The United Nations in Myanmar on Tuesday said in a statement that an estimated 100,000 people have been internally displaced due to the violence in Myanmar’s Kayah State. The body also expressed concern about the “rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation” in Kayah State and other areas in south-eastern Myanmar.
“Recent violence in Kayah State, including indiscriminate attacks by security forces against civilian areas, has led to the internal displacement of an estimated 100,000 men, women and children. Many of them are currently seeking safety in host communities and forests across Kayah and southern parts of neighbouring Shan state,” the UN in Myanmar said in its statement. It further warned that the crisis would force those displaced across the international border, which could be seen in many other parts of the country.
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Stressing that the people affected by the violence were in urgent need of essentials such as food, water, shelter, fuel and access to healthcare, the UN said that relief items are ready to be deployed. However, the ongoing insecurity, travel restrictions imposed by security forces and poor road conditions are delaying the delivery of these supplies, it added. It also called on the security forces to allow for a safe passage for providing humanitarian supplies and relief to those in need in Kayah and the other states as well.
“The United Nations reiterates the Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire made in March 2020 and to join forces to respond to the growing risk of another outbreak of Covid-19 and other humanitarian and health challenges,” it added.
Earlier on May 20, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people have sought refuge in India, news agency PTI reported. Also, 60,700 women, children and men were internally displaced as of the second week of May 2021, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on the same day. Dujarric also said that over 1,700 refugees have crossed the border into Thailand during March and April, most of whom had subsequently returned, the PTI report showed.
