More than 6,000 people in the northern part of Maungdaw Township in Arakan State are struggling to access food, medicine and shelter after being displaced by the armed conflict, according to local sources.
Among these people are over 3,000 who were recently displaced and another 3,000 who have been on the run since the conflict began. They are in urgent need of assistance.
One displaced woman said: “The displaced people are crammed into schools. Because of the heavy rains, our living conditions are very difficult. At the moment, the villages are providing for us through donations. We have been displaced for about three months and , no donor has reached us yet.”
Although the Arakha Army (AA) is providing humanitarian aid to the displaced people, according to the IDPs, this is not enough given the large number of people.
Due to the rainy season and the poor living conditions, elderly displaced people are suffering from illnesses and there have already been deaths due to a lack of medication.
“Yesterday, an elderly woman died in our displacement site. The elderly can’t withstand the cold rain. Since there is no medicine and no health care, people are dying unnecessarily,” said one displaced person.
The situation is exacerbated by the suspension of the work of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which had been providing medical aid in the Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Rathedaung Townships.
In addition, the military junta’s travel restrictions have prevented NGOs, INGOs and local aid groups from providing assistance. This has further worsened the situation for the displaced people.
One person involved in assisting IDPs in Maungdaw said: “At the moment we are seeking help from friends abroad to provide rice. But there are too many IDPs to sufficiently support. We don’t know how long the fighting will continue.”
Those working to help the IDPs warn that without food aid, those who have fled their homes could face ever greater food shortages in the long term.
Fighting between the military and the AA in Arakan State has been going on for almost nine months since 13 November 2023. The conflict has displaced more than 600,000 people, who are suffering greatly from food shortages.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG).