On the 25th of March 2024, at the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, Mae Sot, Thailand, the Thai Red Cross Society handed over aid packages to the Myanmar Red Cross Society, through the Royal Thai Government’s Humanitarian Aid Program. The aid packages were distributed to 20,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled into Karen National Union (KNU) control areas; Nabu Township, Paingkyon Township, and Tha Ma Nya (Don Yin Township), due to SAC’s air strikes, artillery attacks, looting and burning of civilian houses.

The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) transported the aid materials through Myawaddy via Thay Ka Tae. Officials from the Royal Thai Army accompanied them to observe the aid deliveries. Officials from the KNU’s Hpa-an District received 3,874 aid packages from Royal Thai Army officials in Nabu Township and handed them over to CIDKP (Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People) and respective community leaders that assist and care for the IDPs.

In Paingkyon Township and Tha Ma Nya (Don Yin Township), officials from SAC and the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) unexpectedly participated in the delivery of humanitarian aid. Our leaders were able to distribute them completely and with restraint despite the challenges.

Although there was a lack of information and challenges, we, the KNU would like to express our gratitude on behalf of the Karen I D to the Royal Thai Government for the humanitarian assistance. We would like to share KNU’s position regarding humanitarian assistance as follows:

1. The humanitarian crisis in Burma/Myanmar is a man-made humanitarian crisis caused by SAC intentionally targeting of civilians.
2. SAC always seeks ways to take political advantage of humanitarian aid, and the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is a military reserve force, and an organization that supports the SAC. Providing humanitarian aid through MRCS is showing an indifference to the suffering of the people because MRCS is working for SAC that deliberately targets its own people.
3. On 26 March 2024, while humanitarian aid was being delivered in Paingkyon Township, a SAC fighter jet flew over the town at 12:15 pm, which made the IDs flee in fear. We are deeply saddened for those IDPs.
4. Although providing humanitarian aid to IDs can develop trust between all stakeholders, transparency, accountability, and consultation between the parties on all sides is crucial, and activities that damage trust between the relevant parties only deepen the problem.
5. KNU has sent a proposed concept on appropriate aid delivery regarding Burma/Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis to ASEAN countries and the Royal ThaiGovernment.
6. As almost of the whole country is in urgent need of humanitarian aid during this period, we request that humanitarian aid is provided only after information sharing and consultation on all sides and among all relevant stakeholders with transparency, responsibility, and accountability is done.

Contacts:
1. Saw Ner Du Dah (+66 98 687 9384)
2. Naw Sophie (+66 80 228 0996)
3. E-mail: [email protected]
Central Executive Committee Karen National Union

download pdf file in English | Burmese

view the original