Interview with Saw Lay Ka Paw, spokesperson of Karen Peace Support Network
The number of internally displaced person from the armed conflicts and human rights violations of the military in the Karen National Union’ controlled area of Kawthoolei has reached more than 53,000. These people urgently need humanitarian assistance and measures for their security, according to the report of Karen Peace Support Network on 27February.
Interview with spokespersons of Karen Peace Support Network was about the increasing number of IDPs in Kawthoolei, their requirements for humanitarian needs and requests to global community.
TLT: The report of KPSN said that the number of displaced persons in KNU controlled area has reached over 500,000. Why was the reason for the surge of IDPs?
KPSN: The number of IDPs has significantly increased, especially in Nyaunglaybin township. The armed conflicts are occurring extensively in KNU controlled area. The military is conducting offensive attacks in Nyaunglaybin district, and the number has increased from thousands to over 140,000 at present. Whenever the military troops entered the villages, they made problems to the locals, and threatened them after arrest. People are fleeing from their homes as soon as they knew about the approach of military columns.
The military also carried out airstrikes, continuous heavy weapon shelling and drone attacks on the villages. These frequent attacks have caused the surge of IDPs in Nyaunglaybin district.
TLT: What are the immediate humanitarian needs for IDPs, and how can the assistance be provided them?
KPSN: IDPs urgently need basic food items at present. They do not have enough food and shelters. Local charity groups, KNU leaders and other civil service organizations are providing possible assistance to them.
TLT: How about health problems of IDPs, and the situations of women and children?
KPSN: Although they do not have serious health problem, some of them occasionally suffer the seasonal diseases. The hot season will come into soon. We also need to prepare for the upcoming monsoon. Otherwise, these IDPs will face serious dilemma at that time.
So, healthcare and safety are necessary for them. Moreover, international humanitarian assistance should be delivered systematically to them.
TLT: What is KPSN’s request to international community for IDPs?
KPSN: We want to ask three communities for assistance. The first one is to the humanitarian assistance donors. The second one is to Thai. And the third and last one is to the international community.
More humanitarian assistance is needed through border crossings as most of the IDPs are taking shelters at the border areas. They have little access to assistance programmes. It is better to provide aid through local CSOs, rather than through NGOs.
Our request to Thai government is not to make the forced return of IDPs to the conflict-torn areas at home, and to establish a temporary camp at the border area on humanitarian ground. Humanitarian groups based in Thailand should take care of IDPs. Injured persons from the battles should get proper medical treatments in Thailand.
We also call for international community is to deny legality of military junta and to impose more sanctions against them. Relations with junta in terms of political and financial sectors must be suspended. Sanctions must be applied to military owned businesses. Their weapon sources must be stopped. The most important issue is to suspend the supply of aviation fuels to the junta regime. The sale of aircraft and its related items to the military must be stopped. We call for responsibility and accountability of junta regime for their brutal crackdowns on civilians. We also expect more assistance in both political and humanitarian aspects of Myanmar.
Thanlwintimes