Over 5,000 displaced people who have fled conflict in Nawnghkio Township, Shan State are forced to live in makeshift tents during the rainy season and are in urgent need of food and medicine, according to displaced people in Nawnghkio.
They are the residents of Tha Yet Kone and Hsi Hson village tracts who were forced to flee their homes after the renewed fighting between the military junta forces and the Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MDY-PDF) in the Pyin Oo Lwin-Nawnghkio border areas since last April.
For security reasons, the displaced locals are now living in makeshift tents in the fields outside the villages, the displaced people said.
A displaced woman from Nawnghkio said: “At the moment we have nothing to eat, and the tents aren’t safe. They leak when it rains. We have no work, so we’re in great hardship. Now we aren’t allowed to enter the village and have to pitch tents in the fields east of the village. They said we can return to the village when the political situation improves. That’s what the PDF said.”
Since late April, fighting between the junta troops and the joint forces of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and Mandalay-PDF has been taking place in Tha Yet Kone, Hsi Hson, and Than Bo village tracts on the border between Pyi Oo Lwin and Nawnghkio.
Attempts to reach the Mandalay-PDF for comment on the IDPs’ claims that PDFs had occupied villages in Tha Yet Kone and Hsi Hson village tracts in Nawnghkio Township were unsuccessful.
Engaging in fighting in civilian areas and displacement camps, occupation of these areas and attacks constitute war crimes and violate the Geneva Convention, which Myanmar has signed, regarding the protection of civilians during wartime.
More than 1,000 households from villages of Hsi Hson, Pa Hat, Man Nar, Pang Hkan, Zar Li, Tha Yet Kone, and Chaung Gyi in Nawnghkio Township have been forced to flee multiple times due to the fighting between the two sides. As there is no permanent IDP camp for them, they have received little support.
Currently, the displaced children and elderly people living in the fields are suffering from fever and diarrhea.
In the last week of August, a 22-year-old youth who had sought refuge near Pa Hat village in died of diarrhea because he did not receive medical treatment in time, according to the IDPs.
“Displaced children are also suffering from high fever and can’t eat. They have had fever and high temperatures for 7-8 days. Because the roads are bad, no help can reach us. A 22-year-old died from stomach pains on the run. We could only give him one injection, we couldn’t afford further medical treatment because we have no money,” said a displaced woman.
Currently, junta troops stationed in Pyin Oo Lwin and Bant Bway are firing indiscriminately heavy weapons, some of which hit near the Sinn Shwe Li Sugar Mill near Inn Waing village tract.
Displaced locals in the area have had to flee again, according to Nawnghkio locals.
Sent by Shan News.