Local residents who have been displaced after the ongoing resistance battle to capture Ah Nan Kwin strategic camp on Thanbyuzayat-Hpa Yar Thone Su Road on the border between Mon and Karen States are still unable to return to their homes, according to reports.
Due to the battle, nearly 2,000 people have so far fled their homes since mid-August. As their displacement continues, they are struggling to find shelter and face food shortages, said the displaced people.
“The displaced people don’t have proper displacement camps or anything like that. Most of them are living in makeshift bamboo huts or in caves in the forest. There’s nothing much they can do. Donors do come to donate, but it’s not enough,” said a displaced woman from Ah Nan Kwin village.
The woman continued, “For us, we only receive one bag of rice, a bottle of cooking oil, about one viss of onions, and a small amount of chili for a month. We have to survive on just that. We’re also afraid to return to our village. Those who can’t stay in the forest anymore move to stay with relatives.”
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied resistance forces launched attacks on the military junta’s Ah Nan Kwin strategic camp in mid-August, which led to the intensification of the conflict in the area.
After the offensive, the military has responded with airstrikes and artillery shelling, causing residents of nearly ten villages, including Ah Nan Kwin, and nearby villages such as Lut Shan, Ta Nyin, Hpar Yar, Khun Na War, and Pu Taw to flee to their homes.
Nai Aue Mon, director of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland, which monitors the situation of the human rights violations in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region, said, “They are staying in caves, forests, and plantations within KNU Brigade 6 territory. It was somewhat manageable when they first fled. Now as displacement period prolongs, they’re struggling to get food. They still can’t return home. Relief teams can’t reach them on a regular basis.”
Moreover, many of those who have fled their homes are elderly, women, and children, so they need not only food but also healthcare and medicine, according to sources.
“Now is also the malaria season. The rainy season isn’t over yet, and the flooding continues. Because of this, the situation has become more difficult for the displaced people. Children and the elderly in particular are in greater need of healthcare,” Nai Aue Mon added.
The KNLA and allied resistance forces are currently carrying out fierce offensives to capture the Ah Nan Kwin strategic camp on the Thanbyuzayat-Hpa Yar Thone Su road, while the military junta is fiercely defending to prevent the camp from falling.
Sent by IMNA.