International agencies have provided the materials to rebuild the huts of civilians displaced by fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and government soldiers in southern Chin State since 2018.
“Their houses were built two years ago and now the roofs and walls are no good and already damaged,” a volunteer told Khonumthung News on condition of anonymity.
He explained that the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has sent over 90,000 pieces of bamboo and 6,000 poles for huts in the five internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Paletwa. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provided tarpaulins and plastic sheeting.
The World Food Programme provides the 597 IDP families in the town with rice, cooking oil, salt, yellow beans and nutritional powder every month, another anonymous man said.
The old materials for their homes were provided by the former National League for Democracy, which was overthrown by the military regime.
After a ceasefire was brokered between AA and the military in 2020, the regime ordered the IDPs to return to their villages, and those who could did so. Those who stayed found that the limited support they once received was dwindling.
“In the past, the Karuna Mission Social Solidarity had a mobile clinic in the IDP camps, but it was stopped after its budget ran out,” said the second man.
There is no more health care in the camps, he said, and many families cannot afford to send their children to school.