Ko Ann Thar Gyi, chairman of Thingaha Kann Latt Rakhita group, said: “The people living in refugee camps are unemployed so they are reliant on donated food items.”

The group is donating food to camps around Yay Soe Chaung and Kyauk Tan villages in Rathedaung Township and Si Taung IDP camp in Buthidaung Township.

U Kyaw Chay, from Si Taung IDP camp, said: “Groups that provide assistance to IDP camps haven’t come here lately so we are facing food shortages. The food (we have) will run out in the next five or six days.”

Authorities have told us to return home several times, but without financial assistance or employment, we are afraid we will starve if we leave the camps, he said.

U Kyaw Chay explained that they used to be able to make money by working in the mountains but since the military has made these areas off limits they are reliant on hand-outs.

IDP camps located in Ponnakyun Township are also facing food shortages. U Hla Maung Thein, an IDP living in the township, said he and his family are doing okay because they were early arrivals to the camp.

U Hla Maung Thein said: “Eleven households that arrived after us are struggling. They arrived late so they didn’t receive 200,000 kyats (about US$168) that was given by the state government to build homes.”

Reporting by San Maung Than for Narinjara News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff