Relief team treats IDP

Relief team treats IDP

Executive Summary

From October 15th to December 14th, 2005, an FBR trained relief team in Dooplaya District combined to form one larger team, together with some members of the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO).

The team provided medical care, spiritual support, relief items and encouragement to the people in Kya Inn and Wei Yin Townships for a two month period. They treated 704 patients with a variety of illnesses including malaria, abscess, respiratory infections, diarrhea, dysentery and others. The team brought with them rice sacks, tins of sardines, plastic sheeting and cooking pots for the displaced communities.

Nearly all of the people visited had been forcibly displaced by the Burma Army in 1997, and have continued to suffer human rights abuses since including extortion, forced labor, and rape. At this time, there is a food shortage in the area due to insect infestation. Some villagers lost more than 75% of their rice crop. On top of this pressure, these villages continue to be harassed and forced to give the use of their bullock cart and other resources to the Burma Army. Below is the translation of SPDC orders to ‘ML’ & ‘PK’ villages;

Date: 27, September, 2005
To: Chairwoman, ‘ML/PK’ villages
Dear Headwoman, I am cordially writing to you. It is nearly the end of the month and therefore we order you to arrange a bullock cart for us to use to carry our supplies. If you cannot arrange it, you must come to our camp. You have until 29, September, 2005.
Sincerely, your son,
camp commander:
Ko Kwah Camp —

The team particularly highlighted the plight of one IDP school. This school, originally built in 1997 for 20 students is now the only source of education for a large area. The school is situated in “KY” village, War Rah Township, Dooplaya District.

There are currently 111 students enrolled, many of whom live in the school dormitory and can provide little support for their room and board. The two village teachers were joined in 2001 by four indigenous missionaries. These six teachers, with little funding and inadequate facilities provide kindergarten to middle school education for all the students of this area. One teacher said: “We do our best and sacrifice all that we can because we have a vision for all these children to become educated people.”

ENDS

A full transcript of the relief team’s report and details of the activities are on record.