Despite worsening weather conditions, some 6000 Kachin have fled the fighting near their homes to the Chinese border. They have found temporary refuge at four camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), according to Doi Pyi Sa, chairman of the Laiza-based IDP and Refugee Relief Committee of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).
“The camps are situated at Boundary Pillar No. 6, Boundary Pillar No. 8, Boundary Pillar No. 10 and at Zay Awng in eastern Kachin State. They have been open since November 2,” Doi Pyi Sa said.
“Over 2,000 have arrived at the Zai Awng camp on Sama Road, another 1,000 at the camp by Boundary Pillar No. 8 and hundreds more IDPs at Boundary Pillars No. 6 and No. 10 on Kambaiti Road,” he continued.
All the IDPs are from the KIO’s Sadung District (Sadung Ginwang) in Waingmaw Township. They feared arrest, interrogation, torture and rape by government troops, not uncommon occurrences, if they remained in the conflict zone, according to Salang Tu speaking from the camp at Border Line Pillar No. 8.
The IDPs comprised mainly children and older women and men, Salang Tu told the Kachin New Group on Monday.
The KIO’s IDP Relief Committee, churches, and relatives of the IDPs from neighboring China’s southwest Yunnan province, as well non-governmental organizations, are providing shelter, blankets and food to the IDPs in four camps on an emergency basis, he added.
“More proper blankets and clothes are required for the IDPs because it is snowing in the camps and is one foot deep in places,” said Doi Pyi Sa.
The Burmese Government, led by President Thein Sein has, since the second week of November, deployed hundreds of troops from the Magway-based Light Infantry Division No. 88 to the Myitkyina-Kambaiti Road and the Myityina-Sampai-Sama Road in an attempt to overrun Kachin Independence Army (KIA) posts in those areas.
In recent days, government forces have captured two key KIA strongholds along Kambaiti Road—Bum Tawng Post near Washawng village and Lahpai Post near Sadung village. Heavy fighting takes place daily, say local villagers.
“Already, the inhabitants of 11 villages from the Sadung area have fled to the four IDP camps near the China border and many more villagers are fleeing to those camps every day because there is no sign of the war stopping,” said Doi Pyi Sa.
“Chinese border forces are standing guard near the Kachin refugee camps, to prevent those displaced from entering Chinese territory,” Salang Tu informed KNG.
