The World Food Program (WFP) reported that their food aid arrived in Paletwa on May 2 after their convoy came under attack by an unidentified armed group while traveling through southern Chin State.
“We were able to successfully send WFP’s food rations to Paletwa town. I would like to thank the Chin State government and other organizations for their cooperation. But we cannot stop our duties here,” Stephen Anderson, resident representative of the WFP in Burma, told Khonumthung News.
Locals in Paletwa—as well as the 3,700 internally displaced people (IDPs) seeking refuge there—have faced food shortages since waterways and roads were cut off in early February due to intensifying clashes between the Burma Army and Arakan Army. WFP sent 1,000 bags of rice from Sami town to Paletwa using five vehicles.
On May 3, the WFP reported that an unidentified armed group attacked the aid convoy on April 29, damaging three of the vehicles and causing one assistant driver to suffer minor injuries.
“The situation is fragile in Paletwa. Local people are very frightened. To prevent food shortages, we need to continue to send assistance to Paletwa,” Anderson said.
People in Paletwa have been searching for edible plants in the nearby jungle for their survival, and farmers have sold buffalo and cows to buy rice.
From this most recent delivery, each IDP received 13.5 kilograms of rice and 10,000 kyat, a representative of a Paletwa-based civil society organization said.
“As far as I have known is that the WFP’s assistance is for IDPs,” the individual said.