Residents of the western part of Demoso Township, Karenni State, are currently facing the worst rice shortage in August this year, according to local aid workers and displaced people.
The shortage has been exacerbated by decline in donor support, flooding due to release of water from the Moebye Dam and persistent heavy rains that have damaged paddy fields, according to locals.
An aid worker explained: “The rice has run out, so people are sharing what they still have. Where this is not possible, they eat rice porridge. Some go into the forest and cook vegetables with meat. But the rice shortage is not as bad as the airstrikes.”
In previous years, locals were able to harvest rice before the end of the year and import rice from other areas to alleviate the shortage. This year, however, these solutions were impossible, leaving displaced people fearing for rice security.
Currently, there is only enough rice for about two weeks, and both the resistance forces and the groups supporting the displaced are making efforts to obtain more rice, the displaced report.
“The children cry a lot when they are hungry. They only eat rice; they usually don’t eat snacks. And we can’t buy these things here either,” said a displaced woman.
More than 30,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from 11 villages in Demoso Township are now threatened by the looming rice shortage, and at least 10 IDP camps are struggling with the shortage.
On 25 June, the military junta carried out bombing raids in the western part of Demoso. Since then, the military situation has remained calm with no significant developments, according to IDPs.
Sent by NMG.