Don't forget us, says displaced farmer in Kachin state, Myanmar
After three years of the conflict in northern Myanmar, Maran Jar Bu has been uprooted so many times, she barely remember where home is. She hopes the world hasn't forgotten her.
MUSE, Myanmar, June 4 (UNHCR) - Farmer Maran Jar Bu* is used to hard days in the field and long walks to reach the market town from her little village in Kachin state, northern Myanmar. Now she sits in front of an emergency tent, unable to work or move freely.
The 72-year-old looks lost after repeatedly fleeing the conflict between the Myanmar army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Since a 17-year ceasefire broke down in June 2011, more than 100,000 people have been uprooted from their homes.
Following recent clashes between the army and the KIA, more than 4,600 people - mainly farmers - have had to flee their homes since April 10. For some, it is their second or third displacement. Most of these internally displaced people are now hosted in the camps of Man Win Gyi and Namkham in southern Kachin state, and in temporary accommodation in the northern Shan state city of Muse.
"This is now my fourth displacement," sighed Maran Jar Bu. "My home… I don't know where it is anymore, I think it is the last place I have been."
Her current home is in the crowded Man Win Gyi camp, which hosts some 5,000 displaced people - half of whom arrived at the camp in the past month.
The local government and NGOs are responding to urgent needs such as food, drinkable water, emergency latrines and tents, with the support of international organizations. UNHCR has delivered emergency tents to house the thousands of newly displaced. It has also distributed emergency relief items including blankets, kitchen sets, sleeping mats, plastic sheets, mosquito nets and hygiene kits to some 700 families who fled with few or no belongings.
A key challenge in the humanitarian response is in securing space and identifying where to build temporary shelters. There is limited land available due to the geography of the region and continuing concerns over safety.
"We are very concerned by the effects of fighting close to civilian dwellings and existing IDP camps, which is a threat to safety and security. In some instances IDPs are being displaced for the second, third time or even more, exacerbating their plight and anxiety," said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR's acting representative in Myanmar, during a visit to the camps in recent weeks.
With the current fluid situation, new IDPs are unsure whether their children should start their new school year in their home villages or at the places of displacement. They voice hopes for a return soon, fearing they could miss the planting season in June.
"I am old and I deserve to spend my last days without fear. I just want to be able to find a peaceful place, that would be such a relief," said Maran Jar Bu, who despite the hardships, never stops smiling.
UNHCR's Ito asked her how she could stay so positive while recounting such a terrible experience. Maran Jar Bu simply replied, "I am so happy to see you because this means we have not been forgotten."
Citing her strength as an inspiration, Ito said, "UNHCR's work is not just about measurable indicators and how many emergency items have been distributed. Sometimes it is simply about the presence of staff listening to the stories of the people who otherwise would be forgotten."
*Name changed for protection reasons
By Medea Savary in Muse, Myanmar
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Partnership Note on Faith-based Organizations, Local Faith Communities and Faith Leaders
26 Jun 2014 ... ... in the eyes of both administrations (i.e. government and the Kachin Independence Organization). ... to take full responsibility for the education and health services of IDPs in Kachin State. ...... -
74th meeting of the Standing Committee - Asia and Pacific
6 Mar 2019 ... ... IDPs in Kachin and northern Shan States. In central Rakhine State, there are an estimated 130,000 IDPs. At present, however, UNHCR’s access is constrained and its activities in Kachin and ...... -
Update on UNHCR's operations in Asia and the Pacific
21 Sep 2012 ... ... the situation of displaced populations in Myanmar’s Kachin and Rakhine States, and to accommodate additional requirements in water, sanitation, health and education for the refugees in Bangladesh. ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2012 - Engaging with internally displaced people
1 Jun 2013 ... ... between national troops and armed ethnic groups in Kachin State have displaced an addi- tional 74,000 people. UNHCR leads the joint CCCM/ shelter/NFIs cluster in both Rakhine and Kachin States. ...... -
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Covering the period 1 July 2013 - 30 June 2014
30 Jun 2014 ... ... At the same time, UNHCR continued to support displaced people in Myanmar’s Rakhine and Kachin States, as well as those displaced in the south-east of the country. In response to Typhoon Haiyan, ...... -
UNHCR warns of dangerous new era in worldwide displacement as report shows almost 60 million people forced to flee their homes
18 Jun 2015 ... ... Continuing displacement was seen in and from Myanmar in 2014, including of Rohingya from Rakhine state and in the Kachin and Northern Shan regions. Iran and Pakistan remained two of the world's top ...... -
Worldwide displacement hits all-time high as war and persecution increase
18 Jun 2015 ... ... Continuing displacement was also seen in and from Myanmar in 2014, including of Rohingya from Rakhine state and in the Kachin and Northern Shan regions. Iran and Pakistan remained two of the world's ...... -
UNHCR Global Appeal 2016-2017 - Asia and the Pacific regional summary
1 Dec 2015 ... ... In Kachin state, where some 100,000 people remain displaced, timely access to solutions will depend on the success of a nationwide ceasefire agreement. In South-West Asia, UNHCR will continue to work ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2011 - Asia and the Pacific regional summary
1 Jun 2012 ... ... The Office also sought to promote reconciliation between communities through peace-building projects. Following the eruption of conflict in June in Myanmar’s Kachin State, which displaced over ......