Intensified clashes, shelling by the junta, and heightened insecurity have driven a surge in internally displaced persons in Mon State, locals said.
Local residents have been compelled to flee their homes due to relentless fighting, artillery shelling into villages, and the looming threat of junta incursions and arbitrary arrests for use as human shields.
Nearly 20,000 people were internally displaced in Mon State between October and the last week of November, according to data compiled by Than Lwin Times.
A staggering four million people have been internally displaced since the military coup nearly three years ago, as the conflict-ridden areas have expanded across Myanmar, according to a report released on Wednesday, October 25th, by the independent research group ISP-Myanmar.
In Mon State over 10,000 are from Kyaikmaraw Township, where fierce clashes continue, and nearly 10,000 from Ye, Kyaikto, Bilin, and Thaton Townships, where the military situation remains tense.
“People are moving out of town because of concerns for security. Some villagers are even selling their homes and farms to relocate to other areas”, a Ye Township resident told Than Lwin Times.
The majority of displaced people sought refuge in Kyaikmaraw, Mudon, Kyaikto, Bilin, and Thaton towns and villages, while others made their way to Mawlamyine.
Intense clashes between the Junta army and resistance forces have plagued Kyaikmaraw Township since early November, leaving the region in a state of heightened tension. While Mawlamyine and Chaungson have experienced relative calm, the remaining townships remain on high alert amidst the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile the Military Council has deployed nearly 800 troops and fortified defenses, in order to prevent the conflict from spreading to Kyaikmaraw and Mudon.
A resident of Kyaikmaraw Township informed Than Lwin Times that the majority of individuals from the conflict-ridden township have sought refuge in Mawlamyine. However, in some villages, villagers remain trapped amidst the ongoing clashes between the two sides.
The Military Council has directed village administrators to scrutinize overnight guests and closely monitor their movements within neighborhoods, and villages where displaced people reside.
The Karen National Union (KNU) has reported that over 200,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Mon State due to the ongoing fighting and the Military Council's constant human rights violations perpetrated since the coup.
The escalating armed conflicts and artillery fire that have wreaked havoc upon Mon State, a region home to over two million people, have inflicted widespread casualties and compelled countless residents to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighboring areas, severely curtailing their freedom of movement and profoundly disrupting their lives.
Photo-CJ
