Photo Essay: Struggles for Kachin State’s IDPs Continue in Rainy Season
Community members are asking for donations of raincoats for children, who are arriving at school with wet clothing and books.
By NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (NMG)
Friday, June 28, 2019
Internally displaced people (IDPs) in a camp between milestones six and eight in Kachin State’s Sadon Township say that the harsh weather of the mountains brings new challenges each season.
Located on steep hills on the Burma-China border, the camp is currently experiencing winds and rain because of the monsoon, but when it ends, the cold season will bring snow and freezing temperatures.
“When students arrive at school, their clothes and books are already wet. It’s really cold. Their umbrellas are damaged in a short period because of the strong wind. If possible, we want donors to provide raincoats for our children,” primary school teacher Bawk Mai told NMG.
IDPs have been living in the camp for eight years, and see no way they can return to their homes. They fled their communities because of clashes between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army in June 2011.
Children from the IDP camp, playing on the mountainside during a moment without rain. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
A boy plays near a rock declaring the area as “Kachin State.” The camp is near the border with China. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Fog descends on the houses in the camp, which are built on the side of a mountain. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Children walk along a difficult road to get to school. Most do not have raincoats. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Children walk through fog along the mountain road to get to school. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Children arrive at primary school to begin their day. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Children play along a path in the camp. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
Children return to their homes from school. (Photo: Yawng Htang)
