A small UN convoy arrived Monday night at the KIO's Laiza headquarters as UN officials were finally able to visit. It had been more than 5 months since refugee camps were initially established along the Chinese Burma border in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).
The UN delegation, comprised of staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), was supposed to arrive last week. However, it was kept in the Manmaw (Bhamo) District for several days and prevented from coming to Laiza by the government's chief administrator for Manmaw U Tay Zar Aung, according to a source close to the UN team.
In October, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, revealed that a UN offer to deliver food to refugees in KIO territory was refused by the Burmese government, which claimed the aid wasn’t needed.
Aid groups and human rights activists, however, have become increasingly alarmed at the deteriorating living conditions in the KIO refugee camps. Over the past 6 weeks. several major international human rights groups including Refugees International, Physicians for Human Rights, Partners, and Human Rights Watch have all issued statements warning of the worsening food and health situation for refugees trapped behind KIO lines.
Following the UN team's arrival Monday evening, a four-person UN delegation met with KIO relief officials in Laiza to discuss the possibility of delivering aid to camps in KIO controlled territory, according to Doi Pyi Sa, chairman of the KIO's IDP and Refugee Relief Committee (IRRC). The delegation was led by U Myat Thar of UNICEF and included U Moe Aung from OCHA and U Joseph and U Nay Linn Htat, both from UNHCR.
On Tuesday, UN and KIO relief officials jointly visited six major IDP camps located in the Laiza area, Doi Pyi Sa added.
Doi Pyi Sa said that his organization also accepted 300 family relief kits from UNICEF and 500 similar kits from the UNHCR the same day. The kits, which contain basic household items to help with the refugees cooking and shelter needs, are to be distributed as soon as possible.
Supplies donated by the Burmese government and a USDP MP rejected
While accepting supplies from the UN, the IRRC refused a load of supplies brought by in by the UN that were donated by Burmese officials, according to Doi Pyi Sa. He reported that the donations were rejected due to what he called the contradictory behavior of the Burmese government, which included recently offering a ceasefire and then launching an offensive against KIO positions.
The rejected relief materials include 1,000 pieces of warm clothing and 300 sacks of rice donated by U Thein Zaw, an MP from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Also refused were 1,000 family relief kits from the Kachin State government’s Relief and Rehabilitation Center.
An additional 400 family kits from the Kachin State Red Cross were also declined. The Kachin State Red Cross is under the control of the Myanmar Red Cross, an entity considered by many in Burma to be heavily influenced by the Burmese military.
La Rip, a co-coordinator with the Laiza based Relief Action Network for IDPs and Refugees (RANIR), although pleased that UN officials had arrived in Laiza, complained that relief was late.
“They should have come a long time ago,” La Rip said. “The UN shouldn’t stop after their first introductory trip,” he added. “We would like the UN agencies to make a proper survey of all the IDP camps for further relief assistance”, he said.
La Rip added that the UN's World Food Program should also assist IDPs presently living in camps in KIO territory. Since August, the World Food Program has assisted in the distribution of rice to IDP's sheltering in government controlled towns such as Myitkyina and Waingmaw, but not in KIO controlled areas.
La Rip also said that both Burma’s central government and the KIO should understand the relief mandate of the various UN agencies. La Rip noted that he wanted to see the UN take a leadership role in refugee relief activities.
Relief groups estimate that more than 56,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since the Burmese government launched its offensive against the KIO in June of this year. It is estimated that more than 30,000 of these people have taken refuge in camps located in KIO controlled areas along the China border. An additional 15 to 20,000 people are said to be living in temporary camps located on the Chinese side of the border or are living in Yunnan’s towns and cities including Rulli and Kunming.
Another 6,000 to 8,000 people are estimated to have taken refuge in territory controlled by the Burmese government.
On December 10, Burma’s President Thein Sein sent a letter to General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the country’s Defense Services calling for the army to halt its offensive against the KIO.
On Monday, the Chief Minister of Kachin State read out the letter publicly in the Myitkyina City Hall, KIO sources. However, the Burmese army has continued its offensive since then.
Sources in Myitkyina report that also on Monday that reinforcements, consisting of two whole train compartments of soldiers, arrived at Myitkyina station, this despite Thein Sein’s pledge to a halt in the fighting.
KIO officials reported today that the Burmese army is increasing its troop numbers at positions near Mai Ja Yang, the KIO’s second largest town.
