UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)

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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 4 March 2024)
Description: "OVERVIEW: Three years after the events of 1 February 2021, widespread conflict continues to drive displacement and exacerbate needs across multiple states and regions in Myanmar. Intensified airstrikes, artillery shelling, drone attacks as well as the use of antipersonnel landmines and cluster bombs are impacting forcibly displaced people and host communities, particularly in Rakhine State and the North-West Region. Humanitarian access constraints continued to expose people to various protection risks and restrict the delivery of critical assistance and protection. Coping capacities have been stretched to the limit, with food, emergency shelter and core relief items (CRIs) identified as the most urgent needs. The recent announcement of mandatory conscription by the de facto authorities has sparked fear among young men and women and an uptick in the number of people fleeing Myanmar into neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. UNHCR continues to call for states to respect the principle of non-refoulement and advocate for access to safety and asylum as well as lifesaving and emergency services for Rohingya arrivals from Myanmar. In Thailand, no new arrivals were recorded by the Royal Thai Government in February. Nevertheless, to support preparedness efforts, the Inter-Sector Working Group launched the 2024 Refugee Preparedness and Response Plan, an inter-agency document based on agreed scenarios and contingency planning discussions to support Thai authorities' response. In view of the current situation in Myanmar, 15 humanitarian agencies are planning for up to 40,000 arrivals from Myanmar by year-end. The response focuses on seven sectors – education, food, health, CRIs, protection, shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – with a total ask of some $17 million. In India, approximately 59,300 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection since February 2021. Out of this population, 5,682 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. During the reporting period, the Union Home Minister of India announced plans to fence the India-Myanmar border and discontinue the Free Movement Regime (FMR), citing rising insecurity. India and Myanmar currently share a largely unfenced border giving people from both countries residing close to the border the right to move into each other's territory without travel documents. On 17 February, the Mizoram Chief Minister expressed the state government’s opposition to these plans and on 28 February, the Mizoram assembly passed a resolution urging the Government of India to reconsider its decision. A five-member non-governmental organization (NGO) coordination committee in Mizoram also submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister opposing the proposal. In Manipur, the Chief Minister announced plans to identify and deport individuals who arrived and established residence in the state after 1961 due to the current instability and insecurity. The security situation in Manipur remains sensitive with incidents of violence and gunfights being reported from across the state. Despite the mounting humanitarian needs Myanmar arrivals in Mizoram and Manipur face, state governments and humanitarian agencies do not have sufficient resources to sustain the food, shelter, and WASH response. Access challenges due to the security situation and mobility restrictions in some locations in Manipur have also compounded the situation..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-03-25
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 9.53 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 18 Mar 2024)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) slightly increased from 811,200 last week to 820,900 this week. In Shan (South), 2,721 people from Hsihseng Town were displaced to Taunggyi Township due to increased fighting. In Kayin State, 2,140 people from Hpa Lu Village Tract, Myawaddy Township were displaced within Myawaddy Township due to intensified fighting, including artillery shelling and airstrikes. In Tanintharyi Region, 4,347 people from Dawei Township and 374 people from Kyunsu Township were displaced within their townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-03-18
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 3.78 MB
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Title: CCCM Camp Profile I Sin Tet Maw Camp, Pauktaw I Rakhine State, Q4 (Oct-Dec 2023)
Description: "Theme: Camp Coordination and Camp Management..."
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-02-20
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 344.59 KB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 12 Feb 2024)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS In the South-East, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) sharply increased from 716,700 last week to 754,000 this week. In Bago Region (East), due to increased fighting, 561 IDPs from Thangdaunggyi Township and 21,227 IDPs from Htantabin Township were displaced to Oktwin, Htantabin, and Taungoo townships. 6,161 out of 21,227 IDPs from Htantabin Township were displaced as a secondary displacement within the Township. In Addition, 450 IDPs from Yedashe Township were displaced within the Township. In Kayin State, 1,980 IDPs from Thandaunggyi Township were displaced within the Township, and 18 IDPs from Hpapun Township were displaced to Hpa-An Township. Among the 1,980 IDPs from Thandaunggyi Township, 216 were displaced as a secondary displacement within the same Township. In Tanintharyi Region, due to intensified fighting, 1,350 IDPs from Kyunsu Township were displaced to Myeik Township. In Mon State, 516 IDPs from Billin Township were displaced within the same Township due to indiscriminate shelling. In Shan State (South), 183 IDPs from Hsihseng Township were displaced to Nyaungshwe Township, while 3,000 IDPs from Hsihseng Township were displaced to Taunggyi Township due to intensified fighting including airstrikes and shelling. Additionally, 183 IDPs from Hsihseng Township were displaced as a secondary displacement within Nyaungshwe Township. In Kayah State, 1,560 IDPs from Bawlake Township and 2,090 IDPs from Hpasawng Township were displaced to Mese Township while 5,390 IDPs from Mese Township were displaced within the Township. Additionally, 600 IDPs from Loikaw Township were displaced to Shadaw Township, and 3,850 IDPs from Shadaw Township were displaced within the Township. Furthermore, 1,009 IDPs from Bawlake Township were displaced within the same Township due to fighting, airstrikes, and shelling..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-02-12
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.25 MB
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Title: CCCM/Shelter/NFI Cluster Analysis Report (CAR) - Central Rakhine and Chin, Myanmar (January-December 2023)
Description: "Themes: Camp Coordination and Camp Management.....Shelter and Non-Food Items..."
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-02-06
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 217.56 KB
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP): Rohingya refugees fleeing over land and sea - Quarterly Update as of 31 December 2023
Description: "DESPERATE JOURNEYS: ROHINGYA REFUGEES IN SEARCH OF PROTECTION Over 1 million Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, have fled conflict and persecution in Myanmar in successive waves of displacement. The largest exodus took place in August 2017, when more than 742,000 individuals fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh. The region now hosts 1.1 million Rohingya refugees with limited opportunities to develop self-reliance. With dwindling humanitarian assistance, many risk their lives, undertaking desperate journeys1 in search of safety and solutions. For additional information and statistics, please visit the Myanmar Situation Data Portal. DEVELOPMENTS IN 2023 A total of 6,500 persons attempted land and sea movements in 2023. With nearly 4,500 Rohingya refugees embarking on perilous sea journeys and 569 people reported deceased or missing, 2023 was the deadliest year on record for maritime movements in the region since the 2015 Andaman Sea crisis. Out of the 6,500 individuals travelling by land and sea, nearly all the 569 persons reported as dead or missing were from maritime movements. In addition to sea movements, around 2,000 Rohingya refugees are known to have undertaken land movements in 2023, with the vast majority reporting detention by authorities or other protection risks along the land routes.2 Given the lack of access and information on the often-clandestine land movements, the actual figures are likely to be higher. On the land route, four persons died and 10 were injured in a car accident in Thailand. Compared to 2022, the number of persons embarking on sea journeys increased by 21 per cent while the number of dead or missing rose by 63 per cent. In contrast, a 170 per cent drop was observed for land movements. As observed in the last Quarterly Update, the trend projection of increased perilous maritime movements was confirmed by the end of 2023. Reportedly, additional boats are currently (as of 31 Jan 2024) at sea and with the so called ‘sailing season’ expected to last until March/April 2024, more boats are foreseen to depart the coming months in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. At least seven known tragic accidents at sea occurred, resulting in 250 confirmed deaths and 319 persons missing between January and December 2023. In addition, widespread physical abuse, including Gender-Based Violence, was reported by the survivors. Over 2,400 Rohingya refugees are currently detained in countries along the route outside of Myanmar on immigration charges, often indefinitely and without due process of the law. Out of these, 72 have serious medical conditions 195 are minors, of whom 126 are unaccompanied or separated children. A significant number of these Rohingya refugee detainees have been incarcerated for prolonged periods that span several years. Within Myanmar, over 1,500 Rohingya were detained from January to December 2023, resulting in an estimated total of 3,900 Rohingya in detention. With restricted access by UNHCR and partners to detention centres, the actual figure may be significantly higher..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-02-05
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.39 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 29 Jan 2024)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of IDPs slightly increased from 695,400 last week to 701,000 this week. In Kayah State, due to intensified fighting, including airstrikes and shelling, some 560 IDPs from Loikaw Town have been displaced to Hpruso and Loikaw Townships, while 170 IDPs returned to their place of origin in Demoso Township. In Shan State (South), 75 IDPs from Loikaw Township (in Kayah State) were forced to flee to Pekon Township, due to escalation of violence in Loikaw Town. In the Tanintharyi Region, due to increased fighting, some 5,070 IDPs from Thayetchaung Township have been displaced within the same Township..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2024-02-01
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 3.72 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 January 2024)
Description: "OVERVIEW In Myanmar, the humanitarian situation remained precarious following the escalation of violence since 26 October 2023 with armed clashes, artillery shelling, and indiscriminate shooting reported in about two thirds of the country. According to the UN, the number of displaced people inside Myanmar now exceeds 2.6 million. Almost 800,000 people have been newly displaced since late-October, out of whom 164,000 have either returned to their places of origin or fled for a second time across the North-West, North-East, South-East and Rakhine State. Deepening violence, rising poverty levels, and deteriorating living conditions are having a devastating impact on people’s lives. The situation has also been further compounded by the closure of roads and waterways, movement restrictions and telecommunication challenges, all of which are undermining humanitarian actors’ engagement with affected communities and limiting people’s access to critical services. UNHCR and partners are exploring ways to adapt to the volatile situation and respond to the urgent needs on the ground. In Thailand, some 1,400 refugees were sheltered in two Temporary Safety Areas (TSA) in Mae Hong Son Province (170 in Mae Sariang District and 1,249 in Mueang District), according to the Mae Hong Son Border Command Centre. In December, 968 refugees residing in different TSAs returned to Myanmar. Kyaw Pla Kee TSA in Mae Sariang was also closed during the reporting period. In India, around 59,200 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection since February 2021. Out of this population, some 5,500 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. Since November 2023, more than 6,500 people have arrived in the Champhai and Siaha districts of Mizoram and 2,000 people in Manipur’s Kamjong District. New arrivals are currently living in cramped conditions in community halls, schools as well as with host families whose resources are already over-stretched. District administrations, NGOs and community-based organizations are providing critical humanitarian support. Food, water, core-relief items (CRIs), and shelter are the most immediate needs although resources are limited..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-01-26
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 13.09 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 15 Jan 2024)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS In the South-East, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has slightly increased from 690,300 last week to 695,400 this week. Due to intensified fighting, including airstrikes, 3,200 IDPs from Kyaukkyi Township were displaced to Phyu town, Phyu Township in Bago Region (East). In Kayin State, 530 IDPs from Kawkareik Township were displaced to the jungle near their village within the same Township due to indiscriminate shelling. In Tanintharyi Region, 1,400 IDPs from Tanintharyi Township were displaced within their Township..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-01-19
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 3.71 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 25 Dec 2023)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has significantly increased from 677,600 last week to 681,200 this week. In Bago Region (East), due to intensified fighting, 1,660 IDPs from Htantabin Township were displaced to Taungoo Township, 1,265 IDPs from Phyu Township were displaced to Kyauktaga Township, while 3,328 IDPs from Kyauktaga Township were displaced within their Township. In Kayin State, similarly 360 IDPs from Kawkareik Township were displaced to Hpa-An Township. In Mon State, 968 IDPs from Thaton Township were displaced as a secondary displacement within their Township due to artillery shelling. In Tanintharyi Region, 625 IDPs from Yebyu Township and 5,200 IDPs from Tanintharyi Township were displaced within their Townships. It was observed that 6,245 IDPs from Yebyu Township returned to their places of origin within the same Township. Similarly, 2,135 IDPs from Tanintharyi Township, 284 IDPs from Launglon Township, and 148 IDPs from Dawei Township also returned to their respective places of origin within the same Township..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-29
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 3.72 MB
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Title: Myanmar: Shelter Design Catalogue (Version 1 - December, 2023)
Description: "Introduction The shelter design is contextual considering the response phase, cultural and specific aspects of geographical area and users. It is fundamental that shelter programs consider the use of local materials, skills and building techniques, as well involve the affected communities from the initial stages. Considering the diversity of Myanmar and complexity of context, the cluster together with partners developed this catalogue compiling in a single document the shelter designs across the country for quick consultation, comparative analysis and support decision making within shelter programs. It was designed for use by cluster partners, nonetheless the information may be relevant to partitioners that are supporting shelter programmes. Future revision should be consider for upgraded and new designs, thus this catalogue should be consider as a ‘live’ document. The designs in this catalogue follow three sessions as the response phase and hubs covered: SHORT - TERM (Up to 1.5 years) solutions with materials that are intended to be removed once the next stage of shelter solution is offered or when the crisis is over and IDPs can return to their homes. Usually, these are constructed with limited costs. MID- TERM (Up to 5 years) that are made with materials and techniques that are designed to transition into more permanent structures. The shelter should be upgradeable, reusable, resaleable or moveable from temporary sites to permanent locations. LONG- TERM It is a solution designed with more permanent and durable solution structures/materials. Over 5 years..."
Source/publisher: Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Date of publication: 2023-12-28
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 11.19 MB
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Title: Myanmar: 'Place of Origin' Townships of Displaced Population, Location: Kachin and Shan State (North) (as of October 2023)
Description: "Theme: Camp Coordination and Camp Management..."
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-20
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.15 MB
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar: 2023 Funding Update (as of 15 December 2023)
Description: "Theme: Contributions..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 375.92 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of November 2023)
Description: "OVERVIEW: In Myanmar, the humanitarian situation deteriorated following a significant escalation in violence across the country. According to the UN, the number of displaced people inside the country now exceeds 2.1 million. In many parts of Myanmar, a shortage of various goods and supplies across multiple states and regions has been reported as vital roads and supply routes remain blocked. Many people remain cut-off from communications, which has impeded access to services and heightened protection risks and vulnerabilities. UNHCR and partners are continuing to deliver life-saving assistance to displaced and affected communities where possible despite the challenges posed by the ongoing clashes and movement restrictions. In Thailand, the Royal Thai Government reported that over 2,300 refugees were sheltered in three Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) in Mae Hong Son province as of 30 November. Some 4,400 people returned to Myanmar in November following the closure of the TSAs. However, another 1,000 refugees who returned to Myanmar on 10 November came back to Thailand on 16 November after the resurgence of conflict in Kayah State. There are currently no new arrivals in Mae Hong Son TSAs. Sao Hin TSA in Mae Sariang District closed on 16 November as did Mae Ki TSA in Khum Yuam District on 25 November although Nai Soi TSA remains open. In India, approximately 57,100 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region are reported to have sought safety in India since February 2021. Out of this population, some 5,500 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. Over 6,000 individuals are estimated to have made their way to India following the recent escalation in conflict in Myanmar since late October. Since then, more than 5,000 Myanmar nationals have reportedly arrived in Mizoram and nearly 1,300 in Manipur. District administrations, NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs) provided immediate humanitarian support such as food, water, and shelter. New arrivals are staying in cramped conditions in community halls, schools as well as with host families who are unable to support arrivals for long. Currently, the district administrations, CBOs and NGOs are providing food, shelter, core-relief items (CRIs), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health support although resources remain limited, and more funding is needed to scale up this assistance as well winterization support to new arrivals..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 12.71 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of October 2023)
Description: "OVERVIEW: In Myanmar, the humanitarian situation deteriorated significantly after people across North-West, North-East, SouthEast and Rakhine States were newly forcibly displaced due to intensified fighting which erupted on 26 October. IDPs fled to existing and new displacement areas, including along Myanmar’s international borders. Martial Law was imposed on additional townships in multiple states. Key transport routes in various townships became restricted, impacting civilian movement and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Most IDPs and other conflict-affected communities have been unable to access basic services, assistance and protection with humanitarian organisations facing access restrictions due to renewed conflict and insecurity as well as bureaucratic and administrative challenges. In Thailand, the Royal Thai Government reported that 6,800 refugees were sheltered in five Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) across three districts in Mae Hong Son Province as of 31 October 2023. Some 429 people returned to Myanmar during the reporting period. The Royal Thai Army oversees the TSAs and humanitarian access to these remains limited. In India, approximately 50,600 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection since February 2021. Out of this population, 5,479 individuals were in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. Over 120 individuals reportedly returned to Myanmar from Manipur due to the security situation in the state. In late October, community-based organisations (CBOs) reported some new arrivals from Myanmar fleeing armed clashes. Access to healthcare remains restricted due to curfew and security issues in Manipur. Many government facilities in areas affected by unrest are currently dysfunctional. As a result, the local population and Myanmar arrivals rely on the already over-stretched CBOs and NGOs, which have limited resources. To support Myanmar arrivals’ education needs in Manipur, informal learning spaces run by host communities and Myanmar arrivals have partially or completely waived off school fees for the most vulnerable children in Kamjong and Churachandpur districts. CBOs have reported food as the most urgent need in both Mizoram and Manipur although the situation is particularly alarming in Manipur's Kamjong District. More support is needed to address their nutritional needs to reduce the risk of malnutrition..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 12.86 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (as of 4 Dec 2023)
Description: "Theme: Protection and Human Rights..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 1.97 MB
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Title: Shelter, NFI and CCCM gap analysis, Myanmar, Quarter 3, 2023
Description: "Themes: Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Shelter and Non-Food Items..."
