Photo-Mai (MNWM)
August 19th, 2021
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) said China is building fences along the place where the IDPs are taking shelter, in Panghsang on the China-Myanmar border, during this week.
Due to the fighting between the military council’s troops and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) (Koekang) in early August, locals from seven villages of Panghsang fled to near the border point on the Myanmar-China border.
A local from Panghsang said: “China is building a fence one or two days after the arrival of IDPs.”
An IDP said: “IDPs are taking shelter by building three temporary huts on the Myanmar side. China is urgently building fences in order to prevent the entry of IDPs from Myanmar. The IDPs are in danger of flooding as it is the rainy season. I am afraid of being ill.”
Local IDPs said they had to flee their regions in 2011, 2016 and 2021. China provided them with some food once during the tenure of U Thein Sein in 2011.
An IDP who declined to be named said: “In the past, we were allowed to go beyond the border post. Among the IDPs are children and pregnant women. I feel very sad as China is building a fence near the border post.”
The IDPs said China has not provided any assistance to the IDPs yet. If the military tension rises, they don’t know where they have to flee.”
“A total of 1,404 IDPs from seven villages from Panghsang are taking shelter on the China-Myanmar border. The IDPs are in urgent need of food, medicines, waterproof sheets and toilets,” said a youth from Kutkai Township who is helping the IDPs.
Youths from Kutkai and NeT Organization provided the IDPs with COVID-19 protective materials and toilet materials during this week.
Sent by the NMG.
