Thursday, August 08, 2019
A woman carries a bag through a refugee camp in Rakhine State. Officials say the number of refugees near Minbya township continues to rise due to recent fighting in the area. Photo: EPA
Fighting between the Tatmadaw (military) and the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State’s Minbya township has intensified and the number of refugees has increased to nearly 6000 over the past 10 days, a state official said on Tuesday.
Minbya township MP U Hla Thein Aung said that aid for the refugees is urgently needed.
“No aid has been provided yet and the fighting has intensified over the last few days so we can’t give assistance to villages trapped by the clashes. Civil society groups from Minbya are providing some food for those who manage to make it to refugee camps. We need help from the government,” U Hla Thein Aung said.
Clashes have intensified between military and the AA around Kalama Taung and Bu Chaung villages in Minbya over the past few days.
Due to fighting near Kalama Taung that broke out on July 27, the number of refugees has risen to about 6000, the MP said.
Around 2500 people have been provided accommodation in eight monasteries, including Yadana Mon and Ponnya Yama monasteries in Minbya, and another 3000 are believed to be staying with relatives, he said.
The refugees are from about 30 villages, including Done Thar, Myin Tan Ma, Taung Pone Kay, Sate Tara, Kyauk Saung, Pone Thar and Lat Khout, located near Kalama Taung and Bu Chaung, where the fighting is heaviest.
Some 10 villages, including Zone Thar and Kyauk Mhaw, are in the middle of the conflict zone, said Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary general of the Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC), a civil society organisation attempting to provide aid to refugees.
Minbya township is difficult to get to due to the fierce fighting, he said.
“There are many more villagers who are trapped, and we believe the number is at least double our official tally of around 3000. The fighting is so fierce that aid organisations and even government organisations don’t dare go into the area,” Ko Zaw Zaw Tun said.
Military forces entered the area on July 27, and fighting started near Kalama mountain on July 28.
Attempts to reach spokespeople for the military and AA for comment about the refugee situation were unsuccessful.
The military announced that an AA training camp two kilometres from Chay Yar Taw village near Sittwe township was captured on Friday.
Since December 2018, 63 people have been killed, some 200 civilians have been injured, and the number of refugees in Rakhine has swelled to about 60,000 as a result of the fighting, according to the REC.
– Translated
Link :https://www.mmtimes.com/news/more-refugees-flee-fighting-rakhine.html
Minbya township MP U Hla Thein Aung said that aid for the refugees is urgently needed.
“No aid has been provided yet and the fighting has intensified over the last few days so we can’t give assistance to villages trapped by the clashes. Civil society groups from Minbya are providing some food for those who manage to make it to refugee camps. We need help from the government,” U Hla Thein Aung said.
Clashes have intensified between military and the AA around Kalama Taung and Bu Chaung villages in Minbya over the past few days.
Due to fighting near Kalama Taung that broke out on July 27, the number of refugees has risen to about 6000, the MP said.
Around 2500 people have been provided accommodation in eight monasteries, including Yadana Mon and Ponnya Yama monasteries in Minbya, and another 3000 are believed to be staying with relatives, he said.
The refugees are from about 30 villages, including Done Thar, Myin Tan Ma, Taung Pone Kay, Sate Tara, Kyauk Saung, Pone Thar and Lat Khout, located near Kalama Taung and Bu Chaung, where the fighting is heaviest.
Some 10 villages, including Zone Thar and Kyauk Mhaw, are in the middle of the conflict zone, said Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary general of the Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC), a civil society organisation attempting to provide aid to refugees.
Minbya township is difficult to get to due to the fierce fighting, he said.
“There are many more villagers who are trapped, and we believe the number is at least double our official tally of around 3000. The fighting is so fierce that aid organisations and even government organisations don’t dare go into the area,” Ko Zaw Zaw Tun said.
Military forces entered the area on July 27, and fighting started near Kalama mountain on July 28.
Attempts to reach spokespeople for the military and AA for comment about the refugee situation were unsuccessful.
The military announced that an AA training camp two kilometres from Chay Yar Taw village near Sittwe township was captured on Friday.
Since December 2018, 63 people have been killed, some 200 civilians have been injured, and the number of refugees in Rakhine has swelled to about 60,000 as a result of the fighting, according to the REC.
– Translated
Link :https://www.mmtimes.com/news/more-refugees-flee-fighting-rakhine.html
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