Dozens of IDPs at Ann displacement camp face food shortages

By DMG 14 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
14 July 2022, Ann 

There is a shortage of rice and other foodstuffs at Pelpadon IDP camp in Ward No. 3 of Ann town, Arakan State, and displaced camp residents are currently having to buy provisions from acquaintances through a credit system, according to a camp official. 

“The displaced people are in urgent need of food supplies,” said U Than Cho, manager of the displacement camp. “I had to buy 10 bags of rice from my acquaintances to address the shortage of rice at the displacement camp. It is no longer easy for us to endure this situation. We hope to receive relief items for the IDPs.” 

U Than Cho added that the shortage of food was attributed to the suspension of food deliveries from the Department of Disaster Management, which is part of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. 

“After the Department of Disaster Management stopped providing aid to the IDPs, we had to rely on K18,000 of monthly aid provided by the World Food Programme. Some people at the displacement camp earn a living by working outside the camp. With the onset of the rainy season, there is a shortage of jobs for the displaced people,” he told DMG. 

The Department of Disaster Management stopped providing rice in January, he said. 

The IDPs have often experienced food shortages, but this time the situation is worse because it is the rainy season, according to IDPs in the camp. 

“Donors do not donate to the IDPs as they used to because of the rainy season. This season is even worse for us as there is a shortage of jobs,” said U Aung Khaing, an IDP at the camp. 

The Department of Disaster Management is set to provide a stipend to the displaced people soon, according to U Than Shwe, an official from the department. 

“We are going to supply the IDPs with K9,000 each in the next week,” the Disaster Management Department official told DMG. 

Construction of the camp began in December 2019, with the aim of housing a displaced population of more than 600 from 200 households. The IDP camp is now home to 64 people from 14 households. 

At the height of the 2018-2020 conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army, more than 235,000 IDPs had fled their homes due to clashes in Arakan State. Most have since returned home with a cessation of hostilities toward the end of 2020, but tens of thousands of people have not been able to for a variety of reasons, instead remaining at displacement camps.