IDPs from Karenni in Inle
Mizzima
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Karenni currently taking refuge in the Inle area are encountering challenges in securing an adequate food supply.
Ongoing intense conflict in Karenni State since the 2021 coup has led to the displacement of Karenni residents to villages in the Inle Lake area in Nyaung Shwe Township, Shan State. According to IDPs, thousands of local residents are also facing challenges in sustaining their livelihoods and accessing food.
Over 4,000 residents from towns like Loikaw, Demoso, and Nammekon in Karenni State, have sought refuge, primarily in monasteries within the villages around Inle Lake. Some have resorted to renting houses in these areas, as reported by a youth assisting the IDPs.
A teacher joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) from Loikaw, who fled to Inle, said, “We fled to Inle in 2022. I returned to Loikaw in April 2023 and continued teaching while in hiding. However, after Operation 1111, we had to flee once again. This escape is particularly challenging. Unlike in my village, there are limited job opportunities and places to work. It is truly a difficult situation, and I am apprehensive about the future.”
In one of the monasteries within a village in the Inle area where she has sought refuge, there are over 600 IDPs, with more than 100 being school-age children. The monastery has taken on the responsibility of providing education to these children.
Initially, the Red Cross Society and local charitable organizations supplied rice and oil to the IDPs. However, as the number of internally displaced persons continued to increase, and the cost of basic necessities rose, and the situation became more challenging for the affected individuals.
A youth aiding Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) said, “There are about 1,500 people from Karenni taking refuge in five locations where we offer support. While we cannot always provide assistance, we have previously supplied rice and oil. The primary concern is food, and we urgently require rice and oil.”
In a statement from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) this January, it was reported that 2.3 million people have been displaced from their homes due to conflicts arising since the coup. Additionally, 19 million people across Myanmar are in need of assistance as a result of the ongoing military conflicts.
