Aid Groups Struggle To Supply Taninthari IDP Camps
By Network Media Group
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Aid workers who are providing relief for civilians displaced by the war in the Taninthari Region are struggling to provide supplies after the military tightened its checkpoints following increasing conflicts with the various People’s Defence Forces.
A 45-year-old woman living in a jungle camp said she can forage for their own vegetables, but needs rice, cooking oil, medicines and tarpaulins, the very things that the sit-tat (Burma army) does not allow through the checkpoints. Prices are rising after the sit-tat warned shopkeepers not to sell some basic foodstuffs.
“We are mostly concerned about the health of children and elderly people living in the jungle,” the woman said. In some of the camps in southern Burma, people are suffering from diarrhoea, flu and malaria.
A man helping the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Palaw and Taninthari townships said thousands of people are in urgent need of basic food and shelter and hopes humanitarian agencies from Myeik District will help fill the gap.
The exiled National Unity Government has provided some aid, he said, but its not enough and if they don’t get more supplies soon, they will run out. The volunteer said they previously helped displaced civilians in Palaw and Taninthari townships, but now they also need to find food for villagers in Kyunsu Township.
In June, fighting broke out between the sit-tat and one of the PDFs around Ahshay Maw Tong, Ahnauk Maw Tong, Bang Lamut, Nyaung Pin Kon, Kamtoe and Ramhpo villages in Kyunsu Township, affecting 1,600 villagers who had to flee. Nearly 1,000 people from Bangdanae, Kyun Tha, Myaing Tha and Kam Tha villages were affected.
According to the Dawna-Taninthari IDP assistance team there are more than 5,000 IDPs in Taninthari Township. However, as most of the camps are not permanent, it is difficult to determine the exact number.
In Palaw Township, 30 villages have been affected by the violence and about 2,000 people have fled to town or are living with relatives in other villages.
The Nwe Oo Metta IDP assistance team have delivered aid for over 1,500 people from 10 village tracts in Taninthari Township.
