More than 1400 Karenni Internally Displaced People (IDPs) taking refuge in Yebyu village in Hsi Hseng Township in southern Shan State received the aid provided by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) in July for the first time.
The AHA Centre provided rice and some personal goods for 400 households and 1,450 populations through the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), Karenni IDPs said.
Major Khun Min Thein, the officer of the PNLO Taunggyi liaison office said: “It is said to be the first time. They first provided aid for 10 families. Now they provide aid for 400 households. In the past, the ASEAN diplomat himself planned to provide aid. But he couldn’t provide aid at that time. So far, the center has provided aid for 410 households. It provided 400 bags of rice, family and personal utensils for 400 households.
A person helping the IDPs in southern Shan State said: “It helps support the IDPs to a certain degree. The aid provided by donors declines as long as the displacement period is longer. There are needs everywhere.”
Even though we are able to provide support like this, there is still a need for refugees on the ground. The details of the situation where the AHA Center will continue to help the IDPs are not yet known, Major Khun Min Thein continued.
On 7 May, the ASEAN diplomatic convoy heading to the PNLO liaison office to help the IDPs in Hsi Hseng Township in southern Shan state was shot. This is the first assistance provided by the AHA Centre following the attack.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times.