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-12-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 399.56 KB
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Title: Myanmar: Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring – Action Plan, 31/04/2023
Description: "Format: Manual and Guideline....Themes: CoordinationShelter and Non-Food Items..."
Source/publisher: Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Date of publication: 2023-11-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 279 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (as of 23 Oct 2023)
Description: "Format: Map.....Theme: Protection and Human Rights..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-10-26
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 953.95 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (as of 09 Oct 2023)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of displaced slightly decreased from 546,100 last week to 545,000 this week. In Kayin State, some 3,800 IDPs returned to their place of origin in Kyainseikgyi Township. In the Tanintharyi Region, due to indiscriminate shelling of heavy weapons in the area, close to 400 IDPs from Palaw Township, over 300 IDPs from Tanintharyi Township and over 5,300 IDPs from Thayetchaung Township were displaced within their Townships. Among them, some 1,200 IDPs were displaced within Thayetchaung Township as a secondary displacement. However, 1,800 IDPs returned to their place of origin in Thayetchaung township. In Shan (South), some 150 IDPs were able to return to their place of origin in Pekon Township. Across the border, about 7,100 people from Myanmar remain displaced in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2023-10-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 921.2 KB
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Title: CCCM/Shelter/NFI Cluster Analysis Report (CAR) - Kachin/Shan (north) States, Myanmar - 31 August 2023
Description: "In Myanmar, the Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster was activated in January 2013. By March 2013, the Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster became operational in Kachin and Northern Shan States. Currently 3 Camp Management Agencies undertake substantial work for the Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster: data collection, coordination, monitoring of services, community mobilization and capacity building across camps that house over 107,000 IDPs. The objective of the Shelter/NFI/CCCM Cluster remains to ensure all of the priority, camps that contain the majority of IDPs, have a dedicated Camp Management Agency, delivering coordinated assistance in line with the rights and needs of the displaced and where possible preparing them for life after displacement..."
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-21
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 452.33 KB
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Title: Myanmar/Rakhine and Chin State - Response to displacement linked to AA-Tatmadaw conflict (Jan - Aug 2023) [EN/MY]
Description: "In Rakhine State, 51,590 individuals have been displaced across 10 townships due to the ongoing AA-Tatmadaw conflict. Additionally, 4,472 individuals have been displaced in Paletwa township in Chin State, bringing the total number of displaced persons to 56,062. As of August 2023, a further 4,174 individuals newly displaced remain in Mrauk-U, Kyautaw, Sittwe, Myebon, Minbya, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, and Ponnagyun townships. In collaboration with partners and other UN agencies, UNHCR is responding to the humanitarian needs and continues to provide assistance to affected communities. Since January 2023, UNHCR provided core relief items, emergency shelter support, dignity kits and cloth masks to some 44,917 individuals in Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Myebon, Sittwe, Pauktaw, Paletwa, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 7.34 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 18 Sep 2023)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of IDPs increased from 523,900 from last week to 530,400 this week. In Bago (East) Region, ongoing fighting forced 4,900 IDPs from Kyaukkyi Township to flee within the same township. This includes some 425 IDPs being displaced multiple times. In Kayin State, as a result of armed clashes, some 7,700 IDPs were displaced for the second time in Kyainseikgyi Township. In Mon State, some 20 IDPs from Thaton Township were displaced within the same township due to the fighting near their villages but have returned to their homes since then. In Shan (South), some300 IDPs from Mongkaing Township were displaced to Nansang Township due to intensified fighting in their area. In Tanintharyi Region, some 1,800 IDPs from Palaw Township were displaced within the township due to increased tensions and security concerns. Across the border, about 8,300 people from Myanmar remain displaced in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-18
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 922.57 KB
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Title: Expanded Solutions and Enhanced Resilience: A Multi-Stakeholder Pledge for Rohingya Refugees
Description: "The Story So Far There are more than 1 million Rohingya refugees living in the Asia and Pacific region. Most live in Bangladesh, home to the world’s largest and most densely populated refugee settlement. Amidst the pressures of competing global crises and dwindling humanitarian resources, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, have continued to generously host Rohingya refugees. In the absence of a regional response mechanism, Malaysia hosts over 150,000 asylum-seekers and refugees — the vast majority of whom are Rohingya, and Indonesia has stepped in to disembark 10 boatloads of 1,137 Rohingya refugees since December 2021. New initiatives to create third country solutions for Rohingya hosted in the region are being developed. Opportunities to support Rohingya refugees in achieving greater self-reliance and resilience and prepare them for sustainable reintegration when they return home, are being implemented with an incremental expansion of education, portable skills development and livelihoods activities. A Paradigm Shift is Needed These initiatives must be scaled up. With limited opportunities to develop self-reliance and lacking prospects for sustainable solutions, Rohingya refugees are risking their lives in search of solutions. In 2022, the region witnessed a 360 per cent increase in maritime movements compared to the previous year. A paradigm shift is however needed, in collaboration with Rohingya communities, to transform the Rohingya response into comprehensive and coordinated action towards achieving sustainable solutions and resilience. The Multi-Stakeholder Pledge While the first Global Refugee Forum in 2019 resulted in over 1,400 pledges, only 7 per cent targeted Asia Pacific. Pledges were not only financial. They also included technical support and policy commitments. The second Global Refugee Forum will be held in Geneva, in December 2023. It is a unique opportunity to put a spotlight on the situation of Rohingya refugees, the imperative to work towards solutions, and sustain the support offered by host countries in the region. At the forum, stakeholders can demonstrate their commitment in support of a multiactor pledge that expands solutions and enhances collective resilience, including through climate action, and as such contributing to peaceful coexistence. Key elements of this pledge will also contribute to the protection of Rohingya refugees along the SouthEast Asia onward movement route. Recognizing each context within the region has its own specificities, the pledge does not envisage a one-size-fits-all approach. By combining collective strengths and expertise, this multi-stakeholder pledge has the potential to be truly transformational. Beyond the region, offers of resettlement and complementary pathways are an integral element of an expanding package of solutions, notably for the most vulnerable refugees and for those with no prospect of future return to Myanmar. An increasing number of States in and beyond the region are willing to offer resettlement or complementary pathways through access to higher education opportunities, labour mobility, family reunification and private or community sponsorship; the latter also includes Rohingya diaspora. A sample of commitments: • Implementation of 300 quick impact projects in Rakhine State to support the creation of conditions conducive for return. • 25,000 Rohingya submitted for resettlement consideration each year and 15 pilots initiated to expand complementary pathways. • Civil registration and legal identity documentation provided in support of solutions. • Predictable and sustained funding for the humanitarian response. • Ensuring access to quality education for all Rohingya students in Rakhine and countries of asylum. • Building refugee resilience so that one refugee in every household is engaged in selfreliance activities, notably skills development, community work and livelihood opportunities. • Strengthening partnerships with Rohingya-led organizations (RLOs). • Improving climate resilience through naturebased solutions and eco-disaster risk reduction..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.33 MB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 11 Sep 2023)
Description: "WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: In the South-East, the number of IDPs increased from 518,700 from last week to 523,900 this week. In Bago (East) Region, ongoing fighting forced 5,400 IDPs from Phyu to be displaced within their communities. Among them, 1,600 IDPs were displaced to Kyauktaga Township and 3,800 IDPs were displaced within Phyu Township. In Kayin State, 25 IDPs from Hpapun Township were displaced within the same township in light of the intensified fighting in their area. In Mon State, the ongoing conflict led to the displacement of over 200 IDPs for the second time in Kyaikto Township. However, during the reporting period, som 200 IDPs returned to their place of origin in Billin Township. Across the border, about 8,400 people from Myanmar remain displaced in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 921.25 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (as of 11 Sep 2023)
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 946.13 KB
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Title: Shelter, NFI and CCCM gap analysis, Myanmar (August 2023)
Source/publisher: CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster, UN High Commissioner for Refugees via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-08-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 346.05 KB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 04 Sep 2023)
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-09-04
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 924.05 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (as of 28 Aug 2023)
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-08-29
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 947.7 KB
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Title: Myanmar South East - Emergency Overview Map: Number of people displaced in South East since Feb 2021 and remain displaced (As of 28 Aug 2023)
Description: "In the South-East, the number of IDPs increased from 513,000 last week to 515,600 this week. In Mon State, about 2,400 IDPs were verified in Thaton Township. Among them, 450 were displaced within the township while 1,900 IDPs originated from Bilin Township. In Bago Region (East), intensified fighting displaced 30 people from Thandaunggyi Township in Kayin State to Taungoo Township. In Kayin State, 150 people from two villages in Thandaunggyi Township were displaced within the township due to intensified fighting. Across the border, about 9,400 people from Myanmar remain displaced in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-08-28
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 31 July 2023)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,927,200 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country, including 1,599,200 displaced after 1 February 2021. In the North-West, displacements continued following frequent airstrikes and arson attacks. Some 48,000 cyclone-affected people still require humanitarian assistance with urgent repairs needed on over 9,000 damaged or destroyed shelters. In Chin, Magway and Sagaing, humanitarian access became increasingly difficult due to the escalating conflict. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, 150,000 shelters remained in poor condition in Rakhine State after Cyclone Mocha. Explosive remnants of war and debris as well as saltwater contamination and poor drainage and sanitation are immediate challenges that have elevated the risk of malaria and waterborne illnesses such as dengue and acute watery diarrhea in several Townships. In Kachin and Shan (North), persistent clashes saw many people flee their homes in search of safety within Kayah State or across the Thai border, leaving many at heightened risk of indiscriminate attacks and shelling, arbitrary arrest and abduction. Access to basic services, including healthcare and education, was extremely limited for new IDPs. Food security was another significant concern with access to livelihood areas reduced due to movement restrictions imposed by armed actors, concerns that farmland had been contaminated with unexploded ordnance as well as fears of forced recruitment. In the South-East, clashes, airstrikes and indiscriminate and targeted shelling were reported in Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Shan (South) States and Bago (East) and Tanintharyi Regions. The destruction of civilian infrastructure in villages and IDP sites, including homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship, continued to be pervasive. The alleged use of civilians as human shields in Kayin and Mon States and Tanintharyi Region have also been reported..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-08-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 8.25 MB
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Title: Displaced families in Myanmar brace for monsoon season in cyclone aftermath
Description: "In hard-hit Rakhine State, heavy rains will bring further hardships for hundreds of thousands of displaced people whose homes were damaged by Cyclone Mocha. By Reuben Lim Wende and Fabien Faivre in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar Each year, between June and October, communities across Myanmar’s Rakhine State brace themselves for the near-daily deluges that sweep across the region during the monsoon season. This year, the monsoon will bring unique challenges. In May, Cyclone Mocha, the most severe storm to hit Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis struck in 2008, made landfall on Rakhine State’s coast, causing widespread destruction. Two months after it pummelled western Myanmar and southern Bangladesh, scenes of devastation can still be seen along roads radiating out from Sittwe, the state capital. Buildings with collapsed walls, missing roofs, and broken windows, interspersed with fallen electrical poles and other damaged infrastructure, dot the landscape. Rakhine State is home to over 228,000 internally displaced people forced from their homes by bouts of intercommunal violence and conflict, including 157,000 ethnic Rohingya who have been living in overcrowded camps since 2012. In Dar Paing, a camp for over 12,000 internally displaced Rohingya, debris and waterlogged soil stretches for as far as the eye can see. The camp was among the hardest hit by the cyclone, with 10 recorded deaths. The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded. Sittwe Township, where Dar Paing is located, is at the confluence of three rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean – the Kaladan, Lay Myo and Mayu. The township was in the cyclone’s direct path and the accompanying storm surge triggered large-scale flooding in low-lying areas, causing a still-unknown number of casualties. The community in Dar Paing had little time to mourn. With the monsoon rains already starting, residents of the camp are attempting to rebuild as best they can before the rainy season reaches its peak. But so far, only a fraction of damaged and destroyed shelters have been repaired, and thousands of people remain exposed to the elements. “Our community is facing a lot of challenges. A lot of people need help to fix their roofs. The rains have arrived, and I am worried the situation will become unsustainable,” says Amraan, a community volunteer at the camp. The monsoon season adds to the hardships faced by communities already living on the brink. The Rohingya face severe discrimination in Myanmar, impeding their access to fundamental rights. Many live in extreme poverty due to restrictions on their freedom of movement that have limited their ability to earn an income and access basic services such as education and healthcare. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and local partners are redoubling efforts to assist both displaced and non-displaced communities by ramping up their assistance in areas where the de facto authorities have granted limited humanitarian access. Work is ongoing in displacement camps and villages to quickly distribute tarpaulins and reconstruct communal longhouses. To date, over 100,000 people have received shelter assistance and basic household items. “Needs for the monsoon this year are immense,” says Federico Sersale, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Sittwe. “While we have been able to reach a large number of people, increased access is needed so we can reach more communities and help them stay protected from the rain.” The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded. Stories of loss and hardship abound all along the Rakhine coast. Abia Khartu, 63, an ethnic Rohingya from Basara village, lost her home and belongings to the cyclone. “[After the cyclone hit], I was in shock. I could not even find my house. Everything has been destroyed,” she says. She now lives in a makeshift shelter covered by a tarpaulin provided by UNHCR. The space inside is spartan with few personal items besides a sleeping mat, bucket, blanket and kitchen set. These basic household items are distributed by UNHCR and partners to help communities cope with the loss of their belongings. Longer-term solutions needed No community in the path of the cyclone was spared. In downtown Sittwe, residents of Ngai Sa Rai Monastery worry about the damaged state of communal shelters and facilities. “The cyclone destroyed 10 of the 12 latrines here. Now, there are long waits every morning and we also lack bathing spaces for women,” Ma Soe Yai, 31, says. The Buddhist monastery has been a refuge for 35 Rakhine families since they were displaced by the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Armed Forces in 2020. Every communal longhouse at the site, each housing up to six families, sustained moderate to severe damage from the cyclone. “It’s difficult for me to not worry. My roof leaks whenever it rains. If another storm comes, my shelter might collapse. I am miserable,” says Ma Soe Yai. UNHCR is working closely with partner organizations to ensure tarpaulins are distributed, damaged shelters are reconstructed, and communal facilities are repaired. Nearby in Set Yon Su Ward, an informal settlement where a small number of displaced ethnic Rakhine live, U Aye Dun, 65, has recently finished reconstructing his shelter which collapsed during the storm. Topped with a white tarpaulin provided by UNHCR, it took him over two weeks to reconstruct his home. “I fixed everything myself. I have skills in bamboo craft, so I was able to rebuild my shelter without hiring additional labour. Otherwise, it would have been extremely expensive,” he says. But as a daily wage labourer, U Aye Dun was unable to earn an income while he was rebuilding. Many others in this economically vulnerable community face the dilemma of having to forgo daily wages to fix their shelters so they can stay dry during the monsoon. As commodity prices skyrocket in the aftermath of the cyclone, the provision of tarpaulins and basic household items has provided some much-needed relief to vulnerable families. But more remains to be done. The UN estimates that at least 657,000 people across Rakhine need help with shelter, up from 390,000 people before the cyclone hit. Many are in hard-to-reach locations with limited humanitarian access. “Our priority right now is to ensure people have a roof over their heads, but it is also important to continue to support displaced communities with long-term solutions, including access to basic rights and services, and help to return to their places of origin or preference,” says UNHCR’s Sersale..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-07-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Representation in Myanmar - Fact Sheet July 2023
Description: "Overview Rakhine State has experienced several waves of violence and displacement since the early 1990s. Among the most significant were intercommunal fighting between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities in 2012, an outbreak of violence that forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh in 2017, and armed conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and Tatmadaw which commenced in 2016. Thus, 708,000 people from different ethnicities, spread across camps, villages and displacement sites are in need of humanitarian assistance. Of this figure, 630,000 Rohingya live in particularly precarious conditions after decades of being denied basic rights, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic services. About 157,000 Rohingya remain displaced including 147,000 in Rakhine’s central townships since 2012 and an additional 10,000 in northern townships since 2017. They remain highly dependent on humanitarian aid. In addition, there are presently 78,000 largely ethnic Rakhine people displaced by the AA-Tatmadaw conflict in 168 sites. UNHCR also monitors the welfare of 31,000 returnees from this conflict. UNHCR has been present in Rakhine State since 1994 and works under its mandate to protect and support stateless populations, returnees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and other vulnerable groups. With offices in Maungdaw, Sittwe and Buthidaung, UNHCR carries out an extensive range of work, from humanitarian assistance, to coordination of relief efforts, rights advocacy and promotion of sustainable longer-term solutions for all communities..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-07-27
