More Kachin civilians flee to KIO controlled area

THE UN DISTRIBUTED RICE IN SENG MAI  PA CAMP IN APRIL.

Scores of Kachin civilians continue to flee to territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in order to avoid fighting between government forces and the Kachin resistance, according to Salang kaba Doi Pyi Sa, head of the KIO's relief committee.

A new wave of internally displaced people have fled from areas in and around Saw Law, Chipwi (Chipwe), Pang Wa (also Pangwah) in north eastern Kachin state since fighting erupted late April in a wide stretch of territory previously controlled by the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K), a now defunct government allied militia that transformed into a border guard force.

Sara Hkaw Taik, volunteer relief worker assisting families who have recently fled fighting in the Pang Wa area told the Kachin News Group (KNG) that 424 people from 81 families have recently arrived at the Je Yang IDP camp located near the Chinese border.

Wandi Seng Jat Du, a KIO official involved in relief efforts told KNG that while the Je Yang camp's 6,000 residents receive support from the KIO, church groups and local NGOs, there is a serious lack of food.

“We can only give them rice and salt, but we can't afford to give nutritious food like beans, oil, onions, garlic and meat”, he said.

Salang kaba Lahpai Zaw Raw, secretary of the KIO's relief committee said that on Thursday a UN team brought three large trucks worth of supplies to deliver a one month supply of rations for families at the Lana Zup IDPs camp. The UN team also brought food and shelter supplies for about 500 people who are living at the Bum Tsit Bum camp. Earlier on Wednesday the UN also brought aid to nearby Lana Zup camp.

The UN supplies came from the UN Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), the UN's Children Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Program (WFP).

In April UN relief teams also brought a one month's supply of rations for several thousand families sheltering in the KIO controlled areas of Mai Ja Yang, Wai Maw and Sadung. The UN teams were only able to bring supplies for a fraction of the more than 45,000 people now thought to be sheltering in territory controlled by the KIO.

According to Salang kaba Doi Pyi Sa last month the UN was forced to postpone further relief convoys.  After some delay these convoys restarted on June 5 when a UN convoy brought supplies to Ung Lung.