Muslim IDPs in Sittwe Twsp face difficulties due to lack of WFP support

By DMG 13 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
13 August 2021, Sittwe

Muslim IDP camps in Sittwe Township, Arakan State, have been facing starvation for a long time due to a lack of food items supplied by the World Food Programme (WFP), camp officials told DMG.

Muslims at Thae Chaung IDP camp are dependent on WFP-funded food and have been without food supplies since last June, said U Maung Maung Sein, chairman of the camp.

“We have not received any funding for three months. We are relying on WFP funding. Due to the lack of funding, Muslim IDPs are facing many difficulties. There are no job opportunities in the camps due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

The Muslim IDPs in the camp are mainly engaged in fishing, and fishing boats are not allowed to leave their moorings during the Covid-19 period.

“WFP says it has not been able to reach out to Muslim IDPs due to various circumstances. The WFP says it will immediately reach out to Muslim IDPs if they can provide food supplies,” U Maung Maung Sein said.

The WFP is the only source of food for the Thae Chaung IDP camp, which has been without food for almost three months, forcing IDPs to borrow food and shelter from others, said U Kyaw Hla, a Muslim IDP from the camp.

“We have no jobs, so we have a lot of problems with what to do and what to eat. So some IDPs have to borrow money from others to make ends meet. Muslim IDPs will starve if they do not get support,” he said.

There are more than 2,270 households and a population of 12,946 people at the Thae Chaung IDP camp, and the camp land is being leased, according to the IDPs.

Some IDPs at Dar Paing IDP camp have been on a diet of boiled rice and coconuts because of the financial crisis, according to U Thein Maung, manager of the camp.

“After almost three months without WFP support, IDPs in the camp are starving. In addition, those who are struggling financially have to buy coconuts at Thae Chaung Market and eat them. There are people who cook boiled rice because the young people donate some rice because they see hungry families,” he told DMG.

The displaced people are also having difficulties due to rising commodity prices during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are 1,448 households and 9,464 people at the Dar Paing IDP camp, some of whom are in poor health.

Similar problems have been reported at other IDP camps in Sittwe Township such as Thetkelpyin, Basar village, Bawduba, Ohntawgyi, Ohngyi Chay, Say Thamar and Palelpyin.