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.6 MB
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update, April - June 2023
Description: "KEY HIGHLIGHTS 96,550 people received core relief items comprising kitchen sets, blankets and sleeping mats, ensuring their basic needs were met. 95,950 people received shelter support for safe and dignified living conditions while in displacement. 11,900 people with specific needs benefited from cash assistance to meet their basic needs. POPULATION OF CONCERN 1.86 M Internally displaced people (IDP) living in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Kayah and Mon States, and Bago (East), Tanintharyi, Sagaing and Magway Regions (as of 3 July 2023). According to UN sources, an estimated 1,5 million people have been displaced due to the resumption and intensification of clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and/or People’s Defense Forces (PDF) after 1 February 2021. 630,000 Estimated Rohingya in Rakhine State, of which some 147,400 are living in displacement camps as well as among the host community since 2012..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-07-21
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 658.53 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency - Flash Update #1 on Cyclone Mocha (May 19th, 2023)
Description: "On 14 May, Cyclone Mocha made landfall near Sittwe, Myanmar Rakhine State’s capital, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and causing landslides in some areas. The cyclone had a devastating impact on homes and infrastructures, affecting millions of people. In Bangladesh, while initial reports indicate the worst of the cyclone spared Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, many families from the refugee and surrounding host communities were affected and thousands of homes and facilities destroyed. In Myanmar, UNHCR is supporting response and coordination efforts as part of the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team. Myanmar is now facing an emergency within a crisis, with initial reports indicating extensive damages and acutely high needs. An estimated 5.4 million people were in the path of over 90km per hour winds, damaging houses and infrastructure. 3.2 million are estimated to be need of humanitarian assistance. Rakhine State bore the brunt of the cyclone. The devastation compounds the hardships of some 1.8 million IDPs, including 1.5 million newly displaced by the volatile situation across the country, since 1 February 2021 (https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/myanmar). Access restrictions are also making it difficult for humanitarian actors to reach those in need. In Bangladesh, some 2.3 million people have been affected by the cyclone. UNHCR is supporting the government-led response and is working closely with the humanitarian community via the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), displaced and host communities, as well as community leaders and volunteers. In Cox’s Bazaar – home to the world’s largest refugee camp – efforts are underway to assess damage and provide emergency assistance to those in need. The situation in Bhasan Char is less critical with no casualties or damage to shelters or facilities reported after authorities evacuated some 30,000 refugees to 53 dedicated cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure. Most reportedly returned to their homes after the cyclone passed. However, the capacity to respond and prepare for the upcoming monsoon season in Myanmar and Bangladesh is heavily strained and more support is urgently needed to bolster the humanitarian response to affected communities..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 172.84 KB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 May 2023)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,827,000 people were reported internally displaced within Myanmar as of 1 May, including 1,499,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, the situation remains highly volatile, notably in Magway and Sagaing Regions. The use of heavy weapons, airstrikes, and widespread torching of homes and villages continue to cause civilian injury, casualties, and large-scale displacement. Landmine incidents were reported, impeding movement and livelihoods. Frequent telecommunication and internet disruptions across multiple locations posed additional operational barriers and weakened communication between affected communities and humanitarian actors. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, the informal November 2022 ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Tatmadaw remains. Heavy access constraints contributed to escalating needs and impacted humanitarian organizations’ ability to conduct needs assessments and deliver assistance. Plans to close sites hosting internally displaced people (IDPs) affected by the AA/Tatmadaw conflict have been reported – a move which could impact their safety and access to basic services. The relocation of IDPs in Kyauk Ta Lone camp in Kyaukphyu Township, continues to raise concerns because of the flood risks and limited access to services in the relocation site. In the South-East, heavy fighting, airstrikes, forced recruitment and access restrictions across all States and Regions, particularly in Myawaddy Township, Kayin State, near the ThailandMyanmar border, were reported. Recurrent cycles of displacements within the affected area as well as to Thailand continued. In Kachin and Shan (North), frequent airstrikes, indiscriminate shelling of villages, and arson attacks put civilians at risk. Humanitarian operations also faced barriers reaching IDPs due to limited access and safety concerns..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 11.74 MB
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update, January-March 2023
Description: "KEY HIGHLIGHTS 95,000 people received core relief items comprising kitchen sets, blankets and sleeping mats, ensuring their basic needs were met. 11,500 people received shelter support for safe and dignified living conditions while in displacement. 8,300 people with specific needs benefited from cash assistance to meet their basic needs. POPULATION OF CONCERN 1.8 M Internally displaced people (IDP) living in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Kayah and Mon States, and Bago (East), Tanintharyi, Sagaing and Magway Regions (as of 31 March 2023). According to UN sources, an estimated 1,4 million people have been displaced due to the resumption and intensification of clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and/or People’s Defense Forces (PDF) after 1 February 2021. 630,000 Estimated Rohingya in Rakhine State, of which some 147,000 are living in displacement camps as well as among the host community since 2012..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-04-27
Date of entry/update: 2023-04-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 747.01 KB
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 10 April 2023
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 84,400 - Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,086,000 - Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2022 1,477,000 - Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021 1,805,000 - Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 10 April 2023 HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,805,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country as of 10 April 2023, including 1,477,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, the situation remains extremely volatile, particularly in Magway and Sagaing Regions following the declaration of Martial Law in 26 Townships. This elevated civilians’ risk of arbitrary arrest and detention and sparked an uptick in the number of clashes, checkpoints and destruction of properties. In the South-East, indiscriminate and targeted shelling, airstrikes, clashes and destruction of properties was reported in Bago (East) and Tanintharyi Regions and Kayin, Kayah, Mon and Shan (South) States. Landmines and explosive remnants of war posed serious protection risks to civilians, especially women and children, and limited IDPs’ access to farmland for livelihoods and areas of origin. In Kachin and Shan (North), civilian safety also deteriorated. Conflict in areas of IDP returns or planned returns heightened the security risks and reduced livelihoods opportunities for returnees and IDPs. In Shan State (North), protection risks such as forced recruitment continue to be reported. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, the informal November 2022 ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Tatmadaw continues to hold. In Rakhine State (Central), concerns over IDPs who returned to areas with security and protection risks persists. Stringent restrictions on the Rohingya population’s freedom of movement, access to medical assistance, education and other basic services remain in place. Fears over IDP camp closures and safety in areas of relocation or return continue to be raised by IDPs..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 11.67 MB
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Title: UNHCR statement on Bangladesh, Myanmar bilateral pilot project on Rohingya returns
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is aware of the visit of a Myanmar delegation to Bangladesh to meet with a group of refugees on a bilateral pilot project between the two countries on possible returns. UNHCR is not involved in these discussions. UNHCR’s position on returns of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar remains unchanged. In UNHCR’s assessment, conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are currently not conducive to the sustainable return of Rohingya refugees. At the same time, we reiterate that every refugee has a right to return to their home country based on an informed choice, but that no refugee should be forced to do so. Bangladesh has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to voluntary and sustainable repatriation since the onset of the current crisis. In support of efforts to preserve the right to return, UNHCR considers consultation of and dialogue with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh by all parties in relation to the conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State as important to enable refugees to make an informed choice about return and build confidence amongst the community. This is particularly important as many refugees have reiterated that they do hope to go home to Myanmar as soon as conditions allow. Following the events of August 2017, UNHCR has also consistently encouraged Myanmar to expeditiously verify the previous residence in Myanmar of refugees in Bangladesh, as part of efforts to lift any administrative obstacles to return when the refugees decide to do so. UNHCR therefore supports efforts that could lead to the verification of all refugees and pave the way for eventual return. This most recently included providing logistical support to members of the Myanmar delegation to cross into Bangladesh for the technical verification process. UNHCR will continue to work with Bangladesh and Myanmar to ensure that Rohingya refugees maintain the right to return when they choose to do so, based on a fully informed and voluntary decision. UNHCR will also support efforts to create conditions that would be conducive to the sustainable return of Rohingya refugees in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. In Bangladesh UNHCR will continue to support building the skills and capacities of refugees to facilitate their eventual return and sustainable reintegration in Myanmar. The 2023 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh was recently launched and UNHCR calls upon the international community’s continued robust support for this appeal which is currently 10 per cent funded..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2023-03-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-03-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 6 March 2023
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,704,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country as of 6 March 2023, including 1,376,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. Risk of arrest and detention significantly increased during the reporting period after de facto authorities extended the country’s state of emergency for another six-months and imposed martial law in 47 Townships across the country on 2 February. In the North-West, the situation was highly volatile, notably in Magway and Sagaing Regions, where frequent airstrikes, arson attacks and landmine incidents sparked new displacements within Myanmar and to neighboring India. Telecommunications, including internet services, remained unstable and hampered humanitarian access and assistance to people in need. In the South-East, heavy fighting, shelling, landmine incidents and roadblocks were reported in multiple states and regions, including near town centers and IDP sites. The forced return of displaced people in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, was reported following the declaration of martial law. School-aged children’s access to education has also been affected by this heightened insecurity. In Kachin and Shan (North), civilian injuries and casualties continue to be reported following an increase in landmines and other explosive remnants. An uptick in robberies and kidnapping for ransom incidents has also been reported. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, the informal November 2022 ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and Tatmadaw is holding. Humanitarian access has improved although remains limited in its geographic scope. Landmines and explosive remnants continue to pose serious protection risks coupled with reports of forced recruitment amid competing power dynamics in areas controlled by parties to the conflict. There was an increase in irregular movement and trafficking as people – notably Rohingya – undertook dangerous sea and land journeys in search of protection, family reunification and livelihoods opportunities in other countries. In parallel, IDPs continued to raise concerns about the impending IDP camp closures and safety risks in areas of relocation or return..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-03-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-03-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 8.78 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 6 March 2023)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 75,400 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,086,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2022 1,376,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021 Source: UN in Myanmar 1,704,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 6 March 2023 Source: UN in Myanmar HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,704,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country as of 6 March 2023, including 1,376,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. Risk of arrest and detention significantly increased during the reporting period after de facto authorities extended the country’s state of emergency for another six-months and imposed martial law in 47 Townships across the country on 2 February. In the North-West, the situation was highly volatile, notably in Magway and Sagaing Regions, where frequent airstrikes, arson attacks and landmine incidents sparked new displacements within Myanmar and to neighboring India. Telecommunications, including internet services, remained unstable and hampered humanitarian access and assistance to people in need. In the South-East, heavy fighting, shelling, landmine incidents and roadblocks were reported in multiple states and regions, including near town centers and IDP sites. The forced return of displaced people in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, was reported following the declaration of martial law. School-aged children’s access to education has also been affected by this heightened insecurity. In Kachin and Shan (North), civilian injuries and casualties continue to be reported following an increase in landmines and other explosive remnants. An uptick in robberies and kidnapping for ransom incidents has also been reported. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, the informal November 2022 ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and Tatmadaw is holding. Humanitarian access has improved although remains limited in its geographic scope. Landmines and explosive remnants continue to pose serious protection risks coupled with reports of forced recruitment amid competing power dynamics in areas controlled by parties to the conflict. There was an increase in irregular movement and trafficking as people – notably Rohingya – undertook dangerous sea and land journeys in search of protection, family reunification and livelihoods opportunities in other countries. In parallel, IDPs continued to raise concerns about the impending IDP camp closures and safety risks in areas of relocation or return..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2023-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 February 2023)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 73,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,086,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2022 1,254,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021 Source: UN in Myanmar 1,584,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 30 January 2023 HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,584,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country as of 30 January 2023, including 1,254,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, conflict continued to intensify across Chin State and Sagaing and Magway Regions following a reported increase in air strikes, landmine incidents, arbitrary arrests and the destruction of properties. Indiscriminate fire in Chin and Sagaing resulted in new displacements and cross-border movements between Myanmar and India. IDPs and host communities are also experiencing shortages of food and other basic necessities due to movement restrictions. In the South-East, conflict in various parts of the region impeded access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods. An uptick in airstrikes, indiscriminate shelling and explosions close to town centres in multiple States and Regions, including Kayin State, Mon State, Bago (East) and Tanintharyi Regions, was reported. IDPs remained concerned about their reduced access to food and basic commodities, particularly in Kayah and Shan (South) States and Tanintharyi Region. In Kachin and Shan (North), frequent airstrikes, shelling and explosive remnants are putting civilian lives at risk. Arbitrary arrests, forced labour and the destruction and theft of civilian properties was also reported. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, the informal November 2022 ceasefire between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Tatmadaw continues to hold althoug remains fragile amid fears conflict will resume at the end of the cultivation season. Communities are vigilant and limiting their movement in case the ceasefire unravels. The humanitarian response in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Minbya and Myebon is focused on life-saving support (food and healthcare) following the introduction of new restrictions on UN agencies and INGOs by the de facto authorities in mid-September 2022. RESPONSE Myanmar In Kachin and Shan (North) States, IDPs pursued avenues that allow them to rebuild their lives despite the limited prospects for lasting solutions after the events of February 2021. In this regard, UNHCR and partners completed a pilot programme providing small grants for various community-led projects in six solutions sites in Bhamo Township, Kachin State. These grants act as ‘seed money’ and are designed to encourage communities to use their own resources and assets to improve their environment. Through these grants, the communities were able to facilitate road rehabilitation work, expand access to clean water supplies, and support community halls. In addition, UNHCR and partners distributed various core relief items (CRIs), including mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets, and buckets to 1,169 IDPs (270 families). As part of the COVID-19 response, over 7,000 face masks were also distributed in IDP camps in Kachin State..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2023-02-17
Date of entry/update: 2023-02-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update, October - December 2022
Description: "KEY HIGHLIGHTS: 103,524 people received core relief items comprising kitchen sets, blankets and sleeping mats, ensuring their basic needs were met. 37,773 people received shelter support for safe and dignified living conditions while in displacement. 3,643 people with specific needs benefited from cash assistance to meet their basic needs..... POPULATION OF CONCERN: 600,000 Estimated Rohingya in Rakhine State, of which some 152,000 are living in displacement camps as well as among the host community since 2012. 1.5 M Internally displaced people (IDP) living in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayin and Mon States, and Bago (East), Tanintharyi, Sagaing and Magway Regions (as of 26 December 2022). An estimated 1,175,300 people are displaced due to the resumption and intensification of clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and/or People’s Defense Forces (PDF) after 1 February 2021. Some 99,588 people remain displaced in Rakhine and Chin States following the Arakan Army/Tatmadaw conflict (as of 19 December 2022).
