There is an urgent need for food and medicine aid for about 20,000 IDPs in the Paletwa in Chin State, according to aid workers.
Over 15,000 people fleeing armed conflicts from Samee, Kan Htaung, and Paletwa, along with more than 4,000 refugees taking shelter in Mizoram state along the India-Myanmar border, are in urgent need of assistance.
Aid workers report that blockages of trade routes, low employment opportunities, and livelihood challenges have led to shortages of food and medicine for these IDPs.
Paletwa IDPs are no longer receiving sufficient aid as their displacement continues.
Salai Soe Than, an official of Paletwa IDPs and Humanitarian Support, said, “They have to borrow money and rice for their livelihoods and to support their families after fleeing to other villages. They face significant challenges in repaying what they have borrowed.”
Paletwa locals, who depend on agriculture and border trade, have fled due to the risks posed by junta airstrikes. The IDPs are experiencing low employment opportunities and hardships as India has blocked the trade route between India and Paletwa.
“Due to territorial control following the coup, we can’t sell our crops,” a local resident said.
Both IDPs and local residents are grappling with skyrocketing commodity prices due to low employment opportunities, insufficient income, and a shortage of goods.
Aid workers said the lack of enough humanitarian aid makes their livelihood even more difficult.
There is a shortage of medicine and basic food supplies in areas controlled by the AA and the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) in Paletwa, southern Chin State.
Before the military coup, the Pakokku-Mindat-Mutupi-Paletwa route and routes from Arakan State were key for the flow of goods. Currently, these routes are inactive, forcing residents to rely primarily on the Mizoram route.
Sent by NMG