Narinjara News, 17 February 2022

Some camps for internally displaced people in northern Rakhine are facing a crisis of food and drinkingwater, reported VOA (Burmese version).

Quoting the camp officials, the agency reported that therefugees still find it difficultto return to villages, but there were hardly any  donors to run the camps.

In Nyaungchaung refugee camp of Kyauktaw township, which isgiving shelter to nearly 3,000people, there is acute lack of drinking water and the inmates are suffering from various diseases including diarrhoea, informed the camp in-chargeKo Khaing Myo Aung.

“There is no drinking water in the nearby lake. There arealso running water supply arrangements. As a result, we have touse only the stream water. But thewater is dirty. Some  toilets are located near the creek and it gets contaminated. Many children are now sufferingfrom water-born diseases,” headded.

Various NGOs (including INGOs) have been requested for help,but none come forward so far. Theystated that they were trying their best.

Even the military council, which was also approached,ignored the appeal, claimed thecamp in-charge.

Aung Naing Win from the Upper Myat lay refugee camp revealedthat the rivers are slowly dryingup and now only the salty water is available there.

“Food and water become scarce here. I have to take my bathin the salty water. Drinking ofthe available water becomes unhealthy. We are waiting for donors to survive,” he said.

Ray Phyu Gan  refugee camp of Ponnagyun Township isalso facing the same problems. Anofficial of the camp claimed that the government-supplyof rice to them was not enough.

Presently they have some volumes of drinking water for threemonths, but after that they mayface the same crisis.

The refugees are being offered two cans of rice for thedaily lunch & dinner, which isnot sufficient. However, a group called Sara has been transportingdrinking water for them. After three months, they may not get the water too.

Till date, more than 90,000 IDPs of Rakhine State are takingshelter in refugee camps as theyare yet to return to their villages due tosecurity reasons.

The infighting between the Arakan Army members and Myanmarmilitary personnel came to an endby November 2020, but the residents of Maungdawlocality remain  worried as it may return soon.