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The Humanitarian Crisis Beneath the Conflicts: Report Detailing Dire Humanitarian Needs in Burma’s Rakhine and Kachin States

March 14th, 2017  •  Author:   Burma Human Rights Network  •  3 minute read

Executive Summary:

  • Conflict in Burma’s Rakhine and Kachin States have internally displaced nearly 140,000 and 100,000 respectively
  • The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) in Burma is currently running with a funding gap of USD $37 million
  • The UN’s Office for Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is currently facing a funding gap of USD $138.1 million required for their Humanitarian Response Plan for Burma
  • In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) found children in Maungdaw had prevalence of 45.7% of global chronic malnutrition with 21% prevalence of severe chronic malnutrition
  • In November 2016 the UN estimated that 70,000 people were in immediate need of food and that 30-50% of children with severe acute malnutrition in the area were at imminent risk of dying
  • The BHRN working in Rakhine State found unregistered IDPs (internally displaced persons) suffering tremendous humanitarian needs throughout the state
  • In Kyauktaw the BHRN received current information on aid distributed to 10 Rohingya Villages. Most contained villagers not receiving aid despite strong needs, including some villages where the vast majority were without aid
  • IDPs from Rathetaung Township complained of similar cuts and individuals being denied food rations. In some cases villagers said WFP told them food rations would be reinstated, but this has not yet happened
  • In Pauk Taw IDPs reported significant populations being denied food rations because they did not qualify as they were from areas which were not destroyed in 2012 or they fled to Bangladesh at the time of the violence and are now not registered
  • Villagers frequently complained that due to restrictions on movement they were unable to travel to find work, fish, or search for food. With these restrictions in place they found themselves dependent on aid, even if they had been relocated to new housing units or not had their villages destroyed. Those denied access to food rations were found to be at significant risk
  • In The KIO controlled areas of Kachin State over 46,000 IDPs are not receiving any regular aid
  • Among them are more than 4,000 people over the age of 60 and 5,000 children under the age of five. Among the children without aid, over 2,000 are under the age of two years old
  • Restrictions by the Burmese Military has made delivery of aid virtually impossible on top of a significant lack of funding by INGOs
  • The evidence collected by the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) and their partners in Kachin and Rakhine States supports clear cases of violations of international human rights law by the Burmese Government and Armed Forces
  • The evidence collected on Kachin State supports a prima facie case against the Burma State for War Crimes, and specifically Grave Breaches of Geneva Conventions, including repeated breaches of the principle of distinction and prevention/obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian assistance
  • The evidence collected on Rakhine State supports a prima facie case against the Burma State  for Crimes Against Humanity, for systematic and/or widespread attacks against civilians, including restriction of provision of humanitarian assistance to internally displaced civilians

Download full report in English HERE.