United Nations: Myanmar is facing a humanitarian crisis with about 3 million people requiring assistance due to the ongoing armed clashes, insecurity, monsoon rains as well as the Covid-19 outbreak, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In a report on Monday, the OCHA said the crisis was February 1 military coup and the subsequent detention of politicians, including former State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi.
Of the 3 million people, 1 million were previously identified in the existing response plan and a further 2 million identified since the military takeover.
More than 206,600 people have been internally displaced due to clashes and insecurity following the coup in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin and Mon states, and in Tanintharyi region, the OCHA report saud.
There were also reports of population movement in Magway and Sagaing regions, believed to be in thousands, in recent months due to armed clashes and insecurity.
The security situation in southeastern Myanmar remains challenging, particularly in Kayah state and neighbouring areas of southern Shan, with clashes reported between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and the alliance of the “Karenni Army” and the “Karenni Nationalities Defence Force”, according to the OCHA.
In Kayah, around 22,000 people fled from their homes in September, while a large number of returns were also documented during this period.
In Kayin and Tanintharyi, some displacement was reported with increased deployment of troops and ongoing clashes.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that 149,000 people remained internally displaced across the southeast since February 1.
The security situation in Kachin and Shan states remains volatile, with sporadic clashes reported between MAF and ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) or among EAOs, said the OCHA.
In Kachin, 13,730 people have been internally displaced since the start of 2021; more than 7,750 of them remain displaced.
In Shan, around 28,680 people have been internally displaced during the same period; about 8,150 remain displaced in five townships.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has resumed monthly cash distributions to 45,000 IDPs in Kachin, following two months of suspension due to banking issues.
In Shan, WFP and partners are resuming cash distributions to 6,900 IDPs. WFP already provided two-week food rations to some 3,000 IDPs in Kyaukme Township.
The security situation remains fragile in Chin State, with clashes between the MAF and different “People’s Defense Forces” reported in several townships, particularly in Kanpetlet and Thantlang, according to the OCHA report.
About 15,250 people remain displaced in 5 townships in Chin State since May and in Saw Township in Magway and Kale Township in Sagaing regions since June.
Another 9,500 people, displaced by the earlier MAF-“Arakan Army” conflict, remain in Paletwa Township in Chin State.
Around 1,000 people from Chin State have reportedly crossed the border into neighbouring Mizoram State in northeastern India since September 10, according to public sources.
A total of 15,000 people have crossed into India since the start of 2021, according to the UNHCR.
(IANS)
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