Hundreds of villagers fled due to fighting
August 9, 2017
On August 8 2017, fighting between Myanmar Tatmadaw and Ta’ang National Liberation Army have caused villagers frightened and fled to Namtu until this morning.
As fighting broke out between Khay Khin and Man Wel villages, Namhsan Township, around 200 villagers from Upper Man Wel and Lower Man Wel have fled to take refuge in monastery in Namtu.
A villager who was helping IDPs said, “Currently there are 200 of them in the monastery. We can’t make the list of people yet. Some people arrived last night. Some people arrived this morning. Some are still on the way.”
Most of the IDPs are women and children. Their instant needs are food, blanket and clothes. Ta’ang National Party, Ta’ang Culture and Literature Association and Ta’ang Youth Group have been helping the IDPs. But the groups said they worry for the long term survival of IDPs.
“Now we only feed them with the left over supplies of the last IDPs. There is no support coming yet. Most of them are women and children. They need blanket and bed sheet. They couldn’t bring anything”, he said.
Locals said fighting could get intense since Tatmadaw troops are still administering around Khay Khin and therefore it is difficult for IDPs to return homes.
In one day (August 8), fighting took place 3 times in Namhsan township between Myanmar Tatmadaw LID 77 and TNLA Battalion 919 and 343.
Information Documentation and Research Department
Ta’ang Women Organization
