MoeMaKa, February 25 2023
Suffering of the residents who have to flee
There are news reports that more than 10,000 people are fleeing as the villages of Ayadaw Township in Sagaing Division are being attacked both on the ground and from the air by military council troops. There are also news reports of local residents in Seikphyu Township in Magway Division fleeing due to the marching and raiding of military council troops.
Ayadaw Township, which is connected to Monywa Township in Sagaing Division, is a township with strong PDF activity, and therefore, the military council is probably trying to gain a foothold in Ayadaw Township urgently and in terms of security. In recent days, the military council’s attacks have been carried out not only on the ground, but also with air strikes, so more than 10,000 local residents have been affected and suffered.
At the same time, we are seeing the news of more than 5,000 residents fleeing from 7 villages due to the marching of the military council troops in Seikphyu Township in Magway Division.
In the past 2 years, there have been reports of local residents fleeing in Myanmar almost every day or every week, so it is no longer even a special news. When we read the news, we tend to focus only on the number of thousands or tens of thousands fleeing, and are no longer surprised by these incidents of fleeing.
For those from the regions where this is really happening, the physical and mental suffering experienced by each of the tens of thousands of refugees, the loss of property, the loss of food, the destruction of their houses, and looting of their belongings, are so much that each person feels a lot of suffering. As for the elderly and those with poor health, they are fleeing, risking their lives. Similarly, the traumas that young children experience when they have to flee can be hard to get rid of throughout their lives.
As there are many incidents of houses being burned down, property being destroyed and looted, and people losing their lives while fleeing, fleeing war is not just a number as reported in the news, but a number full of damage and trauma to each life.
According to United Nations data and analysis, the number of refugees fleeing the war has exceeded 1.5 million nationwide. If Myanmar has a population of 54 million to 55 million and there are over 1.5 million war refugees, then it must be said that 3 out of 100 people are fleeing war in Myanmar. Compared to the estimated population of 36 million in rural areas, up to 4 in 100 people have been displaced by the war.
According to the news, the NUG’s Interim Local Administration Central Committee (ILACC) has repeatedly stated in meetings with local administrative bodies that protecting local people’s lives and livelihoods is a priority. As more and more townships have been declared under martial law by the military council, there is an urgent need to protect the lives and livelihoods of the people in the region from the increasing threats of terrorism.
