Displacement among Kyaukme monastics
We recently received a deeply concerning update from one of our local contacts on the ground in Kyaukme, Shan State. The situation there continues to worsen as the military’s offensive intensifies, leaving countless families displaced and struggling to survive. Our contact has been working closely with a charity that is actively assisting those affected by the ongoing conflict, providing life-saving aid to both civilians and monastic communities, and is requesting small contributions from our donor base. Below is their firsthand account of the dire circumstances in Kyaukme, and the critical work being done to support those who have been forced to flee.
We got touch with the Chairperson of the charity which is helping the war victims and internally displaced persons in Kyaukme. The charity has branches in other townships over the whole Shan State and the charity that we mainly contacted is in Kyaukme, a township in Northern Shan State and one of the townships that has been mainly impacted by the military campaign named 1027 Second Wave which was resumed by the Three Brothers Alliance Forces against the Myanmar junta’s forces in late June. There is an increasing number of deaths and injuries as well as that of the internally displaced persons in Kyaukme due to the counter-response by the junta’s forces using big artilleries and airstrikes.
For securing the funds that we sent to them, we have worked to send the funds in three times and conduct the projects in three phases. In the first phase, they will inclusively reach the donation items to both the monastic population and laity population who have fled from the town towards the safer villages. The charity does not only help to move the people to safer places but also they work on the typical rescue works and dead bodies burial. He told us that he and his team picked up and cremated 37 dead bodies in the town today.
They informed us of their current donation plan that they contribute 1 Pyi (2 kilo) of rice and 10 eggs while they contribute 1 sack of rice and 2 cards (60 eggs) for a family consisting of 10 people including aged people. According to the local news reports, we heard that the prices of food and fuel are rocketing in Kyaukme.
If you feel moved to help, your contribution could make a real difference to those suffering in Kyaukme. Even a small donation will go a long way in providing food, shelter, and care to those who have lost so much in this ongoing conflict.