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-01-25
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR seeks comprehensive regional response to address rise in deadly South-East Asia sea journeys
Description: "This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. More than 3,500 desperate Rohingya attempted deadly sea crossings in 39 boats in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal in 2022, according to the latest data from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. This represents a 360 per cent increase on the year before when some 700 people made similar journeys. In the absence of a comprehensive regional response to address these perilous maritime movements, UNHCR warns that more people will die on the high seas, under the watch of many coastal States. UNHCR has recorded an alarming rise in the death toll. At least 348 individuals died or went missing at sea in 2022, making it one of the deadliest years since 2014. Some 3,040 individuals who undertook the sea journey disembarked in 2022, primarily in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Nearly 45 per cent of those who disembarked were women and children. In the last two months of 2022, four boats carrying over 450 Rohingya disembarked in Aceh, Indonesia. One boat carrying over 100 Rohingya disembarked in Sri Lanka. One boat is feared to have sunk in early December with approximately 180 individuals on board. Several boats that departed in December remained at sea as of the end of the year. Calls by UNHCR to maritime authorities in the region to rescue and disembark people in distress have gone unheeded with many boats adrift for weeks. Most boats departed from Myanmar and Bangladesh, highlighting the growing sense of desperation amongst Rohingya in those two countries. Those who have disembarked report that they undertook these dangerous sea journeys in an effort to find protection, security, family reunification, and livelihoods in other countries. Among them are victims of trafficking, unaccompanied and separated children, and survivors of sexual- and gender-based violence. The current crisis in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea is a crisis of solidarity. The Bali Process, a forum for policy dialogue, information sharing and cooperation to address people smuggling, human trafficking and related transnational crime, will hold its 8th Ministerial meeting in February. UNHCR repeats its call for prompt search and rescue and timely disembarkation in a place of safety, and for support to countries where Rohingya refugees are disembarked. We call on countries to redouble efforts to prevent human smuggling and trafficking. There is also a need for humanitarian responsibility to be more evenly distributed among countries in the region to ensure protection responses are predictable, equitable, and sustainable. The region and the international community need to support efforts to address the root causes of displacement in Myanmar. Until these are resolved, refugees will continue to undertake dangerous journeys in search of safety..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2023-01-17
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 9 January 2023)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES: 72,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,086,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2022 1,215,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021 Source: UN in Myanmar 1,545,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 9 January 2023 Source: UN in Myanmar HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,545,000 people were reported internally displaced within Myanmar as of 9 January, including 1,215,000 people newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In Kachin and Shan (North), the protection risks faced by many communities continued to increase because of the intensifying conflict. In response, communities limited their own movements (particularly in the evenings) due to the risk of forced recruitment, robbery, physical assault, and arbitrary arrests. The situation has also been further compounded by their inadequate access to livelihoods, which is making it difficult for communities to meet their basic needs. In the North-West, the security situation remained volatile across Chin State and Sagaing and Magway Regions, as indiscriminate attacks continue to drive displacement. Movement restrictions have also pushed up the cost of essential goods and sparked shortages of food and other basic commodities. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, following the announcement of an informal ceasefire between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) in late November 2022, roadways were reopened to enable the movement of civilians and goods between Yangon-Sittwe and within most of Rakhine State (North). However, rising criminality in Rakhine North (State) continues to exacerbate insecurity. Currently, most of the humanitarian response in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Minbya and Myebon remains limited to life-saving activities such as food and health after de facto authorities introduced new restrictions on UN agencies and INGOs in mid-September 2022. In the South-East, the security situation across all states and regions remained unpredictable with frequent airstrikes and indiscriminate shelling being reported. Access to education continued to be challenging for many children, which increased their exposure to negative coping mechanisms such as child labour. Limited access to food, shelter materials and basic medicine were other challenges brought about by the volatile context..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-01-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 5 December 2022)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES..... 72,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,086,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2022 1,143,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021* Source: UN in Myanmar 1,473,000 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 5 December 2022* Source: UN in Myanmar..... HIGHLIGHTS..... According to the UN, there were an estimated 1,473,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) within Myanmar during the reporting period, including 1,143,000 people who have been newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, the security situation remains volatile across Chin State and Sagaing and Magway Regions. Displacement due to active armed clashes, arson and airstrikes continue. Humanitarian access has been challenging, particularly in Sagaing Region where the needs are most acute. Conflict is expected to escalate in the winter months, leaving civilians increasingly at risk of attacks. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, clashes, indiscriminate shelling and landmine explosions were reported. Food shortages and limited humanitarian support due to movement restrictions have affected communities, particularly in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon, Kyauktaw and Pauktaw. The situation in Rakhine State has been generally calm albeit tense following the announcement of an informal ceasefire agreement between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) in late November. Since then, returns by displaced families to their places of origin have begun taking place. While humanitarian access remains challenging, the opening of waterways and roads has enabled the movement of much-needed goods, resulting in a decrease in the cost of basic commodities. In Kachin and Shan (North), humanitarian access across Kachin and Shan (North) States is limited, particularly in active conflict areas. Movement restrictions continue to be reported due to the heightened risk of forced recruitment, robbery, physical assault and arbitrary arrest particularly in the evenings. In the South-East, the security situation is precarious and has affected the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Indiscriminate shelling, arrests and destruction of civilian property continues. Insufficient access to food, water, healthcare and core relief items (CRIs) are among the main concerns cited by IDP families..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-12-08
Date of entry/update: 2022-12-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR deplores continued deportation of Myanmar asylum-seekers from Malaysia
Sub-title: This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is seriously concerned over the continued deportation by Malaysia of asylum-seekers from Myanmar back to their country, placing lives at risk. UNHCR has received multiple disturbing reports of these forced returns of Myanmar nationals from Malaysia, since April this year, including people seeking international protection. In the last two months alone, hundreds of Myanmar nationals are reported to have been sent back against their will by the authorities. Such deportations of refugees and asylum-seekers amount to refoulement. The latest incident is reported to have happened over the weekend. According to information received by UNHCR, an asylum-seeker from Myanmar was deported on 21 October from detention despite UNHCR interventions. UNHCR continues to call on Malaysia to immediately stop the forced returns of Myanmar nationals seeking safety from serious harm. Sending them back to Myanmar exposes them to harm and danger. People fleeing Myanmar must be allowed access to territory to seek asylum and be protected against refoulement. Myanmar nationals already abroad should not be forced to return when seeking international protection. The principle of non-refoulement is a cornerstone of international law and is binding on all states. The situation in Myanmar is forcing people to flee to seek safety within the country and across borders. UNHCR appeals to the Malaysian authorities to abide by their international legal obligations and ensure the full respect for the rights of people in need of international protection. We reiterate our call on states in the region to continue offering protection to Myanmar nationals fleeing for safety. This also includes ending the practice of indefinite detention of asylum-seekers and refugees from Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-10-25
Date of entry/update: 2022-10-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR issues urgent appeal to stop forced returns of Myanmar nationals
Sub-title: This news comment is attributable to Gillian Triggs, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is urgently appealing to countries in the region to immediately stop forced returns of Myanmar nationals seeking safety from serious harm. Sending them back to the country is placing countless lives at risk. UNHCR remains gravely concerned about multiple reports of refoulement - the forcible return of refugees and asylum seekers - since February 2021 from countries neighbouring Myanmar. We repeat our call on states to continue offering protection to Myanmar nationals fleeing for safety. This also includes ending the practice of indefinite detention of asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar. In Myanmar, acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians continue across the country, as well as fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups in some border areas, driving people to flee within the country and across borders. People fleeing Myanmar must be allowed access to territory to seek asylum and be protected against refoulement. Myanmar nationals already abroad should not be forced to return when seeking international protection. The principle of non-refoulement is a cornerstone of international law and is binding on all states. Myanmar’s neighbours have a decades-long history of providing protection and assistance to refugees. We call on them to continue upholding their international legal obligations and lifesaving humanitarian tradition of safeguarding the lives of all those forced to flee. UNHCR and partner organizations stand ready to step-up support to national and local authorities in the region to ensure that refugees receive the protection they need..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-10-20
Date of entry/update: 2022-10-20
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Title: Civil society group hailed for supporting displaced people in remote parts of Myanmar
Sub-title: For its work aiding and empowering communities uprooted by conflict or disaster, Meikswe Myanmar has been named the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award regional winner for Asia and the Pacific.
Description: "Big smiles greet Naw Bway Khu, 54, as she arrives at the Metta May May Shelter for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Lashio, the largest town in Myanmar’s northern Shan State. Women and children here know her as “Naw Snow” (Snow being the English translation of Bway and Naw an honourific used by people of Karen ethnicity in Myanmar), the leader and founder of the organization that runs this peaceful refuge. A trained nurse with a friendly demeanour, she acquired the nickname nearly two decades ago when she set up Meikswe Myanmar – meaning “Friends of Myanmar” – with the initial aim of providing antiretroviral therapy and places of refuge for women and children living with HIV/AIDS. After enduring years of domestic violence during her marriage, Naw Bway Khu wanted to support women in similar situations. Following her husband’s death in 2002, she spent two years working for an international NGO that cared for people living with HIV/AIDS before starting Meikswe Myanmar. Initially she accommodated women in her own home before establishing the centre in Lashio, and later an orphanage. “I was freed from my previous life [with my husband] and wanted to help women who were [HIV] positive,” she recalls, adding that she felt fortunate to have escaped contracting HIV from her husband. “I often brought them into my home, accepted them and shared with them what I ate. I wanted them to live a long life and fulfil their dreams.” “Meikswe’s work is all about addressing gaps.” As the organization started to care for a growing number of patients in rural and isolated communities, Naw Bway Khu noticed that many villages lacked access to basic services such as education and health care. She gradually expanded Meikswe’s programming to offer psychosocial support, education and income-generating activities. “Meikswe’s work is all about addressing gaps,” she explains. “Depending on the needs we come across, we expand our activities and geographical reach step-by-step.” See also: Angela Merkel to receive UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award for protecting refugees at height of Syria crisis In 2015, decades of armed conflict in northern Shan State sharply escalated, displacing tens of thousands. While humanitarian aid reached those who made it to camps for internally displaced people, Naw Bway Khu noted that those who sought safety in villages received little to no assistance. “Those in host communities were forgotten,” she says. As the strain intensified, Meikswe used funds pooled from staff, their families, friends and relatives to mount an emergency response, distributing food and basic household items to displaced people sheltering in villages. Naw Bway Khu also advocated for more international aid to be allocated to host communities supporting the displaced. Today, Meikswe implements a range of activities to support internally displaced people, their host communities and other vulnerable groups in close to 300 locations across six regions and states – from Rakhine State in the west of the country to Shan State in the north, as well as Kayin State in the south-east. For its dedication to supporting internally displaced people, even in the most hard-to-reach areas, Meikswe has been named the Asia-Pacific Regional Winner of the 2022 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award, a prize awarded annually by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to honour those who have gone to extraordinary lengths to help forcibly displaced or stateless people. With a team of 77 staff members drawn from a variety of backgrounds and ethnic groups, Meikswe’s activities directly benefited some 25,000 people in 2021. This was despite the many logistical, financial and security challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the military takeover that took place in February of that year. “All of our staff have to follow four values: to provide services for marginalized people, respect all races and religions, treat all fairly, and prioritize the needs of children and women,” Naw Bway Khu says. She attributes Meikswe’s success in delivering aid to communities cut off from other assistance to her staff. “We do things from the heart,” she says. “No matter how difficult or challenging it is, we are able to work because we have already received the love and trust of the community.” Besides its dedicated staff, Meikswe’s achievements stem from Naw Bway Khu’s determination to empower displaced and conflict-affected communities so they are eventually able to help themselves. “We cannot support them forever,” she says. “That is why we also provide technical support, so they can be strong enough on their own.” At the Namma Bawda village in Shan State’s Lashio Township, a group of 10 displaced women and 11 villagers are part of a Meikswe-supported sewing project that generates an income for their families. The women eagerly show Naw Bway Khu the fabrics they work with. “I think it is very good of Meikswe to support us like this,” says Noe Lar Sheh, a displaced woman living in the village. “We’ve never experienced anything like it before.” “Meikswe is like a big shady tree, supporting organizations like us.” Meikswe’s empowerment initiatives also extend to its support to local community-based and civil society organizations that are often the first responders during times of crisis. Recognizing the need for communities to be able to quickly respond to arrivals of displaced people, the organization trains them on how to carry out a basic humanitarian response. It also acts as a bridge between them and the international organizations that can provide much-needed resources. For the Otamaung Association, a civil society organization operating in Shan State’s Kyaukme Township, Meikswe’s trainings have been invaluable. First set up to provide health support to people from highland areas, the association has now expanded to provide emergency assistance to those displaced by conflict. “There is a Myanmar proverb that says one sturdy tree can support 10,000 birds. Meikswe is like a big shady tree, supporting organizations like us to have the confidence and capacity to carry out our work,” says Mai Ye Win Aung, the General Secretary of the Otamaung Association. Naw Bway Khu is determined to keep expanding Meikswe’s reach so they can assist more communities. “We will continue to work to achieve the rights that every human being should have,” she says. “Meikswe’s logo shows a small boat with a dove on it. I intend to help those on our boat as much as we can. We will help them find peace.”..."
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Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-10-04
Date of entry/update: 2022-10-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update, April - June 2022
Description: "KEY HIGHLIGHTS 126,500 people received core relief items including kitchen sets, blankets and sleeping mats, ensuring their basic needs were met. 37,000 people received shelter support for safe and dignified living conditions while in displacement. 1,055 people with specific needs benefited from cash assistance to meet their basic needs. POPULATION OF CONCERN 600,000 Estimated stateless Rohingya in Rakhine State, of which some 153,000 are living in displacement camps as well as among the host community since 2012. 1,105,100 Internally displaced people (IDP) living in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayin and Mon States, and Bago (East), Tanintharyi, Sagaing and Magway Regions. An estimated 758,500 people are displaced due to the resumption and intensification of clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and/or People’s Defense Forces (PDF) after 1 February 2021. Some 72,700 remain displaced in 172 sites in Rakhine and Chin States displaced following the Arakan Army-Tatmadaw conflict..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-09-22
Date of entry/update: 2022-09-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Inter-agency Update - 6 September 2022
Description: "The volatile situation in Myanmar following the 01 February 2021 coup has increased armed conflict and subsequent population displacement within and across borders, including in Thailand. As of 22 August 2022, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) reports that there are no refugees remaining on the Thai side of the border. Since February 2021, the RTG estimates that some 22,000 Myanmar refugees have sought temporary safety in Thailand. Refugees are sheltered in temporary safety areas (TSA), which are placed under the general jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Army by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by the RTG in March 2021 SITUATION OVERVIEW ON THE THAI MYANMAR BORDER – AUGUST 2022 In Kayah State, armed clashes continued around Demoso and Loikaw since the Military scaled up its troops' deployment in early August in an attempt to regain control of these areas. In Kayin State, clashes in Kawkareik Township have been reported between the Tatmadaw and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Throughout August, daily battles reportedly took place between the Tatmadaw and the KNLA-led opposition forces – in the Karen National Union (KNU)-controlled areas of Dooplaya District (i.e., Brigade 6 controlled area), which is opposite Mae Sot, Phop Phra, and Umphang districts of Tak. The escalation of conflict around Myawaddy Township in late July and early August triggered displacement across the border into Thailand. On 29 July, the RTG reported new arrivals into Thailand caused by the resurgence of fighting in Myawaddy Town. The authorities recorded 244 individuals who sought safety in Thailand and were sheltered in one Temporary Safety Area (TSA) in Mor Ker Thai Temple, Valley sub-district, Pob Pra district, Tak province. All refugees reportedly returned to Myanmar once fighting subsided, and the TSA was officially closed on 13 August. In the Tanintharyi region, fighting intensified between the People Defense Force (PDF) and the Military in August, especially around Dawei Township. As of 29 August, the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar displaced since 1 February is 974,400, of whom 283,800 are in the southeast provinces – Kayah, Shan, Kayin, Mon States, and Tanintharyi and Bago regions. Most of the newly displaced were in Kayin State, where 1,100 people sought safety in the jungle in Thandaungyyi Township due to airstrikes. The number of IDPs continued to increase in Tanintharyi Region due to general insecurity. Local media reported that 700 people were displaced to the jungle nearby. In Kayah State, about 210 IDPs in Nyaung Shwe Township were able to return to Loikaw..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-09-13
Date of entry/update: 2022-09-13
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Title: UNHCR appeals for renewed support and solutions for Rohingya refugees
