Kachin

Series of intensified armed clashes have started again in Kachin State since 3rd April 2018. The situation is affecting dramatically the lives of local civilian population causing causalities, detainment, entrapments and new displacement. By the intensified armed clashes started in April, over 6000 civilians has displaced or redisplayed from their home village.   Since the start of the conflicts, different stakeholders such as the youth, CSOs, religious leaders, the political parties, Peace talk Creation Group etc are putting their effort on new IDPs rescue mission. They are approaching the state government, union government and Tatmadaw to release and to be able to rescue the civilians who are trapped in conflict zones. This update try to cover and provide a key highlight from 1st to 7th May 2018.

Due to the recent conflicts in Tanai, Njang Yang,  Kasung and Zup Mai and Chihpwe area, over 4,000 new IDPs are displacing at new camps or location in Myitkyina, Mogaung, Chiphwe, Tanai and Waimaw. Currently, there are about 150 newly displaced people are also taking refuge at Tangyang Zup village, western bank of Mali Hka river (20 miles away from river confluence) in northern most part of Myitkyina township. All of them are from northern part of Njangyang Township where conflict is taking place. New IDPs are still arriving day by day.Militarization and conflict still continue in Njang yang area and there are about 1,000 civilians still staying in the active conflict zone including Njang Yang town.

Since the start of the conflicts in April, 161 villagers are trapped in Man Wai village from Lai Nawng Hku area, Kamai Sub Township and around 2,000 civilians from Awng Lawt village in Tainai twonship are still trapped and fled into the forest. Several attempts were made by the local churches, CSOs, youth and political parties, approaching the government and Tatmadaw in order to be able to access, have been denied for more than two weeks, nevertheless, after the Union Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Dr. Win Myat Aye visit, the government started planning to take out the villagers from Man Wai village starting from 6 May afternoon.

Around 22 civilians have been rescued since 6th April 2018 follow by another 132 villagers are taking by this morning and they are expected to arrive Kamai town around 9:00pm on 7th April 2018. The whole rescue mission are carrying out by the government administration. However, the Awng Lawt villagers who are fled in the forest still remains.

On 6th April 2018, Union Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Dr Win Myat Aye visited the new camps in Myitkyina and Namti, and provided basic humanitarian assistances to new IDPs. The government is also provided some humanitarian assistances to newly arrived IDPs.

Local humanitarian actors including the Joint Strategy Team is assisting the current immediate needs including the food, non-food items, water, emergency latrines and hygiene kits, etc to the newly arrived IDPs with the collaboration with UN agencies and INGOs. However, humanitarian assistances to Chihpwe is prohibited since 28th April 2018 and it is very difficult for the local humanitarian organizations to have access in Chihpwe and Sha-ngaw areas to have the permission to deliver the assistances particularly the food assistance.

Joint Strategy Team is conducting joint assessment on newly displaced IDPs coordination with UN agencies and INGOs.  Now it is at the final stage of data analysing and report writing.

IDPs camps along the border area in KIO control area are extremely vulnerable with current development and Internally Displaced People are extremely anxious for their safety and security since the mortar shell have dropped time to time nearby their camps.

Northern Shan

On 5 May 2018, fighting taking place between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) at Mansar Lone and Mansar Aon villages at Mantone township. Due to this conflict, there are over 400 villager from this two villages and surrounding villages including Man Mai, Na Pein, Man Ai, Khu Mone villages displaced from their villages and they are taking refuge in Mai Yin (180 people) and Wan Pan Khan (280 people) Monasteries in Namtu township. Due to this conflict, two villager (Nan Aye Han, 38 year and U San Sai, 61 year) from Mansar Lone village have been injured by the mortar shelling. Currently, Nan Aye Han is hospitalized in Namtu and U San Sai has been transferred to Lashio hospital due to serious case. Local humanitarian agencies and Civil Society Organisation try to response for the immediate need of the people.

We are deeply concerned about the protection of the civilians across Kachin and Northern Shan States particularly those who have fled the conflict affected areas and those who remain trapped in the active conflict zones. Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed in Chiphwe, Shangaw IDPs camps for the IDPs in Kahcin and newly arrived IDPs in Namtu in northern Shan as well as those who are still trapped in active conflict zones of Tanai  and Njang Yang areas to meet their immediate needs.

Joint Strategy Team – Bridging Rural Integrated Development and Grassroot Empowerment (BRIDGE), Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), Kachin Relief and Development Committee (KRDC), Kachin Women Association (KWA), Kachin Development Group (KDG), Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (KMSS), Metta Development Foundation (Metta), Nyein (Shalom) Foundation and WunpawngNinghtoi (WPN)