2015-07-20 15:25:00

Myanmar: Aid workers struggle to reach fleeing Kachin civilians


(Vatican Radio) More than 1,000 Kachin civilians have been forced to flee their homes since the Tatmadaw (Burma's armed forces) carried out airstrikes on positions held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near the village of Mali Yang in northern Kachin state last Saturday July 11th.

Church relief groups say the civilians displaced by renewed fighting in the war-torn Kachin state are in dire need of humanitarian aid. Food, clothing, temporary shelter supplies and medicine have been ready for distribution to the displaced since last week but delivering supplies to those in need has been hindered by poor weather and military troop movements in the region, according to Church workers.

Rev Lama Yaw, spokesman from Kachin Baptist Convention in Myitkyina told ucanews.com on July 20 that a water route — the most accessible route to the displaced Kachins — was blocked by the military for “security reasons”. The Kachin Baptist Convention is the largest church group operating in Kachin state and along with other aid groups claim to have received government permission to travel to the area where the displaced families are taking shelter.

However, heavy rains have made road access nearly impossible, Lama Yaw said. “It would take 20 days to reach [the displaced],” he added. The newly displaced are “in dire need” of aid, he said.

The area where the airstrikes took place is located in Putao District's Sumpra Bum Township east of the Mali Hka river. It appears that no KIA were killed during the airstrikes, although this has yet to be formally confirmed.

The airstrikes were both followed and preceded by armed clashes between KIA forces and army forces. Aid workers have also informed the Kachin News Group (KNG) that they are very concerned about the fate of the more than 1,000 civilians who have been displaced by the recent wave of fighting who are “seriously at risk”.

Army authorities have so far not allowed aid groups to reach the displaced civilians many of whom have fled to an area still controlled by the KIA. While the Kachin State Chief Minister La John Ngan Hsai appears to be somewhat concerned about the situation he is unable to authorize aid groups to travel to the area and only the army and other central government authorities can give approval for this.

Bishop Francis Daw Tang of Myitkyina diocese said the Catholic Church is observing the situation and is ready to respond to the humanitarian need.

“The situation remains tense amid ongoing clashes so getting access to those fleeing Kachin civilians is a challenge so far. But I have informed the parish priest in that area to be alert and ready to collect data when tension is reduced,” Bishop Daw Tang told ucanews.com July 20.

San Awng, a Catholic businessman and a member of Myitkyina-based Peace Talk Creation Group, said about 600 of the displaced are in camps and receiving aid from the rebels. But another 400 civilians remain in the jungle without access to aid.

“The condition of the remaining people in the jungle seems to be a worrying sign,” San Awng said. He said there was a historical pattern of clashes erupting shortly after the opening of new peace talks, with the military moving additional troops into ethnic territories, leading to fresh clashes and undermining the peace process.

A member of the Myitkyina based Peace Creation Group (PCG). a group of prominent Kachin businessmen who are supporting the Kachin peace process have also told Radio Free Asia (RFA) in an interview broadcast on July 16th that more than 1,000 people have been displaced by recent wave of fighting, a figure confirmed by KNG.

It remains to be seen if UN agencies operating in Kachin state including United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian, (UNOCHA), the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will be allowed to go the area or send supplies there. The area where the latest fighting has taken place is a 2 or 3 day journey south from Putao town and sending aid there will be a difficult task. Shipping aid along the Mali Hka river appears not to be an option at the moment due to recent restrictions imposed by the army on river travel.

The Kachin conflict intensified in 2011, after a 17-year ceasefire between rebels and the government broke down, driving nearly 100,000 civilians from their homes.

The government and rebels are expected to reopen talks on a ceasefire in late July.

(Source: UCANews)








All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©.