{"id":75007,"date":"2019-11-09T12:49:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-09T05:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freeburmarangers.org\/?p=75007"},"modified":"2019-11-09T12:49:54","modified_gmt":"2019-11-09T05:49:54","slug":"chin-rangers-support-idps-rakhine-states-conflict-areas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.freeburmarangers.org\/my\/2019\/11\/09\/chin-rangers-support-idps-rakhine-states-conflict-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Chin Rangers Support IDPs in Rakhine State\u2019s Conflict Areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chin Rangers Support IDPs in Rakhine State\u2019s Conflict Areas<\/span><\/h1>\n

9\u00a0November 2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Rakhine State, Burma<\/p>\n

\"Rakhine<\/p>\n

Camp names and specific details have been omitted for security purposes.<\/em><\/p>\n

In August,\u00a0Chin Rangers supported\u00a0restricted\u00a0internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Rakhine State, western Burma, with food aid.\u00a0The IDPs told the Rangers about a Burma Army prohibition for camps to receive support, though the Rangers and IDPs succeeded at smuggling in supplies.\u00a0Widespread military conflict has also prevented most outside assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a02016-17\u00a0Rohingya refugee\u00a0crisis\u00a0that poured into Bangladesh\u00a0originated from Rakhine State and has yet to be resolved.\u00a0In 2019,\u00a0a new\u00a0conflict\u00a0emerged between the Burma Army\u00a0and Arakan Army (AA) of Rakhine State,\u00a0increasing\u00a0civilian displacement\u00a0into\u00a0IDP camps.\u00a0Battles have been\u00a0frequent and\u00a0severe, and\u00a0the\u00a0Burma Army\u00a0has used\u00a0helicopter strikes against the\u00a0Arakan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to send information to others for support and help. The IDPs lack food and medicines, and accessories.\u00a0We want to help Chin IDPs from Rakhine State and Chin State,\u201d the senior Chin Ranger said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rangers met with IDPs from\u00a0two\u00a0IDP camps which,\u00a0together,\u00a0hold 177 houses and 819 people.\u00a0The IDPs talked about insufficient food and housing, and they requested extra rice and\u00a0supplies to construct homes\u00a0for 27 families.\u00a0Our teams provided 132 sacks of rice to the camps.<\/span><\/p>\n

A\u00a0Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) and Burmese police operate\u00a0nearby the camps the Rangers supported.\u00a0Locals told the Rangers that\u00a0police convoys (trucks)\u00a0had\u00a0struck landmines on two occasions\u00a0in their area recently.\u00a0It is unclear which\u00a0armed group\u00a0placed the landmines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

IDPs and villagers lack access to food because they cannot forage in nearby forests.\u00a0The rainy season yields ripe bamboo shoots and other edibles to forage for consumption or\u00a0sale. These are inaccessible due to landmines or\u00a0the risk of\u00a0capture\u00a0by the Burma Army or AA, both having\u00a0required locals to porter supplies.\u00a0IDPs and villagers are routinely questioned for information about\u00a0AA\u00a0activity by the Burma Army.\u00a0In some circumstances,\u00a0IDPs\u00a0related to Arakan soldiers\u00a0cease communication with those friends or family lest they be harassed or arrested by the Burma Army.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The IDP camps lack education, though many children attend school at the nearby\u00a0village high school. The\u00a0students\u2019\u00a0limited access to\u00a0food, shelter, and education resources have contributed to many students failing their 10th\u00a0Standard requirements.\u00a0The 10th\u00a0standard is the final secondary education year for Burmese students, typically aged 15-16.\u00a0Younger children struggle to continue to\u00a0high\u00a0school\u00a0and stay at home with their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe plan for the next mission. If possible we want to support by foods for Chin IDPs and medicine for Falam Township\u00a0in Chin State.\u00a0The GLC program is also essential because it is God\u2019s program through FBR and we want to express a message of love and reconciliation to the Chin people. So we want to say, thank you very much for support us to our Chin tribal people, may God bless your mission!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Faithfully<\/span><\/p>\n

FBR Team leader<\/span><\/p>\n

Western Burma, Chin State<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Giving
Giving 132 sacks of rice to IDPs in Rakhine State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n