The junta ‘s deployment of martial law, heavy weapons and artillery in order to crush the tenacious resistance of the Mindat People's Administration defended by a volunteer forces, has triggered the mass exodus of over 8000 citizens who have fled to the jungles nearby.
Urgent humanitarian appeals have gone out to provide urgently needed medical supplies, food, water and shelter for this new contingent of IDPs.
“Everybody is scared” a volunteer explained after Burma Army fired 60 artillery shells and used a military helicopter to attack a civilian resistance group in the tiny town in southern Chin State last week. The violence and martial law, enacted around the same time, drove out ninety percent of the population. Due to continued bombardment with helicopters firing at the IDPs, the people have fled to the ravines and forests far from Mindat. Some elderly, children and some others, remain in their houses. About 80-90 percent of the town’s population has gone into hiding only a few elders are left in Mindat,” said an official of the Mindat IDP group.
Since April the small town on Mindat and its CDF (Chin Defence Forces) valiantly defended themselves with traditional “Tumi” hunting rifles from the junta’s well-armed troops. The struggle of Mindat quickly become a legend that inspired protesters across Myanmar, who have been holding daily rallies under the slogan of “Mindat Keep Fighting”.
After deploying heavy weapons and helicopters to fight the CDF on May 15th, the CDF withdrew from Mindat as they were concerned about more damage and destruction to their town.
The junta’s 274-batallion that now controls Mindat township has engaged in looting and further destruction of property.
The volunteer explained 2,000 townsfolk are staying in four IDPs camps, while a remaining 10,000 are dispersed in 10 camps across the township. Everyone needs emergency rations.
An appeal has gone from a local Chin aid group calling for emergency response for humanitarian aid for IDPs, after as the escalation in Mindat Township in Chin State in western Myanmar. They have also expressed alarm about the humanitarian impact of ongoing militant attacks on areas where displaced civilians are taking shelter. We call on all concerned parties to declare a “no-fire zone” creating at least a 3-5 miles’ barrier between displaced shelter areas and armed conflict.