Sub-title: This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Description: "This week marks five years since more than 700,000 Rohingya women, men and children fled Myanmar for Bangladesh, joining hundreds of thousands of other Rohingya who had sought and found refuge in the country in previous years. The latest exodus from Myanmar is now officially defined as being a protracted situation. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for much greater efforts to secure both financial support and solutions for the Rohingya. Since the onset of this humanitarian crisis, the Government of Bangladesh and local communities, with aid agencies, were quick to respond to arriving refugees, providing shelter in what is now the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Five years later, many Rohingya refugees have told UNHCR they wish to return home to Myanmar so long as conditions for safe, dignified and sustainable returns are met and they can enjoy freedom of movement, access to documentation and a pathway to citizenship, as well as access to services and income-generating activities. For the almost 1 million stateless Rohingya refugees, conditions in Bangladesh are extremely overcrowded, and they remain fully reliant on humanitarian assistance for their survival. With decreased funding, they face many challenges in their daily lives. Multiple humanitarian assessment surveys have found that the most commonly unmet needs include proper nutrition, shelter materials, sanitation facilities and livelihood opportunities. Some have resorted to dangerous boat journeys to seek a better future. Protection needs — especially for women, children and people with disabilities — are often under-reported. Violence against children and women, especially gender-based violence, is shrouded in stigma that can render survivors voiceless, often unable to access legal, medical, psycho-social or other forms of support. Support must be stepped up for education, skills development, and livelihood opportunities. These activities will prepare refugees for eventual return while also helping them remain safe and productive during their stay in Bangladesh. Some 10,000 Rohingya children in Bangladesh are already enrolled in the Myanmar curriculum, taught in the Myanmar language. Support for sustained and expanded access to the Myanmar curriculum is needed. This a milestone towards a more formal education and helps close the gap for older children who previously had no learning opportunities. UNHCR is also appealing for further investment from the international community to ensure Rohingya refugees can benefit from skills development, including vocational training and other forms of capacity-building for adolescent and adult refugees. This will allow refugees to support their communities and live with dignity in Bangladesh, and above all to prepare them for rebuilding their lives when they can voluntarily and safely return to Myanmar. The support from the international community has been and is crucial in delivering lifesaving protection and assistance services for Rohingya refugees but funding is well short of needs. The 2022 response plan seeks over US$881 million for more than 1.4 million people, including Rohingya refugees and more than half a million most affected host communities, and is so far funded at only 49 per cent, with US$426.2 million received. Together, the international community must do more to ensure that the Rohingya do not continue to languish in displacement and redouble efforts for increased political dialogue and diplomatic engagement to create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-08-23
Date of entry/update: 2022-08-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 August 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: Armed clashes across Myanmar continued to trigger displacement and affect civilians. As of 1 August, there were an estimated 1,244,000 internally displaced people (IDP) across Myanmar, including some 897,000 people who have been displaced within the country since 1 February 2021. In the South-East, small-scale IDP returns to their place of origin were reported in areas where fewer clashes have occurred in the last few weeks in Kayin State. Overall, the security situation remained dynamic with armed clashes continuing to trigger new displacements, mainly in Bago (East) Region and Kayin State. Local partners still face security risks and access challenges in areas of active conflict. UNHCR is monitoring the situation in these locations despite the challenges this unpredictable context has on displacement data collection and information verification and the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance. In the North-West, the situation remained increasingly volatile following an intensification of armed clashes. Artillery fire, aerial attacks and airstrikes, security operations, destruction of houses and properties as well as use of landmines continued to pose significant risks to people’s safety and security. In Kachin and Shan (North), armed clashes and airstrikes risks further exacerbating an already fragile humanitarian situation with displaced families finding safety in churches and monasteries in nearby villages. The situation has been worsened by heavy seasonal rains and flooding in Kachin State, where affected civilians are now staying in collective centres. Daytime robberies, thefts and burglaries are also reportedly on the rise in urban areas. In Rakhine State, humanitarian activities in the north of Maungdaw, Rakhine State (North), have been temporarily suspended since 18 July due to clashes. In Rakhine (Central), civilian arrests (including youth), increased military checkpoints and road and waterway closures were reported. The capacity to meet basic needs have also been diminished by rising commodity and fuel prices and reduced livelihoods..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-08-05
Date of entry/update: 2022-08-05
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Title: UNHCR Representation in Myanmar - Fact Sheet August 2022
Description: "About UNHCR Since 1950, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has led international action to protect people forced to flee because of violence, persecution, war or disaster at home. Our work is entirely humanitarian and non-political, guided by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, we work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another coun-try. UNHCR also protects and assists internally displaced people (IDPs) as well stateless persons. These groups are collectively known as our persons of concern. In more than seven decades of existence, the organization has helped tens of millions of people globally restart their lives. In Myanmar, UNHCR has been present since 1993 and maintains an operation of over 200 staff at 11 locations nationwide. Today, we care for the needs of over 1.7 million persons of concern in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states as well as Bago, Magway, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions. By collaborating closely with partners such as sister UN agencies, international and local NGOs as well as local communities, UNHCR plays a key role in the provision of life-saving interventions, particularly in the areas of assistance coordination, services to mitigate protection risks and delivery of emergency relief in the form of non-food items such as shelter, blankets and household goods. We also advocate for the fundamental human rights of persons of concern and host communities, and work towards sustainable solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home and build a better future in cohesive and resilient communities..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-08-01
Date of entry/update: 2022-08-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Situation - Inter-Agency Operational Update - 05 July 2022
Description: "The volatile situation in Myanmar following the 01 February 2021 coup has increased armed conflict and subsequent population displacement within and across borders, including in Thailand. As of 4 July 2022, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) reports that there are 802 refugees remaining on the Thai side of the border. Since February 2021, the RTG estimates that over 21,000 Myanmar refugees have sought temporary safety in Thailand. Refugees are sheltered in temporary safety areas (TSA), which are placed under the general jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Army by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by the RTG in March 2021. SITUATION OVERVIEW ON THE THAI MYANMAR BORDER The security situation continues to deteriorate in Southeast Myanmar with the intensification of armed clashes reported between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) or People's Defence Force (PDF) in several areas. The Military continues to deploy security forces and has increased the use of heavy artilleries. In Kayah State, armed clashes continue, and the State Administration Council(SAC) has been deploying more troops to the area since mid-May. According to the Tagaung Institute of Political Studies and the US-based Wilson Center, there are more than 20,000 resistance fighters in Karenni State In Kayin State, fierce clashes have been ongoing between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Tatmadaw following a KNLA attack on a military outpost in Myawaddy Township on 26 June. The battle for control over the outpost is the fiercest fighting that has taken place since last year. In neighboring Mon State, around 7,000 residents from six villages in Thaton Township fled their homes due to arson attacks carried out by security forces, the first time such attacks have taken place in the state. In the Tanintharyi region, The People’s Defense Force (PDF), KNU, and the Tatmadaw continue to clash, with the latter pressuring the former with logistic hindrances (e.g., road blockage). Since June 24, around 100 military council troops have been entering the area from Kazina village to Sipin Taung, Myanadi Taung. Fighting was occurring mostly in Dawei and Myeik District and scaled up with the Military using heavy artillery throughout the night. As of 30 June, the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar displaced since 1 February is 758,500, of whom 244,500 are in the southeast provinces – Kayah, Shan, Kayin, Mon States, and Tanintharyi and Bago regions. In Kayah State, more than 4,000 people were able to return to Loikaw and Demoso Townships. Nevertheless, the security situation in Demoso Township continues to be unstable, with more than 2,000 people unable to return to their places of origin and to experience multiple displacement..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 6 July 2022
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Armed clashes across Myanmar continued to trigger displacement and affect civilians. As of 4 July, an estimated 1,116,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were reported, including some 769,000 people who have been displaced within Myanmar since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, ongoing fighting continued to undermine the safety and security of civilians with sporadic clashes reported in Chin State and Magway and Sagaing regions. In the South-East, armed clashes generated some displacement largely due to the deteriorating security situation in Mon State, Bago (East) and Tanintharyi regions. Humanitarian access remained challenging although new displacement and IDP returns to areas of origin continues to be monitored. In protracted situations, many IDPs face acute food and supply shortages, which have been exacerbated by a shortage of essential goods and services in the host community. In Kachin and Shan (North), IDPs’ limited access to financial services continued to undermine their capacity to engage in sustainable livelihoods. Access to education was another challenge, particularly in Kachin and Shan (North) as a result of school closures in response to COVID-19 and security-related measures. Other challenges facing children and adolescents include forced recruitment and child marriage. In Rakhine State, simmering tensions spilled over into clashes in Chin State’s Paletwa Township on 27 June. The abduction of two teachers in Maungdaw (North) also heightened existing anxieties within communities. The evolving situation stands to impact the already limited freedom of movement for the Rohyinga communities, further impeding access to services and social cohesion. RESPONSE Myanmar In the South-East, UNHCR and partners distributed core relief items (CRIs) to 14,000 people in Kayin and Kayah States and Bago (East) Region. 850 people in Kayah State and Shan State (North) received corrugated galvanized iron sheets to help them construct transitional shelters. In response to several landmine related incidents in Kayah State, UNHCR, in collaboration with UNICEF, distributed 750 mine risk education leaflets to IDPs. In Rakhine State, UNHCR and partners distributed CRIs to 6,300 people living in Rohingya IDP camps and IDP sites. Following heavy rains and strong winds, 19,750 people living in camps and sites received emergency shelter assistance. The distribution of shelter-related materials is also planned for some 5,000 people in displacement sites. As part of COVID-19 prevention and response measures, UNHCR and partners provided personal protective equipment to 3,400 people. In Rakhine State (North), humanitarian access continues to be restricted, particularly for some 1,400 families currently residing in IDP sites. In the North-West, preparations for a multi-sectoral needs assessment by UNHCR and partners are already underway in Magway Region. This exercise is intended to promote responsive humanitarian assistance for all affected populations. In Kachin and Shan (North), UNHCR and partners provided 270 corrugated galvanized iron sheets to support the maintenance of existing shelters and reconstruction of shelters burned down in a recent fire. In addition, 3,275 IDPs living in 10 displacement sites in Shan State (North) received solar lamps. In order to better understand the diverse needs and protection..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-07-13
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 6 July 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Armed clashes across Myanmar continued to trigger displacement and affect civilians. As of 4 July, an estimated 1,116,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were reported, including some 769,000 people who have been displaced within Myanmar since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, ongoing fighting continued to undermine the safety and security of civilians with sporadic clashes reported in Chin State and Magway and Sagaing regions. In the South-East, armed clashes generated some displacement largely due to the deteriorating security situation in Mon State, Bago (East) and Tanintharyi regions. Humanitarian access remained challenging although new displacement and IDP returns to areas of origin continues to be monitored. In protracted situations, many IDPs face acute food and supply shortages, which have been exacerbated by a shortage of essential goods and services in the host community. In Kachin and Shan (North), IDPs’ limited access to financial services continued to undermine their capacity to engage in sustainable livelihoods. Access to education was another challenge, particularly in Kachin and Shan (North) as a result of school closures in response to COVID-19 and security-related measures. Other challenges facing children and adolescents include forced recruitment and child marriage. In Rakhine State, simmering tensions spilled over into clashes in Chin State’s Paletwa Township on 27 June. The abduction of two teachers in Maungdaw (North) also heightened existing anxieties within communities. The evolving situation stands to impact the already limited freedom of movement for the Rohyinga communities, further impeding access to services and social cohesion..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-07-06
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Op-ed for World Refugee Day 2022
Description: "Solidarity with displaced populations and host communities in Myanmar needed more than ever. Every year on World Refugee Day, the international community comes together to celebrate the strength and resilience of those forced to flee their homes as well as the host communities who welcome them. For my colleagues and I at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, it is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment in supporting the people of Myanmar. Solidarity for Myanmar is needed now more than ever amid a growing humanitarian crisis. The realities are sobering. In addition to pre-existing conflict-affected populations, hundreds of thousands more have been displaced across the country in the past year. As conflict intensifies, the UN projects that the rate of displacement is likely to increase for the foreseeable future. While tens of thousands have sought safety in neighbouring countries like India and Thailand as refugees, the vast majority remain in Myanmar as internally displaced people (IDPs). The challenges faced by those displaced are numerous. Conditions have deteriorated while vulnerabilities have increased as instability has led to disruptions in health services, food assistance, livelihood opportunities, banking systems and telecommunications. Armed conflict has also impeded the ability of affected populations to seek safety and urgent lifesaving assistance. Yet, in the face of so much adversity lies the incredible strength of the human spirit. While the challenges and obstacles faced by the people of Myanmar are regularly reported, much less talked about are the stories of courage, solidarity and resilience displayed everyday by individuals. Acts of kindness and generosity are abound. Whenever my colleagues and I go into the field to distribute humanitarian supplies, IDPs often tell us that they will only take what they need and urge us to give the rest to those in greater need - a beautiful display of empathy and compassion despite many having lost their homes, travelling long distances and sometimes losing family members to conflict. The assistance UNHCR provides is part of a wider collective effort undertaken by the humanitarian community to support those forced to flee. Just as impressive as the acts by IDPs themselves, are the numerous examples of host communities and local organizations stepping up and acting as first responders. We are all touched by the hospitality offered by monasteries, churches, schools, community halls and even strangers’ homes, welcoming displaced people with open arms and hearts so that they can have shelter, food and safety. UNHCR continually emphasizes that our assistance merely complements what courageous individuals and caring communities are doing to help those displaced by conflict. As part of our commitment to stay and deliver, we continue to work round the clock to deliver lifesaving aid. In 2021 alone, core relief items, including kitchen sets, blankets, sleeping mats and solar lamps, among other items, reached 182,000 people, while 113,000 benefitted from shelter support. Furthermore, an additional 100,000 people were reached in the first six months of 2022. Despite these efforts, much work remains to be done. Humanitarian organisations face many constraints, including access limitations and insecurity, in the delivery of assistance and protection services to people in most need. Of particular challenge is reaching those located in rural and difficult-to-access areas where food, clean water, shelter and basic household items are in short supply. Every person has a right to seek safety. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that people have access to safety and their basic needs met. Together with our sister UN agencies, we continue advocacy efforts to facilitate safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure that no one gets left behind. Our responsibility does not end there. Once out of harm’s way, we need to ensure that displaced people continue to feel safe and treated with respect and dignity. As the current crisis persists, affected communities are at-risk of finding themselves in a situation of prolonged displacement – a state of limbo exponentially increasing their vulnerability. As community support capacities weaken over time, the need to strengthen programming around resilience building becomes ever more critical. In this vein, UNHCR will endeavour to mitigate risks faced by IDPs, returnees and host communities by building their resilience in an inclusive manner, while facilitating critical life-saving assistance and protection services. We are here to stay and here to deliver together with partners, committing ourselves to protect those forced to flee and provide vital live-saving assistance to people in need across Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Rohingya refugees lead response to fire threat in Bangladesh camps
Sub-title: Trained refugee volunteers are the first line of defence against the frequent fires that tear through camps in the dry season.
Description: "First, a hole appears in the shelter’s tarpaulin roof, then flames and billowing black smoke. In less than a minute, the tarpaulin has melted completely, and the entire bamboo structure is ablaze. In the dry season that lasts from December until April in southern Bangladesh, fires like this one are an ever-present threat in Kutupalong – the mega camp that sprang up in August 2017 when more than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to Bangladesh in a matter of weeks. The government of Bangladesh welcomed the Rohingya but has ensured the temporary nature of the camps with restrictions on the types of building materials refugees and aid agencies can use. As a result, virtually everything in Kutapalong, from shelters to learning centres to walkways, is made from bamboo and tarpaulin, both of which are highly flammable. In addition, the camps are among the most densely populated places in the world with very little space between shelters to act as a natural fire break. In 2021, over 150 fires were reported, the largest of which killed at least 15 people and burned down some 10,000 shelters. Fortunately, this one is part of a training drill, and refugee volunteers are standing by to put it out, first with a hose attached to a small three-wheeled fire truck, and then with fire extinguishers. They use hand-powered water pumps attached to backpacks to extinguish the last few embers. “Our people are afraid of fire,” says, Mohammed Yasin, 35, one of the volunteers taking part in the training. “They can break out at any time; we always live in fear.” Both Bangladeshis and refugees are exposed to “one of the most disaster-prone calendars” in the world, according to Mohamed Othman, who heads up disaster response for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Cox’s Bazar. The fire risk in the dry season is followed by the risk of flooding and landslides in the cyclone and monsoon seasons. “The nature of the settlements, global climate change, the disaster calendar – all of these things add to the risks of emergencies, which is why we are focusing on preparedness and providing refugees with the tools to respond quickly when a fire or a flood happens,” Othman explains. The main responders to those emergencies are trained refugee volunteers like Yasin. “This is one of the few humanitarian operations in the world where refugees are leading the emergency response,” says Othman. “They’re the first responders. They are protecting their families and their communities.” The three-wheeled fire trucks, similar to the “tomtoms” that are the main form of transport in this part of Bangladesh, are a new tool for the volunteer fire-fighters. The small vehicles are better suited than traditional fire trucks to the narrow paths that criss-cross the camps. However, some areas are only accessible on foot. “We can’t reach all the places where fires break out in time,” says Yasin, who has been working as a Safety Unit Volunteer for the past four years, fighting fires in the dry season and forming part of a cyclone response team in the rainy season. “When we get there, some of the shelters have already burned down.” Daniel Graham, a technical specialist with Helvetas – a partner organization of UNHCR – who is supervising the training, describes the three-wheelers as one part of a multi-layered response. “We burn four shelters every day for training,” he explains, adding that a total of 3,500 volunteers will be trained to use the mini-fire trucks, two of which have been delivered to each of the camps. Each block of each camp has several volunteers like Yasin who are equipped with a fire extinguisher, a helmet and some rubber boots. The blocks also have fire stands with buckets and sand but so far, only seven of the camps have water tanks that can be used by anyone to collect water for dousing a fire before it gets out of control. Othman said UNHCR and partners plan to install 50 water tanks in each camp. So far, the authorities have approved the installation of 15 per camp. “We hope after installing those, we will be allowed to add the remaining 35 gradually,” he added. The volunteers, about a third of whom are women, are trained on how to safely put out a blaze, as well as how to rapidly dismantle shelters surrounding one that is burning to prevent fires from spreading. Asked why he continues volunteering, despite the risks, Yasin says simply: “These are my people, they are very close to my heart. It feels great to save their lives, and it also saves my life too."..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-06-10
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-10
