Since the military coup, there has been a concerning rise in drug addiction and homelessness in Shan State. The number of people affected by these issues has been steadily increasing, resulting in an average of 3 homeless deaths per month. In light of this alarming situation, residents are calling for urgent resettlement measures to address the needs of the homeless population.
On July 14th and 16th, two deceased bodies of men were discovered in separate incidents. One body was found near the soccer field in Loilwamt village, while the other was found between Yaykantaung Wards 4 and 5 in Lashio Township. Both bodies were unattended at the time of discovery.
Similarly, on July 18th, the lifeless body of an unidentified man was discovered in an abandoned house located in Hsenwi Township. The A Hnine Mae social group, which assisted in handling the situation, played a crucial role in collecting the deceased individual's body.
This year, approximately 10 unattended bodies have been discovered in Hsenwi Township, and a common factor in these deaths has been drug overdoses.
"The number of homeless people in Hsenwi is quite high, and the count of deceased homeless individuals is not insignificant either. Already this year, we have lost 8 or 9 people. It is estimated that there are approximately 100 homeless individuals throughout the entire township, primarily found on roadsides and abandoned buildings”, a member of A Hnine Mae social group told Shan Herald. Top of Form
No organization is currently taking responsibility for effectively addressing the escalating drug overdose deaths among homeless individuals in Shan State, locals said.
A resident from Hsenwi expressed his desire to witness the homeless people being resettled in a well-organized manner.
"I believe establishing anti-drug addiction camps and shelters for the homeless would be really helpful. It would prevent the distressing sight of bodies scattered everywhere and give us a sense of relief and confidence in people's safety. After all, drug addicts can be dangerous at any time, right?”, he said.
According to local communities and social groups, in June alone, Lashio experienced 5 fatalities and 14 injuries resulting from car accidents, knife-wielding attacks, and drug overdoses.
