It has been increasingly difficult to deliver food rations to IDPs in Tamu Township due to on-going armed clashes and the remote location of many IDPs, according to reports from volunteers providing humanitarian assistance to IDPs in Tamu Township.
An unknown number of IDPs have recently fled following clashes between the Tamu People’s Defense Force (Tamu PDF) and the Burma army near Khampat town in the southern part of Tamu Township close to the India-Burma border.
On 22 July, a combined force of PDFs clashed with the Burma army in the area of Khampat town. After the clash, the Burma army blocked the Khampat-Tamu road. Due to this road closure, volunteers were unable to send food rations to IDPs.
“Even though we want to send food rations to IDPs, we do not know how to get access to them. At the moment, we are unable to send food rations for them. We have lost communication with some IDPs who are still hiding in the jungle,” Daw Bwe Nue, who is working with the Kuki Women’s Human Rights Organization, told Khonumthung news.
Humanitarian volunteers reported that a group of IDPs has been hiding in the jungle for more than 10 days.
They will be in need of rice, cooking oil, salt, potato, medicines and tarpaulins for shelter.
Daw Bwe Nue said that currently it is difficult to buy food and food-related products in Tamu town because the Burma army has blocked roads in Tamu Township.
“There are shortages of food and products in Tamu town. Even though the road is opened again, I do not know where to buy what is needed for IDPs. We are facing hardships in Tamu too,” she told Khonumthung news.
Nearly 3,000 people from Khampat town and nearby villages have fled for safety to the India-Burma border area.
They are now taking shelter in Hmutha, Changelzawl and Letpanchaung villages as well as Tarhan ward in Kalay Township.
Local media have reported that more than 700 people from Khampat have been deported back to Burma by the Assam Rifle after they tried to take shelter in New Lajang village in the Chandel district of Manipur State in India. At the moment, these 700 IDPs are now taking shelter in remote parts of Tamu Township.
“Some people fled to Manipur during the clashes. The Indian government deported them back to Burma. They are still hiding in the jungles along the India-Burma border. We are unable to send basic food rations for them,” a local humanitarian volunteer helping IDPs in Tamu Township told Khonumthung news.
Daw Bwe Nue said that some of the IDPs have urgent healthcare needs, including children and pregnant women who need medical care and medicines.
“We do not have medicine for these pregnant women and children. Usually pregnant women and children can get medicine and healthcare at the Premiere Hospital Center (PHC) in India. At the movement, there are protests in Manipur state so the PHC has been closed. Another problem is that it’s difficult for IDP women and children to travel from remote villages to the PHC. Therefore, pregnant women have to give birth without the appropriate healthcare and medicine,” Daw Bwe Nue told Khonumthung news.
Local people report that the majority of Khampat residents left the town after the clashes on 22 July.
Most of the people who are still in Khampat town are those who cannot travel because they are elderly or sick or do not have adequate resources.