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 June 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Armed clashes across Myanmar continued to trigger displacement and affect civilians. As of 30 May 2022, there were an estimated 1,037,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Myanmar including 691,200 newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the North-West, armed clashes continued in Chin, Magway, and Sagaing and indiscriminate attacks against civilians resulting in deaths and casualties were reported, as well as burnings of homes and villages, house searches, arbitrary arrests, and detention. IDPs and host communities continue to face shortage of food and goods in the North-West, due to restrictions on access, movement and transport. Sagaing Region in particular has seen a rapid increase in the number of displaced people. In the South-East, intensified armed clashes continued with incidents reported in Kayin, Mon, Kayah, and Shan (South) States and Bago-East and Tanintharyi regions. Populations affected by conflict find themselves unable to seek safety and services with many displaced in jungles or hard to reach areas. Reports of arrests, casualties, and destruction/looting of property continue as well as movement restrictions due to security checks and roadblocks. In Kachin and Shan (North), tensions mounted in key contested areas with conflict erupting in existing and new areas. Affected communities express concern about escalating conflict as IDPs limit their movement to avoid possible arrest and mistreatment in militarized areas. Movement restrictions continue impacting access to basic services and livelihood opportunities of IDPs. In Shan (North), forced recruitment – including of children - continued being reported. IDPs have sought solutions where opportunities presented themselves but face the risk of landmines and require support to rebuild homes and access healthcare, education and livelihoods. In Rakhine State, tensions have increased, and fear of resumption of the conflict, restrictions on freedom of movement and extortion (when travelling or accessing services) impact all communities – especially the Rohingya population. There are also concerns that with a possible resumption of the conflict, specific communities could be targeted for their perceived or imputed association with different parties to the conflict..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-06-06
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR’s Grandi urges redoubled support for Rohingya refugees, host communities in Bangladesh
Description: "DHAKA - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi appealed today for sustained and predictable support for Rohingya refugees and their local host communities in Bangladesh, while emphasizing the need to maintain refugees’ hopes for voluntary return to Myanmar once the situation allows. Grandi is currently wrapping up a five-day trip to Bangladesh where he met Rohingya refugees, the country’s top leadership, UNHCR donors and humanitarian actors. “The world must remember the crisis that Rohingya refugees and their hosts have been facing for the last five years. The refugees’ lives depend on how the international community responds in caring for them,” Grandi said, after visiting the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char island. Bangladesh hosts some one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled for their lives from Myanmar in 2017 while others arrived many years earlier. Grandi expressed gratitude to Bangladesh and underlined the important strides in the refugee response under the leadership of the Government, including COVID-19 vaccinations for more than 88 per cent of the refugee population over 18 years of age. “Bangladesh, which has led in assisting nearly a million refugees, remains a priority partner for UNHCR, but continued international support is crucial to provide life-saving assistance and build hope,” Grandi stressed. “This is why I am here, to try to shine a spotlight on Bangladesh, its people, and the Rohingya refugees it has been hosting for decades, and to remind the international community of the importance of their support, including flexible funding to protect Rohingya refugees until they can safely return home.” The High Commissioner said the solutions lie within Myanmar. While UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNDP continue to work on community projects in Rakhine state under a tripartite agreement with Myanmar, initiatives must be scaled up and more support is needed to create conditions for voluntary returns in a just, safe, and sustainable manner. “The Rohingya refugees I met reiterated their desire to return home when conditions allow. The world must work to address the root causes of their flight and to translate those dreams into reality,” Grandi said. While in Bangladesh, it is important that Rohingya refugees can live in safety and dignity, that they can send their children to school and learn from the Myanmar curriculum, which is being rolled out in the refugee camps. Some 52 per cent of the refugee population are under the age of 18. “Skills development and livelihood activities in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char are extremely important in allowing refugees to build peaceful communities, contribute to a safe environment and support their sustainable return,” Grandi added. Some 28,000 Rohingya refugees have been relocated to Bhasan Char by the Government of Bangladesh, and the High Commissioner observed that essential humanitarian services have been scaled up. He called for continued strong Government leadership on the island, enhanced education services, skills development and livelihood initiatives. Humanitarian agencies need more than US$881 million this year to support approximately 1.4 million people, including 920,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and around 540,000 Bangladeshis in neighbouring communities. As of May 2022, the Joint Response Plan is only 13 per cent funded..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Date of publication: 2022-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-25
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Title: UNHCR shocked at Rohingya deaths in boat tragedy off Myanmar coast
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is shocked and saddened by reports that more than a dozen Rohingya – including children – have perished at sea off the coast of Myanmar over the weekend. While details remain unclear, initial reports suggest the boat left Sittwe in Rakhine State, Myanmar on 19 May. It encountered bad weather in waters off Ayeyarwady Region, causing it to capsize near the coast of Pathein township on Saturday, 21 May. At least 17 people are feared dead, with distressing reports of bodies found on the shore and the local communities burying the dead. “The latest tragedy shows once again the sense of desperation being felt by Rohingya in Myanmar and in the region,’’ said Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCR’s Director for Asia and the Pacific. “It is shocking to see increasing numbers of children, women and men embarking on these dangerous journeys and eventually losing their lives.” In Myanmar, UNHCR is urgently seeking more information on survivors that have arrived on shore in order to assess their situation. Over the past decade, thousands of Rohingya have left by sea from the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and Rakhine State in Myanmar. “The root causes of these deadly journeys need to be addressed. Additionally, all countries in the region must come together to ensure the rescue and disembarkation of all those in distress at sea,” UNHCR’s Ratwatte added. UNHCR reiterates its warning that collective failure to act will continue to lead to tragic and fatal consequences. It is imperative to take action against criminals, smugglers and traffickers who prey on the most vulnerable. UNHCR and partners continue to actively engage refugee and host communities, raising awareness about the risks of falling victim to criminals responsible for these deadly journeys. Some 630 Rohingya have attempted sea journeys across the Bay of Bengal from January to May 2022. Women and children made up 60 per cent of people undertaking these perilous maritime crossings. The risk of abuse at the hands of smugglers and the peril of the sea journey itself are both exacerbated during prolonged journeys, when a safe harbour for disembarkation cannot be found..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-05-23
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-23
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 4 May 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Armed clashes across Myanmar continued to trigger displacement and affect civilians. As of 2 May 2022, there were an estimated 936,700 internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Myanmar including 590,100 newly displaced since 1 February 2021. In the South-East, the security situation continued to deteriorate with intensified armed clashes), including indiscriminate artillery shelling. Landmines continue to pose grave protection risks for civilians and restrict access to farmland, markets, hospitals and schools. In the South-East, the majority of IDPs are located in Kayah State (89,700), Kayin State (82,000), Shan State South (49,800), as well as in Mon State (18,000), Tanintharyi Region (9,100) and Bago Region (900). In Kachin and Shan (North) states, there is increasing restriction of movement, including physical obstacles on some main roads as well as fear of arrest or detention. This in turn impacts access to basic services and livelihoods opportunities of displaced people. In Shan (North) State, while no new displacement has been reported, forced recruitment and landmines remained key protection issues for civilians. In the North-West, the situation remained tense with continued armed clashes, including aerial attacks, and reports of human rights violations. The main needs of IDPs are food, core relief items, healthcare and shelter. In Chin State, some displaced people came back to their place of origin to check their properties. They are however unable to return home permanently because of the presence of armed groups or because their homes have been destroyed. In the North-West, displacement figures remain high with 240,600 IDPs in Sagaing Region, 50,500 in Magway Region and 36,300 in Chin State, with very limited humanitarian access. In Rakhine State, while some return movements have been observed from Rakhine displacement sites as a result of conflict, mainly in Sittwe, Pauktaw, and Minbya townships, Rakhine IDPs continue to raise concerns related to their security. Their return is hindered by the presence of antipersonnel mines, lack of access to livelihoods and lack of reliable information for them to make informed and free decisions to return to their places of origin/choice. The Rohingya population continues to suffer serious limitations on their enjoyment of basic human rights, such as freedom of movement, education and healthcare..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-05-04
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Situation - Inter-Agency Operational Update - 05 May 2022
Description: "The volatile situation in Myanmar following the 01 February 2021 coup has increased armed conflict and subsequent population displacement both within the country and across borders, including in Thailand. Since 17 March, 2,655 Myanmar refugees have crossed into Thailand, according to the Royal Thai Government (RTG). The refugees have sought safety in Tak province and there are 1,543 refugees remaining on the Thai side of the border according to the RTG. Refugees are sheltered in temporary safety areas (TSA), which are placed under the general jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Army by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by the RTG in March 2021. SITUATION OVERVIEW ON THE THAI MYANMAR BORDER In Kayin State, the Tatmadaw conducted airstrikes on 10 April, targeting opposition groups as fresh fighting broke out for control of the town of Lay Kay Kaw in Myawaddy Township. The Tatmadaw is believed to be reinforcing the area with more manpower. Lay Kay Kaw has mainly been under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) in recent months, but the Tatmadaw has at times sought to reassert control, and fighting broke out last December. The KNU reported that March had been the deadliest month for the Tatmadaw in 2022, with more than 400 soldiers killed in over 500 clashes. On 15 and 17 April, heavy fighting took place in the area opposite Umphang District. Myanmar troops and its ally, the Border Guard Force (BGF), are in control of the regions from Lay Kay Kaw to Waw Lay. The Tatmadaw have expanded their military presence in Law Kay Kaw, Thay Baw Boe, U Kra Tha, and Kanele Tha. They have carried out a series of airstrikes and surveillance in these areas. The offensive has resumed with both air and ground operations. Myanmar troops and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) are now stationed in strategic locations along the border opposite Mae Sot and Phop Phra districts. In the Tanintharyi region, fighting near the Thai border has been defused. On 17 and 18 April, protests against the Military occurred in Taku Village and Pulaw Township in Myeik District and Ye Phyu township - Dawei district. As of 2 May, there have been 578,200 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar since February, of whom 236,000 are in the southeast provinces – Kayah, Shan, Kayin, Mon States, and Tanintharyi and Bago regions..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2022-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Situation - Inter-Agency Operational Update - 13 April 2022
Description: "The volatile situation in Myanmar following the 01 February 2021 coup has resulted in increased armed conflict and subsequent population displacement both within the country and across borders, including into Thailand. Since 17 March, 2,437 Myanmar refugees have crossed into Thailand, according to the Royal Thai Government (RTG). The refugees have sought safety in Umphang and Phop Phra districts, Tak province. Refugees are sheltered in temporary safety areas (TSA), which are placed under the general jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Army in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by the RTG in March 2021. SITUATION OVERVIEW ON THE THAI MYANMAR BORDER In Kayah, clashes have been erupting and escalating since the Karen National Union (KNU) sent a letter to the Tatmadaw on 7 March, demanding the Military withdraw from the KNU controlled area – Brigade 6. As a result, 2,437 Myanmar refugees have fled the upsurge of violence in Kayah State into Phop Phra and Umphang Districts, Tak Province, since 17 March 2022. Out of this number, 869 have returned to Myanmar. Although some refugees have gone back to Myanmar, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) continues to record new arrivals. As of 13 April 2022, the RTG reported that 1,514 Myanmar individuals remain on the Thai side of the border in Tak Province, Thailand. In Myanmar, the situation continues to deteriorate, with conflicts intensifying and spreading further. In the South-East, intensified daily clashes continued between the Tatmadaw and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Fighting occurs over a large area, with incidents reported in Kayin State’s Hpapun, Kawkareik, Myawaddy, Kyainseikgyi townships, Mon State’s Kyaikhto and Bago Region’s Shwegyin Township. Intensified clashes have also been reported in several areas of the Tanintharyi Region between the Tatmadaw, KNLA, and People’s Defence Force (PDF), including Myeik and Palaw townships. In Kayah State, clashes continue to be reported in Demoso Township. Nearby Pekon Township in Shan State (South) has also been affected by fighting..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-04-18
Date of entry/update: 2022-04-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 6 April 2022
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: The security situation remained tense across Myanmar with armed clashes which continued to trigger displacement. As of 4 April 2022, there were an estimated 907,500 Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) across Myanmar including 560,900 newly displaced since 1 February 2021. These include 234,600 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South-East Myanmar and 227,300 IDPs in the North-West. In the South-East, intensified armed clashes continued with incidents reported in Kayin State’s Hpapun, Kawkareik, Myawaddy and Kyainseikgyi townships, Mon State’s Kyaikhto Township and Bago Region’s Shwegyin Township. In Myawaddy Township, Kayin State, some 1,700 IDPs who were already displaced in IDP sites or living in villages on the riverbanks that borders Thailand have arrived in Tak border villages after they fled clashes which began at the end of March 2022. In Kayin State, some 1,500 IDPs have returned to their place of origin in Kawkareik Township due to fewer armed clashes over the past weeks. Clashed have however intensified in Southern Kawkareik, resulting in new displacements. Clashes intensified in Kayin, Mon and Kaya States and in Tanintharyi Region. There were reports of the killing of civilians during airstrikes and shelling. In Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, some 1,000 IDPs living in displacements sites are in urgent need of food assistance. In the South-East, the majority of IDPs are located in Kayah State (92,600), Kayin State (74,00), Shan State South (50,600), as well as in Mon State (7,600), Tanintharyi Region (8,900) Bago Region (900) In Rakhine State, return movements of IDPs from Ann Township to their areas of origin increased significantly with over 300 families returning during the reporting period. The decision to return is triggered by a combination of factors including livelihood opportunities. In the North-West, armed clashes continue to displace families. The number of IDPs crossed the 300,000 mark this month. In Chin State, around 1,500 new displacements were reported in Kanpetlet Township due to fear of clashes. Displacement numbers are expected to further increase as security operations and armed clashes continue. In the North-West, clashes have resulted in 227,300 IDPs in Sagaing Region, 45,000 in Magway Region and 36,300 in Chin State. In Kachin and Shan (North) states, the security situation remained tense and fighting continued in multiple townships. In urban areas such as Hpakant and Myitkyina, explosive devices continue to feature heavily in armed conflict incidents reported, while in more rural areas, such as Mohnyin, Mansi, Putao, and Waingmaw, clashes, including the use of artillery and airstrikes, have continued. In Shan State (North), clashes decreased compared to February 2022, while fighting in northeastern Shan State (Muse) has continued. There was also less new displacement in both Kachin and Shan (North) states in March compared to February 2022. Some IDPs displaced in February from Putao Township to Myitkyina Town also returned to their villages with the facilitation of local community leaders..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2022-04-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR, DOJ, Columban College sign historic agreement on programme for Rohingya youth
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the Philippines have signed an agreement with Columban College, Inc. (CCI) to allow young Rohingya to enroll at the educational institution as part of a landmark national programme to provide a durable solution for Rohingya refugees in the region. The agreement is a major step towards implementing the Complementary Pathways (CPath) programme of the Philippines. Set to be launched within the year, the programme will provide select Rohingya refugees displaced in Southeast Asia with a safe and regulated avenue of admission and stay in the Philippines through education, so that their protection needs and basic rights can be met. Through the programme, the Philippines intends to strengthen the skills and self-reliance capacities of beneficiaries and lead them closer to a durable solution to their displacement – just as with any other refugee hosted in the country. This Complementary Pathways programme is the first in the world to be created specifically for Rohingya refugees, and the first CPath programme pursued by the Philippines. The agreement was facilitated by the Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit (RSPPU) of the DOJ. Commending the signing of the agreement, Emily Bojovic, Senior Protection Officer at UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, said: “As displacement numbers continue to rise globally, we are increasingly seeing the harms brought about by the lack of durable solutions for refugees. Complementary pathways such as this are absolutely vital to help refugees to regain their hopes for the future, to empower and enable them to contribute to the communities around them, and to support them by providing a lasting solution to their displacement.” As the first educational institution to sign an agreement on the CPath programme with UNHCR and the DOJ, CCI acknowledged the significant role played by education in developing humanity. CCI President Rev. Fr. Raymann Catindig said: “We perceive education, not only as a powerful tool by which economically and socially marginalized individuals can lift themselves out of poverty, but as an act of hope, one that calls for cooperation in turning a barren and a paralyzing indifference into another way of thinking that recognizes our interdependence.” The CPath programme is another milestone in the Philippines’ long tradition of extending humanitarian assistance to refugees. DOJ Chief State Counsel George Ortha II said that although the Philippines has limited resources, especially amid the pandemic, the country has always strived to uphold its humanitarian commitments. “Despite limitations and challenges, we extend our best efforts based on what we have in order to provide assistance to our most vulnerable brothers and sisters,” he said. “We are going to change lives.” UNHCR hopes the pilot CPath programme of the Philippines will inspire other countries and institutions to implement similar initiatives for the Rohingya and other refugees, in line with States’ international commitments, including the Global Compact on Refugees and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-04-01
Date of entry/update: 2022-04-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 1 March 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: As of 28 February 2022, the number of people internally displaced in Myanmar since the military takeover in 2021 have crossed the half-million mark, reaching some 503,000, up from 451,000 the previous week. These include 230,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South-East Myanmar – 93,800 in Kayah State, 56,300 in Shan State (South-all towns except Kyethi, Laihka and Mongkaing), 68,900 in Kayin State, 7,500 in Mon State, 3,500 in Tanintharyi Region and 800 in Bago Region and 6,600 in Shan State (North). In addition, there are 171,000 IDPs in Sagaing Region, 42,300 in Magway Region and 33,200 in Chin State. In the South-East, return movements of internally displaced persons to their areas of origin continue to be reported from Shan State (South) to Kayah State. IDPs have been obliged to return due to the lack of shelter, food, water and winter items in displacement areas. Given the ongoing armed conflict, it is anticipated that returnees might be displaced again. Conflict has intensified in Demoso and Loikaw townships, Kayah State, resulting in civilian casualties and reportedly some 100 properties set on fire. Access and movement restrictions are limiting UNHCR and its partners’ ability to respond to the dire needs of displaced populations, especially for food and healthcare. In the North-East, armed clashes have displaced some 1,000 people in Mamauk Township, Kachin State. In the North-West, the security situation remains volatile due to an escalation of armed conflict and increased presence of armed forces. Harvesting and other livelihood activities have been seriously disrupted, leaving IDPs with an urgent need for food, healthcare, and other basic services. Increased displacement was observed in Chin State. In Rakhine State, the stateless population continues to face restrictions on freedom of movement, impeding their ability to seek medical care and further entrenching their segregation. Similarly, a number of displaced persons in Sittwe and Pauktaw IDP camps continue to suffer from outbreaks of acute water diarrhoea (AWD) due to inadequate access to health facilities. They in turn rely on traditional healers..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-03-07
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Representation in Myanmar - Fact Sheet February 2022 [EN/MY]
