocketing medicine prices.
Q: Are shelters and foods sufficient for IDPs during the rainy season?
A: There are shelters for IDPs. The roofs leak when it rains. We have replaced the torn tarpulin sheets with new ones. The shelters are sufficient. We have a stockpile of shelters for IDPs. We provide new IDPs with tarpulins and water-proof sheets. The shelters are sufficient. However, we have not replenished the stocks. We have rain-proof sheets.
Q: What is the need for food and medical aid due to the martial law and four cuts strategy?
A: The prices of rice and edible oil have skyrocketed. The prices for a bottle of edible oil has increased from Ks2500-3500 to Ks-5500-6500. The prices of medicines have skyrocketed. In the past, the price of a bottle of Metronidazole was Ks-1500. Now the prices increased to Ks-5500-6000 per bottle. The prices of rice have gone up. We don’t know when the conflicts will end. We feel depressed.
Q: On the other hand, because the fighting continues, what about the situation of displaced children losing their right to education?
A: The displaced children can attend the schools run by National Unity Government (NUG) free of charge. They are exempt from paying school fee. However, school uniforms are not provided free of charge. We no longer provide the displaced children with rulers, books and pencils. Last year, we occasionally provided them with these school supplies. We provide the NUG-run schools with ball pens, marker pans, books, rulers and pencils. A household or a family has to pay Ks-100,000, placing a heavy burden on the IDPs. The displaced children can attend the schools free of charge. The NUG can’t pay salaries to teachers. In our village, we pay teachers using funds collected from the community. People from other villages come to my village willingly, so we want to support them in return. The purpose is to collect money from the students in order to provide the teachers with a monthly salary. We are currently in need of funds. We collect money to support the teachers.
However, they get school supplies on the enrollment day. They need school uniforms. We are unable to provide uniforms or school facilities to the displaced children. We are unable to provide them with umbrella and slippers. However, they don’t need to pay school fee at the end of a month. That’s the only thing we can do. It places a heavy burden on the villagers. They have to pay school fees at the end of each month as they are not registered as IDPs. They have to pay contributions, not to mention salaries. Some people don’t want to pay contributions. They did not pay subsidies before. They can’t afford to pay it as the commodity prices are higher.
Some children are unable to attend the school. We have to negotiate with the school for the enrollment. But they can’t afford to buy school uniforms and school suppilies. Commodity prices have risen sharply, leading to increased expenditures.
Q: How do you deal with all the issues faced by IDPs?
A: We have enough shelters. In the past, they were able to provide food for a month. Nowadays, we can provide food for periods ranging from one month to 15 days, and even down to 10 days. We continue to provide rice, edible oil, medicine, and salt to IDPs, regardless of age. We need to reduce our food expenses because we can’t afford them. The costs are very high. Due to the inadequate budget, we’ve had to decrease the food supply from one month to 15 days, and subsequently down to 10 days over time. The shelter for IDPs is adequate.
Q: Finally, if there is anything else you would like to add, please let me know.
A: What I would like to add is that, we, Nay Oo Myitta, could provide IDPs with a month’s supply of food once every month. Recently, rice prices have gone up. The addition of transportation costs to rice prices has become a burden for both consumers and collectors. We could adequately support all internally displaced persons (IDPs) within our budget. Nowadays, we can provide food for periods ranging from one month to 15 days, and even down to 10 days. With the decreased supply, IDPs now have food for only 10 days each month, leaving them to find food for the remaining 20 days themselves. Job opportunities are scarce as they seek shelter in other villages, resulting in fewer employment opportunities for them. IDPs can only find work only when they are invited by employers. They face these kinds of difficulties. Our Nway Oo Myittar group would like to invite donors to support a month’s supply of food for IDPs.
Sent by Than Lwin Times