Storm-hit Mro ethnic villages in Buthidaung Twsp in urgent need of assistance

By Admin 09 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
9 June 2023, Buthidaung

Mro ethnic villages along the upper reaches of the Saitin Creek in Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, are in need of assistance as relief items supplied by local and foreign organisations are not reaching the area.

Many homes in Mro ethnic villages such as Laywai, Thalukyun, Letpankaing, Innchaungwa, Aungchanmyae, KhalarU, Thalyphyar, Konemaunglay and Minkaing were destroyed by the cyclonic storm.

Nearly 900 storm victims from 160 households in the upper reaches of the Saitin Creek are reportedly in urgent need of assistance to repair their damaged homes and are facing livelihood hardships.

“When we visited some storm-hit areas in Buthidaung Township, we saw many homes destroyed by the cyclonic storm and many storm victims are facing various difficulties. Although the monsoon season approaches, the storm victims are unable to repair their damaged homes. The junta pays less attention regarding the rehabilitation of homes destroyed by the storm in small rural areas,” said U Kyaw Htee, a member of the Mro Education Development Association.

There is no rural medical clinic in these villages, so there is a concern about health following the storm, and children’s access to education is also difficult.

“School-aged children face more trouble. Some children dropped out of school to support their parents,” said Ma Khin Khin Oo, treasurer of the Mro Youths Union.

DMG phoned Buthidaung Township Administrator U Zaw Win regarding the delivery of relief items to Mro ethnic villages along the upper reaches of the Saitin Creek; he replied that he was busy with a meeting.

Although the junta and civil society organisations are providing aid and relief items to people affected by the storm, there are still some places where the relief items have not arrived at all. Aid workers point out that the junta needs to provide effective humanitarian assistance.