The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Calls for Urgent Support to Internally Displaced People and Conflict-AffectedCommunities in Southeastern Burma

May 13, 2025

For Immediate Release

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) condemns the ongoing violence against innocent civilians and calls for an urgent response to the widespread and systematic atrocities committed by the military junta. The humanitarian crisis facing communities along the Thailand-Burma border has reached a critical point. In an urgent joint appeal, 20 Karen human rights organizations, including civil society groups, ethnic health providers, and refugee service networks—recently issued a joint statement calling on the international community to respond immediately to life-threatening aid cuts that affect more than 108,000 people living in displacement camps.

Across HURFOM targeted areas of Mon State, Karen State, and the Tanintharyi Region, refugees and conflict-affected communities face risks to their security and well-being. Refugees already experiencing food shortages must now survive on daily rations worth as little as 5 to 10 US cents. For children under five, monthly food allocations have dropped to just 53 Thai Baht (USD 1.50), and for adults, it’s only 87 Baht (USD 2.40) monthly—hardly sufficient for survival. These cuts have been driven by long-term funding reductions from major donors, including the United States.

Military offensives by junta forces are intensifying. Towns such as Kawkareik, Bilin, Kyaik Hto, and Dawei are experiencing near-daily assaults characterized by brutal airstrikes, indiscriminate artillery shelling, and various aerial attacks. HURFOM field reports indicate a widespread environment of displacement, fear, and destruction in these areas. Local organizations are stepping in to address gaps in social service provisions, despite facing significant funding cuts that hinder their capacity for a full-fledged humanitarian response amid deteriorating conditions. Many individuals have been uprooted from their homes, lacking access to essential resources like food, shelter, and healthcare.

In Kawkareik Township, for example, junta battalions have repeatedly targeted civilian zones with no ongoing clashes. Entire towns have been emptied overnight due to fear of incoming shells. Meanwhile, humanitarian convoys are blocked from reaching those most in need, and security concerns continue to mount along key roads such as the Union Highway in southern Burma.

HURFOM field reports indicate a widespread environment of displacement, fear, and destruction. Many individuals have been uprooted from their homes, lacking access to essential resources.

Displaced communities in northern Tanintharyi Region’s Yebyu Township have also faced challenges, with nearly 800 civilians from Min Thar village tract being forced to flee over the last two weeks. After leaving their homes to escape fierce clashes and junta airstrikes, these families now confront a second wave of suffering—food shortages, a lack of clean water, and the spread of disease.

Fighting erupted on 20 April when joint resistance forces from Mon, Karen, and Tavoyan units launched coordinated attacks on junta bases in Min Thar. As airstrikes and heavy shelling followed, residents from at least five villages—Sinswe, Ye Ngan Gyi, Shin Kyi Eain, Sein Bone, and Kywe Tha Lin—fled into nearby forests, farms, and any location they believed to be temporarily safe. Many have yet to find stable shelter.

A humanitarian disaster looms, with aid unable to reach those in need. Even makeshift shelters are scarce, and the threat of starvation grows daily. Meanwhile, on 6 May, the junta announced an extension of its so-called “ceasefire” until the end of the month. However, the violence on the ground tells a different story that demands action.

The displaced communities of Dawei, Mon, and Karen continue to suffer. Already traumatized by airstrikes and forced to flee, they now confront hunger, sickness, and fear with little to no support. According to HURFOM’s documentation, throughout April alone, the junta launched 244 airstrikes, which killed at least 201 civilians and injured more than 300 others. Despite the claimed ceasefire, conflict has only intensified in May, particularly in southern Burma, fueling new waves of displacement.

HURFOM stands in solidarity with frontline groups and urges international donors to act swiftly. Withholding aid at this moment not only risks mass starvation; it undermines the resilience of communities that continue to resist the junta’s violence and build peace from the ground up.

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

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News