Buthidaung’s locked down Gandaryi IDP camp in need of food and kitchen items

By DMG 27 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
27 August 2021, Buthidaung

The Gandaryi camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State’s Buthidaung Township has been under lockdown after a woman from the camp tested positive for Covid-19, with IDPs from the camp in need of rice and kitchen items.

A total of 1,926 people from 199 households are sheltering at the camp, which currently has only 30 rice sacks to feed the IDPs, said camp manager U Maung Kyar.

“We’ve allotted about 30 rice sacks provided by the Wai Hun Aung voluntary group. As IDPs are not allowed to go out, they have to share food. We haven’t received any support from the World Food Programme (WFP) for about three months,” he said.

The camp was put on lockdown after a 21-year-old woman from the camp tested positive for Covid-19 on August 18.

Because IDPs are not currently allowed to leave the camp for work, they have faced many difficulties, said Daw Ma Sein, who is originally from Kyauk Sar Taing village and shelters at the camp.

“Even if we have rice, it is not possible to cook without firewood. We need other kitchen items,” she said.

Locals from 11 villages including Kan Paing Chaung, Kin Chaung, Myin Chaung, Thit, Thout Kyar Taing, Kan Gone Myaing and Maung Hla Kaing have been taking refuge at the camp since December 2019.

More than 100,000 of those civilians displaced by fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army in Arakan State from 2018-20 have yet to return to their homes and are currently living in IDP camps.