Description: "About UNHCR Since 1950, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has led international action to protect people forced to flee because of violence, persecution, war or disaster at home. Our work is entirely humanitarian and non-political, guided by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of people who have been forced to flee. Together with partners and communities, we work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. UNHCR also protects and assists internally displaced people (IDPs) as well stateless persons. These groups are collectively known as our persons of concern. In more than seven decades of existence, the organization has helped tens of millions of people globally restart their lives. In Myanmar, UNHCR has been present since 1993 and maintains an operational presence of over 200 staff at 10 locations nationwide. Today, we care for the needs of over 1.2 million persons of concern in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states as well as Bago, Magway, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions. By collaborating closely with partners such as sister UN agencies, international and local NGOs as well as local communities, UNHCR plays a key role in the provision of life-saving interventions, particularly in the areas of assistance coordination, services to mitigate protection risks and delivery of emergency relief in the form of non-food items such as shelter, blankets and household goods. We also advocate for the fundamental human rights of persons of concern and host communities, and work towards sustainable solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home and build a better future in cohesive and resilient communities..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-02-23
Date of entry/update: 2022-02-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.62 MB 1.52 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 15 February 2022)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: As of 14 February 2022, internal displacement figures in Myanmar reached a new high of 453,000 since 1 February 2021. These include 226,400 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in South-East Myanmar – 91,900 in Kayah State, 51,800 in Shan State (South-all towns except Kyethi, Laihka and Mongkaing), 71,800 in Kayin State, 7,500 in Mon State, 2,600 in Tanintharyi Region and 800 in Bago Region and 6,900 in Shan State (North). In addition, there are 146,500 IDPs in Sagaing Region, 34,000 in Chin State and 21,400 in Magway Region. In the South-East, smaller-scale displacement continues while returns of internally displaced persons to their place of origin have been reported from Shan State (South) to Kayah State in areas where fewer clashes occurred in the past few weeks. IDPs have also been prompted to return due to the lack of shelter, food, water and winter items in displacement areas. During the first week of February, for the first time since the beginning of the year, some 400 individuals have been newly displaced within Kyaikto Township, Mon State. The cause of displacement is linked to the intensification of clashes in Hpapun Township, Kayin State and northern Mon State. Amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, IDPs have also reportedly been infected, including in Loikaw, Kayah State. In the North-West, armed clashes continue to displace families. There was a significant increase in displacement in the Sagaing Region in comparison to previous weeks with some 10,000 persons newly displaced. Many IDPs are in need of shelter, though displacement remains fluid, with civilians often displaced to nearby mountains or forests for short periods of time. Homes continue to be destroyed throughout the region, hindering return and exacerbating shelter and protection needs. In Rakhine State, curfews were observed in some townships such as Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Mrauk-U, Minbya, and Kyautaw. Acute water diarrhoea (AWD) – affecting mostly children – continues to be reported in IDP camps, villages, and displacement sites. Timely treatment is hampered by inadequate health care and WASH facilities, movement constraints, systemic discrimination, segregation and hence reliance on traditional healers..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-02-21
Date of entry/update: 2022-02-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Deputy calls for enhanced access to education and livelihoods for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
Description: "As the Rohingya crisis approaches its fifth year, Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly T. Clements, called for continued international support for Rohingya refugees, and the government and people of Bangladesh. She reiterated UNHCR’s commitment towards voluntary repatriation and other solutions, while underlining the need to build resilience and invest in refugees’ capacities in preparation for a future safe and voluntary return to Myanmar. The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly T. Clements and UNHCR Director for Asia and the Pacific Indrika Ratwatte undertook a joint visit to Bangladesh from 13 to 18 February, which included visits to the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar where some one million Rohingya refugees reside, as well as to the island of Bhasan Char, and meetings with senior Government officials, local and international partners. Throughout their visit, the Deputy High Commissioner and Director for Asia and the Pacific reiterated their sincere appreciation to the Government and people of Bangladesh for hosting Rohingya refugees who have sought protection from violence and persecution in Myanmar. They emphasized the need to continue working towards voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar while also advocating for a broader longer-term focus on education, skills development and livelihoods. The delegation spoke with refugees to understand their needs and challenges, and the contributions they wish to make to their own future. “While refugees clearly express a desire to return home, they also feel their lives would be at risk if they did so today. Therefore, we also need to start working towards other solutions while redoubling efforts to provide access to education, skills training and livelihood opportunities for them and their generous host communities,” said Deputy High Commissioner Clements. “The strong work of refugee volunteers throughout the pandemic ­– often as first responders – and support for their communities in the camps highlighted not only their dedication and capacity, but the opportunity to incorporate those skills into more innovative initiatives such as environmental protection,” observed Mr. Ratwatte. “Providing youth with more learning opportunities, tools and skills will allow them to build peaceful communities and contribute to a safe environment.” Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Government and UNHCR officials noted the positive strides to support the Bangladeshi communities hosting refugees, which includes the establishment of COVID and other specialized health facilities in Cox’s Bazar town and Ukhiya upazila, as well as the first large-scale water provision and distribution scheme in southern Teknaf that will provide safe water to more than 225,000 people. On their first visit to Bhasan Char, the delegation recognized the positive work being done by the Government and local civil society partners on the island. “Bhasan Char has the potential to become a temporary stay for the Rohingya refugees, and there has been clear improvement in the conditions and availability of services since UNHCR and UN partners began supporting the Government in October. However, its sustainability will depend on scaling up health and education services, improving access to livelihoods and income generating activities, and above all, continuing to ensure the voluntariness of relocations to the island and regular family visits to and from the mainland,” said Ms. Clements. With return to Myanmar unlikely in the immediate future, the visit underscored the need for a more comprehensive approach to humanitarian support. This includes alternative solutions for Rohingya refugees such as resettlement to third countries for the most vulnerable with specific protection needs, and complementary pathways overseas which could include employment and educational opportunities. UNHCR reaffirmed its commitment to continue to support both Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities, while calling on the international community to stand by the Government and people of Bangladesh until the situation in Myanmar allows for a safe, dignified, and sustainable return..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2022-02-18
Date of entry/update: 2022-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR steps up aid for displaced in Myanmar as conflict intensifies
Description: "This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is stepping up its emergency response to assist hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar as their number crossed the 800,000 mark – doubling since February 2021. Security is deteriorating rapidly across the country as fighting and armed conflict intensifies with no sign of abating. UNHCR forecasts an accelerating trend of displacements in the coming weeks and months. Some 440,000 people have been newly displaced since February 2021, according to UNHCR data, adding to an existing 370,000 who had fled their homes previously. UNHCR and partners are scaling up operations and deploying additional resources to support as many of the displaced as possible, complementing local community responses. In the South-East of the country, Kayin, Kayah, Mon and Shan (South) states as well as Bago (East) and Tanintharyi regions collectively account for more than half of the 440,000 newly displaced civilians. Kayin and Kayah states remain the most affected as hostilities between various armed groups have triggered large-scale displacements. Another conflict-affected area with pressing humanitarian needs is Myanmar’s North-West, where about 190,000 people remain displaced in Chin State, Magway Region and Sagaing Region. Humanitarian access in many parts of Myanmar remains restricted due to insecurity, roadblocks and challenges in obtaining access approvals. As a result, host communities and local responders continue to play a leading role in assisting displaced populations – demonstrating solidarity with each other by donating what they can. UNHCR has been working with UN agencies, local partners and communities to assist those affected wherever possible, including displaced and stateless populations and host communities. In 2021, UNHCR’s emergency relief assistance reached some 170,000 individuals in nine states and regions in Myanmar. In all locations, UNHCR and partners distributed relief items including tarpaulins, ropes, blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, buckets, sleeping mats, sanitary kits, COVID-19 personal protective equipment, solar lamps, and winterization kits for adults and children. In Shan State, where a growing number of IDPs have arrived from conflict-affected Kayah State since the start of 2022, UNHCR recently established a temporary base in Taunggyi to coordinate distribution of emergency aid with partners. Provision of relief items to Kayah IDPs in and around Taunggyi started in mid-January and quickly expanded to incorporate neighbouring townships. Within a month, UNHCR and partners were able to reach some 10,000 IDPs in Shan as well as 2,000 in Kayah. The humanitarian situation in Myanmar remains precarious with increased vulnerabilities linked to rising commodity prices, job and income losses, disruptions to basic services and prolonged insecurity. The majority of IDPs are consequently dependent on humanitarian support for survival. Some 600,000 stateless Rohingya in Rakhine State, including some 148,000 displaced in camps, villages and displacement sites, also remain highly vulnerable and require humanitarian support. Despite operational challenges, UNHCR continues to stay and deliver in Myanmar. The agency remains committed to providing critical humanitarian assistance to those in need and calls for full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access across Myanmar, so that no disruption to lifesaving work occurs for local, national, and international aid agencies. In 2022, UNHCR will respond to the ongoing crisis by expanding its protection and operational presence where new displacements have occurred. A total of US$56.7 million is needed to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance and support vulnerable communities. Our priority will be on maintaining basic safeguards, advocacy for improved access to fundamental rights, mitigating the risk of negative coping strategies, preventing forced returns and building resilience for over 1.2 million IDPs and stateless people in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-02-11
Date of entry/update: 2022-02-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Displaced families in crisis-hit Myanmar struggle for survival
Description: "Anna Ruth* vividly remembers the day her husband was killed as the family tried to escape gunfire for the second time in less than a year. When fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces and other armed groups reached the village they had sought refuge in near Loikaw, the capital of Myanmar’s south-eastern Kayah State, she and her family fled with other villagers to the nearby forest to hide. But her husband and some of their neighbours wanted to go back to gather food and other essentials. “I told him not to go because it was too dangerous, but he didn’t listen,” she recalls. “In the evening, the group returned but my husband did not. I later found out that he was shot while collecting some belongings from my mother-in-law’s house where we had been sheltering.” In Kayah State, a humanitarian crisis has been building since renewed armed conflict broke out in May 2021. With six of the state’s seven townships now affected by intense fighting, tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Some have sought safety at places of worship and community centres, while others are hiding in the jungle. Across Myanmar, similar patterns have been playing out of clashes between the Myanmar Armed Forces, ethnic and other local armed groups, followed by waves of fresh displacement. Since the military takeover on 1 February 2021, some 440,000 people have been forced to flee airstrikes, shelling, and burning of villages, more than half of them in the south-east of the country, with Kayah and Kayin States the worst affected. Anna Ruth and her family, like many others in Kayah State, have been displaced several times. “We have been running since June 2021,” she explains. “First from our village in Demoso Township to my mother-in-law’s in Loikaw Township, and from there to the forest where we stayed for months.” Left widowed with four young children, she eventually sought safety in another village in Loikaw Township, only to be displaced again a few weeks later when fighting intensified across Kayah State last month. Desperate for safety and unsure where to go next, Anna Ruth followed other displaced families and crossed into neighbouring Shan State. “I’ve lost everything except my children.” “I never imagined that this would happen to me. Before, my family was living happily in our village. Now, I’ve lost everything except my children,” she said. They are now sheltering at a monastery where, in scenes repeated across Myanmar, the local community and local charities are showing solidarity and leading the humanitarian response. Despite their best efforts, resources are increasingly stretched as more displaced people arrive. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been working with local partners and communities to relieve some of this pressure and supplement grassroots aid efforts to assist some 30,000 people who have arrived to Shan State from Kayah State since the beginning of the year. The agency has set up a temporary base in the Shan State capital, Taunggyi, to coordinate distribution of emergency aid in the area and address shortages of basic household materials and clothing. Over the past few weeks, some 10,000 internally displaced people from Kayah, spread across several townships in Shan State, have received blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, buckets, sleeping mats, tarpaulins, and winterization kits. Local well-wishers have also contributed items such as toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo. Having arrived with few possessions, Anna Ruth is grateful for the help. “At first, we were unsure about taking shelter at the Buddhist monastery as we are Christians,” she explained. “But the monks warmly welcomed all of us. Now, we live together with other displaced people in harmony. The blankets, buckets, mats and clothing provided are very helpful for us as I was only able to bring some of my children’s clothing with me.” With the ongoing conflict in Kayah State showing no sign of abating, further displacement towards Shan State is expected in the weeks, and even months to come. While relieved to have found a place of refuge, Anna Ruth yearns to return to her native Kayah State. “My children keep asking when they can go back home. We hope we can return soon.”..."
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Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-02-11
Date of entry/update: 2022-02-11
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Title: UNHCR encourages adoption of measures to improve wellbeing and safety of newly arrived Myanmar refugees in Thailand
Description: "UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today expressed its continued encouragement and support for the adoption of measures to improve the wellbeing and safety of Myanmar refugees who have been arriving in Thailand since mid-December. According to official sources, over 9,500 civilians had been forced to flee their homes in Kayin and Kayah states in southeast Myanmar, seeking shelter and protection in Tak and Mae Hong Son Provinces in Thailand. While the majority have returned to Myanmar, UNHCR understands from the Thai authorities that approximately 1,000 refugees remain in Mae Sot, the vast majority of whom are staying in a site in Mae Kone Kane. While recognizing the assistance provided thus far by the Government with the support of local communities, this may not be sustainable nor sufficient for individuals with vulnerabilities and specific healthcare needs. The situation remains extremely uncertain and volatile in Myanmar. Given the pressing humanitarian needs of the refugees and the continued fighting on the Myanmar side of the border, UNHCR calls on the Royal Thai Government to transfer the group of refugees being sheltered in the ‘temporary safety area’ in Mae Sot, Tak Province, to another location where they can access safer and more dignified temporary accommodation, and receive improved humanitarian assistance. UNHCR reiterates its readiness to assist the Thai authorities in responding to the humanitarian needs of the new arrivals. To that effect, UNHCR and humanitarian partners continue to request access to the refugee population. UNHCR also reiterates its call that, in accordance with international law, all those seeking international protection and fleeing conflict, generalized violence or persecution be allowed to cross borders in search of safety, and that they are not forcibly sent back to a place where their lives and freedom could be in danger..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Date of publication: 2022-01-20
Date of entry/update: 2022-01-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (15 November 2021)
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: The number of newly-displaced IDPs across Myanmar increased to 234,600. Fighting intensified in the South-East, particularly in Mon, Kayin and Shan (South) states, causing increased displacement. Conflict between the Tatmadaw and The People’s Defence Forces (PDF) escalated in Tanintharyi, and increased displacement was observed especially in Palaw, Thayetchaung, Yebyu and Dawei townships, in urgent need of food and basic health care. Increased displacement was also recorded in the North-West, particularly in Chin State also forcing about 1,400 people to flee to neighbouring Saw Township in Magway Region. The death toll from COVID-19 has climbed above 50 at IDP camps in Kayah State’s Demoso Township and in Shan (South) State’s Pekon Township amid high infection rates in areas affected by heavy fighting. In South-East Myanmar, the security situation has deteriorated due to clashes between the Tatmadaw, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and the People's Defence Force (PDF) reported across all states and regions. Reports also indicate alleged killings, explosions and landmine incidents, as well as arbitrary arrests and detention. Displaced populations in the SE continue to experience significant challenges in accessing basic needs and services, in particular food, healthcare, and shelter materials. In Shan State (South), clashes in Pekon Township displaced some 2,700 people while a smaller number was also displaced to Taunggyi Township. Shortages of medicines, warm clothes, and food supply remain as challenges. In Shan State (North), armed clashes between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) near Hu Sun village tract in Kyaukme Township caused villagers to flee to Kyaukme town. Clashes between the RCSS and SSPP near Sun Long village tract also caused villagers to seek safety at a monastery in Hsipaw township. Situation has been worsening throughout Chin State, Sagaing and Magway regions. Chin State remains the epicentre for the violence with Tigyaing Township in Sagaing Region currently witnessing some of the most intense clashes and more incidents such as the burning of private properties, including religious sites, being reported. Thousands of civilians displaced from Thantlang have taken refuge in villages along the India-Myanmar border, with others from Thantlang and other border townships reportedly crossing into India’s Mizoram State. Most IDPs and host communities across Chin State are facing shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies. Conflict also continues to worsen in Magway Region and Sagaing Region. In Rakhine State, challenges in accessing services continue to be reported while some return movements have been observed from areas of displacement by AA-MAF conflict, with so far 20% of those originally displaced having returned to their places of origin. RESPONSE Myanmar In the South-East, UNHCR completed the construction of a primary school and a water supply system in Kyainseikgyi Township in Kayin State. Support was provided through a partner to 30 children including IDP returnees to obtain birth certificate. Training and protection monitoring continued. In Shan State (South), UNHCR carried out two rapid protection assessments in two locations in Pekhon Township. In Shan State (North), UNHCR distributed 711 winter NFI kits to IDPs relocating from Hu Sun and Pang Long village tracts to Kyaukme town..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-11-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-11-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update (September - October 2021)
Description: "The intensification of armed conflict since the military takeover on 1 February in the North and the SouthEast between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and/or People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) have resulted in civilian casualties and the displacement of thousands of people. Disruptions to communications, banking services, healthcare, and supply chains, as well as cyclical natural hazards, such as flooding, continues to impact the humanitarian response and exacerbate the vulnerability of communities. UNHCR and partners continue providing critical life-saving humanitarian assistance, while following the development of the situation closely to understand the full impact on people of concern (PoCs), including IDPs, stateless populations and host communities. Early warning systems, initiated by UNHCR and partners, are employed to detect changes on the ground which could impact on operations and PoCs with the view to inform timely mitigating measures and responses. Despite incremental improvements to the COVID-19 infection rate, which had surged again mid-year, the impact of the ongoing pandemic continues to affect people of concern, particularly in light of the already strained or disrupted health services across the country. While integrating COVID-19 prevention and response into regular programming, UNHCR takes proactive measures to adapt in an agile manner to the evolving context to minimize risks to PoCs and to devise ways in which to continue interventions that support them..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-11-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-11-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update (November 2021)
Description: "The volatile situation in Myanmar following the 01 February 2021 coup has resulted in increased displacement both within the country and some crossing borders, including into Thailand Humanitarian actors stand ready to support the Royal Thai Government (RTG) 's efforts to receive Myanmar refugees fleeing to ensure provision of protection Agencies continue to take several key preparedness actions to ensure that complementary activities are delivered in a timely and coordinated manner..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-11-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-11-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR deplores violent attack in Rohingya refugee camp
