War snowballs; Kachin refugees influx to China border

The civil war between the Burmese Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has forced nearly 20,000 Kachin refugees to flee to the China border fearing continuous clashes, said a doctor helping refugees.

The number of refugees has touched the figure of 13,000 in five refugee camps in Myu Lawt Wunli, Manau Wang, No. 3 Market place, Hpung Lung Yang and Nawng E Hku camp at the Laiza headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on the China border said, the doctor.

Kachin refugees, Laiza.  

The KIO, the political wing of KIA is providing each refugee with two cans of rice, while locally based Non Government Organizations (NGO) are providing health care.

In Waingmaw Township on the other side of Mali Hka River of Myitkyina, the Capital of Kachin State, there are over 800 refugees sheltered in a Buddhist monastery and a Christian Mission School said, a pastor from the township.

In Lah Ying village in China near China-Loije on the Burma side there are about 5,000 refugees staying in camps and over 150 refugees fled to the Mahtan village according to lists compiled from those camps.

However, the refugees hiding in the forests are sick from cholera and malaria in the rainy season. They are facing downpour without proper shelter or roof.

Almost all refugees are from the villages on the road between Myitkyina, Manmaw (Bhamo) and Loije and more than 20,000 refugees have fled to KIO controlled areas since the war began on June 9. Some refugees are staying on the other side of Laiza in China.

A bomb exploded in Myitkyina Tuesday night for the first time since the KIA and Burmese took on each other on June 9.