An interview with Nai Aue Mon, program director of Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), on difficulties and challenges faced by displaced people in Kawkareik and Kyondoe
Since 14 April, the military junta has intensified airstrikes targeting villages near Kawkareik and Kyondoe towns in Karen State.
Due to ongoing clashes near civilian areas, nearly 20 local residents have been killed, and approximately 100,000 people from around 30 villages have been forced to flee to safer locations, according to a statement by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM).
Than Lwin Times spoke with HURFOM’s program director Nai Aue Mon to learn more about the current situation of these displaced persons, and difficulties and challenges they might face with the monsoon season approaching.
Q: Where are the displaced residents from Kawkareik and Kyondoe seeking shelter, and what challenges are they facing?
A: So far (1 May), about 30 villages have been affected by recent airstrikes. Many people are staying with acquaintances or friends in areas near towns like Mawlamyine and Kyaikmaraw. Those from villages such as Ta Dar Kyoe, Hlaing Wa, Inn Gyi, Nwar Chan Kone, Yay Pu Gyi, and Naung Ta Man are mostly seeking refuge in Hpa-An. Mon communities from Kawtkareik are taking shelter with acquaintances in Mawlamyine, in homes, or at monasteries. Some displaced people from affected villages are staying at monasteries in Mawlamyine, such as Ywar Thit Monastery or those supported by donors and youth groups from Dhamma That, as well as local village youth organizations. We’ve also heard that a small number are sheltering at displacement camps east of Brigade 6.
In total, based on our field data, over 30,000 people have been displaced along the Kawtkareik-Kyondoe road, in Karen and Mon villages. Up to yesterday (30 April), some were hiding in fields, villages, plantations, and rubber plantations outside their villages. Military experts have warned that people in these areas need to be cautious, as they could be targeted from the air. There’s a concern that visible groups might be attacked. The challenges include the typical uncertainties faced by IDPs such as living with constant threats to their safety, a lack of hope, and difficulties getting food and basic supplies like rice and dried goods. In some areas, we’ve seen shortages of aid supplies from villages providing support.
A few days ago, heavy rain and storms hit, forcing people to live in makeshift shelters. They need materials like plastic sheeting and tarpaulins for these shelters. On the healthcare front, as usual, there’s a need for medicines, emergency relief, equipment, and other basic supplies. Some days, people couldn’t even light fires to cook due to fears of being targeted, as I mentioned earlier. All in all, the challenges range from physical hardships to psychological fears for their lives. These traumatic events lead to emotional wounds, feelings of inadequacy, and uncertainty. These are common experiences among IDPs that we’re seeing.
Q: Among the displaced residents, how many are women, children, pregnant women, and elderly people? What are their urgent needs?
A: In any armed conflict, those most affected and harmed are typically children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and women. This time, too, since before the Thingyan festival, there have been such incidents. For example, people from villages like Tha Yet Taw and Kan Ni had to relocate immediately. Among the displaced are children, people with disabilities, the elderly, women, religious workers, monks, and nuns. Many of them are staying at monasteries they are familiar with in Mawlamyine and Hpa-An, or in temporary shelters. Meanwhile, some men and villagers return to check on their homes when possible, staying discreetly in nearby areas to remain close to their surroundings while seeking safety.
Q: Given the ongoing clashes between the two sides in the Kawkareik-Kyondoe area, are there still people fleeing? Are there people trapped in the conflict zone? What is the current estimated number of displaced persons?
A: Some people are trapped in the wards within Kawtkareik town and its surrounding areas. Infantry Battalions-545, Light Infantry Battalion-546, as well as Infantry Battalion-231, which are under the command of MOC-12, along with their allied Border Guard Force (BGF), are blockading the town. They’ve been restricting both entry and exit for over two weeks, using firearms to threaten people, preventing outsiders from entering and those inside from leaving. Above, they’re using reconnaissance drones and small aircraft to monitor and occasionally drop bombs. Sometimes, jet fighters come in and carry out airstrikes. There have been instances where they come from bombing eastern Bago Region and then strike this area.
The military council has been alternately bombing Kawkareik, Kyondoe, eastern Bago, and western Thaton. The estimated total number of IDPs is around 100,000. However, in recent days, some have returned to check on their homes or assess the situation temporarily. If we take away those numbers, it’s likely in the hundreds—probably no less than two or three hundred. So, the total of about 100,000 fluctuates daily by a few hundred. That’s our estimate, but it’s based on figures from Karen civil society organizations, human rights groups, and other CSOs. It’s certainly no less than that.
Q: Which organizations are providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced? Is the military council imposing any restrictions or prohibitions?
A: Some groups have been providing humanitarian aid from the start, including local youth, social organizations, and community-based locals. Some displaced people, including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, have reached monasteries in Mawlamyine, as well as villages in Kyaikmaraw and Hpa-An, thanks to these efforts. There are also at least three human rights advocacy groups, including Karen organizations, that maintain contact with these communities.
Karen civil society groups have been consistently helping in places like Taung Kyar Inn, Myauk Kyar Inn, Yay Pu, Kawwaylai, Kawt War Le, Ywar Ka Lay, and Ywar Tan Shey. They’re heavily involved in providing food and building temporary shelters. In general, CSOs are fulfilling their responsibilities as usual. Apart from some UN agencies and international NGOs with global funding that can’t reach certain areas, most are present on the ground. These are the realities I’m describing based on the current situation.
Q: As the fighting in the Kawtkareik-Kyondoe area continues to escalate, the number IDPs is likely to increase. With the monsoon season approaching, what challenges might they face regarding shelter, food, and healthcare?
A: Speaking of challenges, up to yesterday, the military council was reinforcing its forces in Kawkareik and Kyondoe. Warships and speedboats are positioned in the Thanlwin River, ready to strike. On the other hand, the junta has forcibly recruited many young people. This has probably allowed them to sustain their operations. In villages, homes and buildings are being deliberately targeted with artillery strikes and airstrikes. And this is likely to continue as part of their strategy. The number of IDPs is already slightly over 100,000. The fighting could easily spread to areas west of Kawkareik and Kyondoe, near the border with Mon State, and south toward Kyaikdon and Kyainseikgyi, where conditions are ripe for further escalation.
Even in the current dry season, IDPs are facing immense hardships. In the upcoming monsoon season, the situation could worsen significantly. This region frequently experiences flooding during the rainy season, and it’s unimaginable how people will cope with displacement in wet, muddy conditions. Based on our experience, this will be an extremely difficult period. Neither the military council nor the resistance groups fighting back show any signs of agreeing to a ceasefire, which isn’t seen as a viable solution. As a result, civilians are left to face the worst of this conflict. Compounding the issue, conflicts caused by the military council across Myanmar follow a repetitive pattern, so the international community no longer prioritizes these as urgent issues to resolve. Airstrikes and IDPs are widespread, making these violations seem routine to them, rather than exceptional cases requiring immediate action.
What I’m saying is that, from an international perspective, Myanmar’s crisis has become a normalized situation, which exacerbates the negative impacts on our country. The international community has its own problems—take the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, for example. These issues tend to overshadow our situation in the news. ASEAN, meanwhile, often unilaterally supports Nay Pyi Taw, enabling conditions that fuel the conflict. Worst of all, in recent years, much of the U.S. aid for displaced persons has dried up, making the situation even more dire. On the other hand, the National Unity Government (NUG) and its ministries lack the capacity to fully address these issues. In my assessment, we’re left with no choice but to endure and overcome the worst of these circumstances.
Sent by Than Lwin Times.