CNI News
5 Sept 2022
Due to clashes between the Tatmadaw and the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army, the number of internally displaced persons in Rakhine State has increased by more than 10,000, Thabarwa Nadi Sayadaw, who has been helping IDPs, told the CNI.
Sayadaw added that the number of IDPs had increased since the fourth week of August, 2022 and the exact number of IDPs would be released in the coming week as he was still making a list of them.
Sayadaw said, “It is difficult to say the number of IDPs exactly. We are still collecting data and conducting a survey. We are compiling the names of their villages and the number of households and population.
We have compiled a rough list but we are still trying to get the exact number of them. I think we will be able to release the exact number of them next week. As far as we know, about 16,000 or more than 10,000 people were displaced.”
Civilians taking shelter in Sasana Beikman temporary IDP camp. (Thabarwa Nadi Sayadaw)
They were the villagers who had to flee their homes due to the fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA in Maung Taw, Rathedaung, Taungup and Mrauk-U in Rakhine State and Paletwa in Chin State last month.
The Arakan National Party is making preparations to offer assistance to the IDPs, U Tun Aung Kyaw, a member of the policy-making body of the ANP, told the CNI.
He said, "We discussed with the general secretary of the ANP and other organizations to do something to help the IDPs. We are compiling statistics to study what we should know and to understand the situation. We will announce the exact number of the IDPs and offer assistance as much as we can by inviting donations from the public. We would like to point out that ours is neither a ruling party nor a business organization. As it is just a political party founded on nationalism, we don't have financial resources. So, we will invite donations from the public and offer assistance to the IDPs depending on the total amount of the donations."
Thabarwas Nadi Sayadaw offers assistance to IDPs. (Thabarwa Nadi Sayadaw)
U Tun Aung Kyaw said the ruling body should offer assistance to the IDPs.
Thabarwa Nadi Sayadaw said, "We don't want to say anything about the fighting, which broke out between armed organizations. However, when civilians were targeted and there was collateral damage, the government should permit civil society organizations to go to IDPs and offer assistance. This is what the government should do. Only then, can the CSOs and charity organizations help the IDPs, who were caught in the crossfire. The government should allow them to go to the IDPs and offer help. If the government suspects something illegal, it can take action against them. Current complete travel ban is something that the government should not do."
Fighting between the AA and the Tatmadaw started in Paletwa in Chin State and Maungdaw in Rakhine State and has spilled over Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Mrauk-U townships.
As more than 42,000 people have been displaced by previous clashes, the number of IDPs in the area has increased to nearly 60,000.
