March 17th, 2022
Mr. Sasa Kawa, the Special Envoy of the Japanese government held a talk with the officials of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) about the delivery of humanitarian aid, in Chiang Mai of Thailand on March 10th.
Due to the military council’s restriction, the refugees in Karenni State will not receive assistance, U Aung San Myint, Secretary-2 of the KNPP told the Kantarawaddy Times.
“There is an agreement. It is difficult for them to provide humanitarian assistance without the permission of the military council. Karenni State sees growing military tension. In addition, the KNPP is an organization which opposes the military council. We also need the permission from the Thai government if humanitarian assistance is delivered through the Thai border. So, we cannot expect humanitarian assistance from them. The special envoy said he would seek possible means to deliver humanitarian assistance,” U Aung San Myint added.
The military council has issued a statement about humanitarian assistance to be sent by the team led by Special Envoy Mr. Sasa Kawa who is also the chair of the Nippon Foundation.
Except for the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Karen National Union (KNU) which are fighting against the military council, the remaining organizations among ten EAOs which signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will have access to humanitarian assistance.
The meeting between Mr. Sasa Kawa and the KNPP mainly focused on the situation in Karenni State and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The meeting had nothing to do with politics.
“We have already known since the beginning that they are unable to help us. Because the military council has issued a statement. We met him for a relationship. No result came out. No need to make a review. We did not expect any good result from the beginning,” he continued.
The number of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Karenni State has increased to nearly 2000,000 as the military is conducting offensive operations with the use of airstrikes, persistent firing of heavy weapons and long-range rockets in Demawsoe, Loikaw and Pekon Townships in Karenni State and Moebye Township in Shan State.
The IDPs are in urgent need of rations and humanitarian assistance, said those who are helping the IDPs.
Sent by Maw Oo Myar (Kantarawaddy Times).