NarinjaraNews, 5 September 2022

Thousands of Arakanese (Rakhine) refugeesescaping the ongoing clashes between the Burmese military forces and ArakanArmy members have been waiting for relief to avoid starvation, said the socialworkers who are collecting aid for the asylum seekers.

Fleeingfrom the Rakhine townships of Maungdaw, Rathedaung and Mrauk U, these thousandsof villagers are now fighting for survival in temporary camps including monasteries.

A local aidworker informed that more than one thousand Rakhine refugees from northernMaungdaw township escaped the violence.

Similarly,over 5,000 people from ten villages under northern Rathedaung Township andaround 1000 villagers from the southwestern part of the township fled fromtheir places.  

In Mrauk U township, more than 700 people fromKeing Seik village, where three people were killed in junta operated shellingfrom Mrauk U on 28 August, are also taking refuge in a local monastery.Tousands of people from Leka village and its surrounding areas in northernMrauk U locality also fled.

A humanrights activist informed that the refugees are not getting any aid from thegovernment as well as international NGOs.

“Currently,they are surviving with the help of local donor organizations and villagers ingeneral,” he added.

The refugees are in urgent need of food items, including rice grains, along with blankets, mosquito nets, rain-covers etc.

Manyvillagers from Paletwa township of Chin State are also facing similar problems.

Meanwhile, AA members attacked the Myeik Wa village-based military camp on the Myanmar-Indian border on 2 September,which was followed by the bombing of soldiers in the area from the helicopters.

No lessthan 500 people also left for Mizoram villages in India’s northeastern regiondue to the gunfighting.