Refugees in southern Shan State are in dire need of emergency medical treatment, according to a relief team.
A young member of a relief team told Mizzima that refugees are fleeing intense clashes between two Shan armed groups at Kyethi and Mong Naung in Southern Shan State. About 50 percent of the refugees are children. For the time being, both children and adults are in desperate need of emergency medical treatment due to their health situation.
The fighting was intense, said the health worker.
“We often heard the fire of heavy weapons and guns. Only one mountain separated us from the battlefield. We had to carefully evade the soldiers to help the refugees. About 50 percent of the refugees are under the age of ten. Most of them are babies (less than one year in age),” he said.
He noted that the monasteries in some of the villages where the refugees live have no shelters. The refugees are in poor health because they are badly affected by the weather, the wind and the rain.
Donors are helping with food, but there could be a shortage of foodstuffs if the protracted fighting continues, according to relief workers.
The Shan Nationalities Progressive Party (SSPP / SSA) and the Shan State Reconstruction Council (RCSS / SSA) brought heavy fighting into the border area of Kyethi and Mong Naung township on June 1.
The fighting has continued to the present, with thousands of people fleeing to villages and monasteries.
According to some local people, the RCSS suffered more than twenty casualties, while the SSPP suffered heavy casualties during the fighting. The SSPP reportedly attacked the RCSS with a coalition force.
A person who is close to them said, "As the coalition of about a thousand of troops, the SSPP is in alliance with the UWSA and TNLA into three groups to attack the RCSS. The SSPP added about 300 troops today.”
According to intelligence received, Myanmar’s military council is providing weapons and supplies to the three group coalition and aims to divide the area of control.
As a result of the current fighting, the number of ethnic refugees in the region has risen to 1,640, with the majority women. It is known that the list of refugees includes a Buddhist monk and 33 novices.
Relief workers said that according to the current situation, some refugees will inevitably return home despite the fighting. This means they will be in danger during the planting season.
Due to the fighting between two Shan factions at the border of Kyethi and Mong Naung in southern Shan State, the villagers in Moe Kaung, Lonlone, Naung Hee, Wan Maw, Naa Khauk Lane, Naout Soung, Nan Phet Khar, Honar, Hopin, Met Pong, Wan Phein, Won Iss, Mike Hone Linn, Met Hu, Song Monn, Konlon have escaped the area.
