The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Expresses Concern Over Situation inTanintharyi Region as Burma Army Attacks Escalates

May 16, 2024

For Immediate Release

Over 6,000 people from Tanintharyi Township urgently need support as they flee ongoing attacks by the Burma Army. Residents of villages, including Thain Daw, Yay Pu, as well as in Yebyu and Tha Yat Chaung Townships, have been displaced since the escalation of conflict in December 2023, which was triggered by air strikes by the junta. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) is deeply concerned about the increase in forced displacement, especially as the military escalates its targeting of the most vulnerable. We condemn the attacks by the terrorist regime, which have resulted in the fear and isolation of the affected groups.

Conflict-affected communities are also coping with a ban imposed by the junta on essential supplies like food and medicine entering conflict-affected areas. The fighting, which has intensified as of 22 April, has displaced thousands and caused significant damage to homes and civilian infrastructure. Amidst this turmoil, there remains a critical need for medical supplies to assist those affected.

An official supporting the relief effort on the ground in the Tanintharyi region told HURFOM fieldworkers: “We’ve been facing tremendous challenges. Donor support is scarce, and the needs for food and medicine are growing daily.”

Most recently, over 100 residents, including women and children, fled the threat of looming airstrikes and artillery attacks by the junta in Zinba village, Ka Laing Aung Township, and Yebyu Township. A local response group providing humanitarian assistance said that among those who had sought refuge were 12 infants and pregnant women.

In areas including Kanet Thiri, Gone Nyin Sate, Thae Lan, Chaung Wa Pyin, Sone Sin, and Se Taw, where revolutionary forces are fighting to take control, the junta has launched marine and air strikes, forcing thousands of residents to run.

In the last two weeks, intense combat has been ongoing in Pae Duk and Kyauk Sal. Airstrikes by the junta have only heightened fears of uncertainty by displaced groups. Local responders have assisted over 500 people, with more than a thousand fleeing to nearby villages and towns.

In Tha Yat Chaung Township, the situation is worsened by military unrest, rain, strong winds, and intense heat, all of which are negatively impacting the health and well-being of the refugees. Among the more than 500 people who fled the war, a woman and an 80-year-old man were injured during a junta-deployed attack on their home. Supplies for newborn babies, rice, and food products are urgently needed for those displaced.

As the rainy season nears, HURFOM calls for support and attention to the forgotten and overlooked crises unfolding in the Tanintharyi region. Local organizations, including ethnic human rights and humanitarian aid groups and emergency health responders who have gained the trust of local civilians, must be supported with funding and resources to ensure that material and monetary assistance reaches those most in need. Contributions of food and medical relief would ease the stress of communities struggling to survive.

We condemn the escalation of the junta’s attacks across the country and demand immediate intervention by the international community to end the longstanding impunity that the terrorist regime has benefited from.

Media Contact

Nai Aue Mon, HURFOM Program Director
Email: auemon@rehmonnya.org
Signal: +66 86 167 9741

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HURFOM was founded by exiled pro-democracy students from the 1988 uprisings, recent activists, Mon community leaders, and youth. Its primary objective is restoring democracy, human rights, and genuine peace in Burma. HURFOM is a non-profit organization, and all its members are volunteers with a shared vision for peace in the country.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News