Description: "This news comment is attributable to Johannes Van Der Klaauw, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, deplores a latest violent attack in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. This incident, which took place in the early morning of 22 October, resulted in the death of at least seven refugees and an unspecified number of injured, including children. Those with injuries are currently receiving medical care. We once again urge the Bangladesh authorities to take immediate measures to improve the security in the refugee camps. This includes the investigation, arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law of those responsible for instigating and committing these violent attacks. Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh seeking safety and security from violence. A large majority – some 80 per cent —are women and children..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-10-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 18 October 2021)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 219,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 589,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 18 October HIGHLIGHTS Of the total 589,000 internally displaced people in Myanmar, approximately 219,000 have been displaced by armed conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021, while numbers of refugees who have fled to neighboring countries remained steady at some 22,000. The majority of those displaced internally since 1 February—some 155,000 IDPs—remain displaced in South-East Myanmar and Shan State (South), including over 4,000 people newly displaced in the last two weeks by clashes between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) or people’s defence forces (PDFs) in Thayetchaung Township, Tanintharyi Region, and between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) in Mongkaing Township, Shan State (South). New displacement was also observed in Thantlang and Matupi townships, Chin State, as armed conflict escalated. Small-scale returns have been observed in some parts of the country, such as Yebyu Township, Tanintharyi Region, and Myaung and Kani townships in Sagaing region, following a pattern of temporary and fluid displacement in which people seek immediate refuge in nearby forests or safe locations, then return home once fighting in their villages subsides. With fuel and other commodities becoming scarce as prices rise sharply, IDPs and other vulnerable communities—such as the Rohingya in Rakhine State—are at risk of becoming increasingly isolated due to transport challenges that impact both humanitarian access and livelihood opportunities. Electricity cuts and communications disruptions continue in much of South-East Myanmar, while prolonged internet shutdowns have been reported in Sagaing Region and Kachin State’s Hpakant Township. The COVID-19 pandemic also continues to spread among IDPs, with new cases reported in Demoso and Hpruso townships in Kayah State, despite COVID-19 positive rates declining nationally. At the same time, ongoing security concerns—ranging from increasing explosions and landmines in the South-East to vandalism and destruction of private property and religious sites in the North-West—continue to make it extremely difficult for IDPs to meet their basic needs..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-10-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 7.38 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 4 October 2021)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 215,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS There are currently an estimated 215,000 internally displaced within Myanmar due to conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021. In the second half of September, violence and displacement increased in various parts of Myanmar, particularly the Northwest (Chin State, Sagaing and Magway regions). Nearly 41,096 people are currently displaced in the Region (not including Paletwa Township) as a result of heightened clashes between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and the Chinland Defence Forces (CDF) or People's Defence Forces (PDF). Acts of vandalism and destruction of private property and religious sites, arbitrary arrests, physical assaults, injuries, and deaths are reported. Harvesting and other livelihood activities have been seriously disrupted, leaving IDPs with an urgent need for food, healthcare, and other basic services. Internal displacement also increased in Shan State (North), due to intense armed clashes between Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) in Mongkaing Township; in Kayah State, due to the intensification of conflict, arbitrary arrests, and general insecurity in Demoso and Loikaw townships; and in Mon State where people were displaced in Kyaikhto Township from mid-September, due to clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Border Guard Forces (BGF) and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Across South-East Myanmar, access to basic services, especially healthcare, remains constrained. The situation remains compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, with new positive cases among IDPs, including some 90 IDPs at two displacement sites in Kayah State. With positivity rates still increasing in some IDP sites, IDPs continue to have urgent needs for personal protective equipment (PPE), and COVID-19-related restrictions continue to restrict their access to livelihoods and humanitarian assistance. Despite the easing of such restrictions in some parts of the country, more than 110 townships remain under stay-at-home orders. In Kachin State, armed clashes between the MAF and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) erupted in Tar Lon village, Tanai Township, with civilians caught in the crossfire, while in Shan State (North), fighting in Mongkaing Township forced hundreds of people to seek refuge in village monasteries. IDPs reported difficulties accessing food, healthcare, education, shelter, and WASH assistance. In Rakhine State, a relatively small number of IDPs continue to return to their places of origin to access livelihoods and food that had been in shortage at displacement sites, but the majority of IDPs remain reluctant to return, fearing a resumption of conflict and landmines. IDPs across Rakhine State, as well as non-displaced Rohingya communities, continue to report restrictions in accessing basic services, livelihoods, and humanitarian assistance, a situation exacerbated by rising commodity prices and COVID-19 prevention measures. RESPONSE Myanmar Following needs assessments, UNHCR delivered life-saving assistance to IDPs across SouthEast Myanmar. In Kayah State, over a thousand people will benefit from pipeline and water catchment systems installed in IDP sites in Demoso and Loikaw townships; the construction of one bathing unit in Loi Nan Hpa region and two at a displacement site in Loikaw township; and solar lights installed in Demoso township. Essential COVID-19 PPE items and medical equipment were also delivered to 25 hospitals and clinics in Bago (East) Region, and Tanintharyi Region, where UNHCR and the Myanmar Red Cross Society concluded a second rapid protection assessment in Palaw Township; and in Kayin State, where UNHCR conducted a rapid protection assessment in Hpapun Township. In Kachin and Shan States, UNHCR has started distributing NFIs via local partner to IDPs recently displaced, including over 100 people in Lawa, Hpakant township, and some 660 inMongkoe Muse township, a border area near China. UNHCR conducted rapid needs assessments at 13 sites in Waingmaw township, while in Bhamo UNHCR engaged local partners to assess areas of return, as IDPs there continue to indicate return intentions and needs. In Rakhine State, UNHCR field missions in central Rakhine continue, with some new access to IDP sites that were previously inaccessible. Between 19 September and 1 October UNHCR and its partners have distributed much needed NFI kits for 1,160 households in Rohingya camps in Sittwe Township. Additionally, shelter construction is ongoing and almost completed for more households in Sin Tet Maw camp in Pauktaw Township, and for Thet Ka Pyin in Sittwe Township. In northern Rakhine, UNHCR completed COVID-19 related NFI distributions for IDP sites in Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-10-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR Myanmar Operational Update (July - August 2021)
Description: "Since the military takeover on 1 February, insecurity and armed clashes continue to be reported across much of the country. Disruptions to banking services, communications, healthcare, and supply chains ensue, while armed conflict in the north and the South-East between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and/or People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) have resulted in civilian casualties and the displacement of thousands of people. Natural hazards, such as flooding, has further exacerbated the vulnerability of communities. Throughout the reporting period, UNHCR and partners continued providing critical life-saving humanitarian assistance, while following the development of the situation closely to understand the full impact on people of concern (PoCs), including IDPs, stateless populations and host communities. Early warning systems, initiated by UNHCR and partners, are employed to detect changes on the ground which could impact on operations and PoCs with the view to inform timely mitigating measures and responses. The ongoing COVID-19 health crisis continues to pose additional challenges to already strained or disrupted health services, particularly with the surge in cases mid-year, which plunged the country into its most severe wave of infections to date. While integrating COVID-19 prevention and response into regular programming, UNHCR takes proactive measures to adapt in an agile manner to the evolving context to minimize risks to PoCs and to devise ways in which to continue interventions that support them..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-09-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 16 September 2021)
Description: "22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 208,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Displacement within Myanmar substantially increased in the first half of September, following new violence and military operations. There are now approximately 208,000 people displaced within Myanmar due to conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021, an 18% increase over the previous two weeks. IDPs across the country continue to have extremely limited access to basic services, especially healthcare. Although COVID-19 positivity rates have declined and some related restrictions have been eased, the pandemic continues to place additional limitations on IDPs’ livelihoods as well as humanitarian access to them. New displacement has taken place in Chin State, Magway and Sagaing regions, as well as Kayah State, but may be short-term if IDPs are able to return to their places of origin once fighting subsides. In Kayah State, for example, the re-escalation of conflict in Demoso Township displaced over 21,000 people, but some 18,000 IDPs returned to their places of origin during the reporting period. Continuing armed clashes throughout Southeast Myanmar also displaced people in Tanintharyi Region, and Kayin State. In Chin State, Magway and Sagaing regions, the newly displaced fled increased fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and both ethnic armed organizations and people’s defence forces, as well as the continued destruction of private property and desecration of religious sites. In Kachin State, continuing clashes between the MAF and Kachin Independence Army additionally displaced several hundred people in Waingmaw and Putao townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-09-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-09-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 7.5 MB
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Title: Rohingya Refugee Response - Bangladesh Factsheet - Field and Site Management (January - June 2021)
Description: "Objectives 1 Coordinate and monitor field activities comprehensively addressing them or reaching out to responsible sectors/units 2 Continued implementation of the Capacity Sharing Initiative (CSI) and remote management tool 3 Provide an efficient and effective delivery of core relief items, LPGs and other distributions to the persons of concern 4 Ensure that relocation of refugees is organised and implemented in line with protection standards 5 Prepare and respond to any emergency needs caused by weather related events and other emergency situations such as COVID-19 6 Foster community participation & empowerment through promotion of community representation structures for refugee camp and block committees and community led projects Progress (January - June 2021) Drain cleaning system: in coordination with World Food Programme (WFP), Site maintenance and Engineering Project (SMEP), partners and camp authorities, UNHCR established regular drainage cleaning across UNHCR-managed camps. Responsibilities are defined based on the type of drainage line (primary, secondary and tertiary); first and second cycles of cleaning have begun. Capacity Sharing Initiative (CSI): Training for camp-in-charge officials continued through the month of March, as part of the interagency joint Capacity Sharing Initiative in collaboration with IOM and the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC). The training, conducted by the sector leads, included humanitarian principles and refugee protection, operational standards, principles and overviews of the main sectors including WASH, Shelter and Non-Food Items, Health, Protection, and Site Management. 38 camp-in-charge and assistant camp-in-charge officials undertook the training. Furthermore, 60 camp-in-charge staff took part in Nutrition and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support training. Emergency preparedness and response: The 2021 Emergency Response Team (2021), consisting of 55 staff members, was established. The staff are from different units across the operation and are all trained on emergency preparedness and response, VHF, and operating satellite phones. Fire incidents and response: So far, 119 fire incidents occurred in 2021 including two large fire incidents in Nayapara Registered Camp in January and Balukhali camps (Camp 8 and 9) in March. UNHCR analyzed the incidents and conducted a mapping of fire response facilities in the camps. Four three-wheeler vehicles were procured and equipped with fire extinguishers. A modified version of the vehicles with water pumps is currently being developed. Community-led projects: Despite limited access to the camps by partners due to COVID-19 restrictions, 389 community-led projects are in progress out of which 102 have been completed. These projects are identified through consultations with the community and coordination with relevant actors. Projects included construction and repair of pathways, bridges, and stairs to facilitate safe movement in the camps, in particular through the monsoon season. The projects are identified and led by the Rohingya refugee communities with support from UNHCR partners including cash for work opportunities for Rohingya refugees in the camps. Safety Unit and Site Management Volunteers: Over 1,500 refugee and host community volunteers took part in training on topics including cyclone preparedness, water and flood safety, WASH facility assessment and fire safety. The effectiveness of the training has been proven during different incidents in 2021. Each week, volunteers conduct hundreds of awareness sessions at households and distribution points on COVID-19 prevention, cyclone and monsoon preparedness and fire safety. In response to the large fire incidents, volunteers helped extinguish the fires, move people to safety and help with crowd control. The volunteers also play an important role in UNHCR’s remote monitoring by sharing information when access to the camps is reduced. Relocations: UNHCR continued to facilitate relocations, including for households in areas where fences are being constructed, and those in areas at high risk of flooding. In 2021, 2,424 households have been relocated. However, relocations remain challenging due to lack of space in the camps. Site management partners support the households with non-food items, referrals to registration and services in the new location, and refer individual protection cases. Over 400 families have been identified in need of relocation in different camps which are in flood zones. Distribution of non-food items: Regular distribution of non-food items is ongoing at UNHCR’s distribution points. Regular and seasonal distributions continued, including female hygiene kits, bathing soap, laundry soap, water purification tablets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, tote bags and umbrellas. In addition, following the large fire incidents, blankets, kitchen sets, solar lamps, mosquito nets and clothes were distributed to aected families. In preparation for the monsoon season, tie-down kits were distributed to all households..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-06-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-09-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 01 September 2021)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 176,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Approximately 176,000 people are now displaced within Myanmar due to conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021. Total displacement declined slightly in recent weeks as some of those displaced in Kayah State and Shan State (South) temporarily returned to their areas of origin to tend to their farms or access healthcare, which was unavailable in areas of displacement. No significant displacement across Myanmar’s borders has been observed in the reporting period. In Thailand, borders remain closed as part of measures related to preventing the spread of COVID-19, though five temporary border crossing points are reportedly operational in Mae Hong Son province for the transport of goods only. Recurrent internal displacement can be expected, however, as the security situation remains volatile inside Myanmar. Armed clashes increased in August across Southeast Myanmar, prompting new displacement in Shan State (South) and Tanintharyi Region. Intensifying conflict displaced hundreds in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State, with civilians reportedly killed and homes and livestock destroyed, while thousands of IDPs in the State were also affected by heavy rains and flooding. In Chin State, key transport routes and Mindat town remain insecure due to continued fighting, resulting in food and medicine shortages. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect IDPs in all States and Regions, with ongoing restrictions on their access to basic needs, health services, and livelihoods, as well as on humanitarian agencies’ access to IDPs. COVID-19 vaccinations are being administered to some IDPs, prioritizing individuals over 65 years old, and in Rakhine State this has included some Rohingya..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-09-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-09-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 7.37 MB
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 16 August 2021)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 189,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS • Some 189,000 people remain internally displaced (IDPs) in Myanmar as of 16 August, due to armed conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021. This includes some 156,500 IDPs in Southeast Myanmar and Shan State (South). • In Southeast Myanmar, the security situation remains tense with increasing armed clashes across the Southeast. In the reporting period, armed clashes continued in Kachin/Shan (North) states. • In Chin State, the situation in Mindat and surrounding areas deteriorated, as fighting between the Chin Defence Forces (CDF) and Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) resumed in recent weeks. • The situation of internally displaced people within Myanmar has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, with close to 4,000 new cases and 400 official deaths reportedly registered each day. This makes the per capita death rate in Myanmar the highest in Southeast Asia. • IDP camps in Kachin State have registered a surge of COVID-19 cases and more people have tested positive in Kayah and Kayin states. Hundreds of positive cases are reported across Kachin State and Shan State (North) among the IDP population, where access to health services remains very limited. Disruptions of food supplies have led to food shortages in some IDP sites in Rakhine and Kayin states. • Seasonal floods continue to affect particularly the Southeast and thousands of people in Rakhine State. Heavy rains and flooding, combined with COVID-19 restrictions, continue to pose significant challenges for IDPs in the Southeast to access basic needs and health services. • In Thailand, no movements have been reported towards the Myanmar-Thai border in recent weeks, in part due to closed borders and movement restrictions related to measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-08-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 7.48 MB
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Title: Left Adrift at Sea: Dangerous Journeys of Refugees Across the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea January 2020 - June 2021
Description: "1. Foreword 2020 was the deadliest year on record for refugee journeys in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. Governments and leaders across Asia Pacific have been confronted with the question of whether we have collectively learned from history. Even more critically, we must ask ourselves whether we can sit by and repeat past tragic mistakes. These past twelve months call to mind the events of 2015, another harrowing, landmark year for refugees and migrants at sea. The world was shocked by not one but two major, almost simultaneous humanitarian emergencies: the Andaman Sea crisis followed swiftly by the desperate journeys of more than a million men, women and children by sea to Europe. Here in the Asia Pacific, the abandonment at sea of some 5,000 men, women and children by people- smugglers, with no government willing to bring them ashore, was a moment of reckoning. We watched in horror as human beings who had fled discrimination and persecution were left adrift, starving and sick, for months. Hundreds died. Not long afterwards, on the other side of the globe, the body of the young Syrian refugee, Alan Kurdi, washed ashore in Turkey. The collective tide of emotion was not only one of grief, but shame that such tragedies could happen. In South East Asia, governments resolved to prevent collective inaction and its fatal consequences. Through the 2016 Bali Declaration, States acknowledged the need for a reliable and concerted response to this genuinely regional challenge. In establishing the ASEAN Trust Fund, member states also committed in 2015 to provide financial support to emergency and humanitarian relief efforts during similar movements of people, so that such vessels are never denied entry for fear of carrying the responsibility for reception and solutions alone. Today, some six years later, these mechanisms have failed to live up to their promise. We see once again increasing movements of Rohingya refugees in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. We know their voyages are becoming more deadly. The longer a ship remains at sea, the more refugees are exposed to life-threatening risks. Increasingly, a majority of those aboard are women and children. International Laws and conventions stipulate clear obligations for States to provide a safe harbour for those in distress at sea. But these legal frameworks derive from a much older and more instinctive truth – that rescue at sea is a fundamentally humanitarian act. We have seen this humanity reflected in myriad acts of ordinary citizens around the world and in Asia. Acehnese fisherman who, with no fanfare or agenda, quietly rescued some 470 Rohingya refugees and brought them ashore between June 2020 and June 2021. Host communities in Bangladesh who, despite limited resources, have taken in more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees and provided them with sanctuary. This report sets out the developing trends in movements of refugees in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, and the clear need for more comprehensive solutions. Equally critically, however, it gives voice to the thousands of refugees who have risked their lives in desperation – to reunite with family, to access education, to support themselves through gainful employment. Among them, a young Rohingya father who was reunited with his wife and daughter after their seven- month ordeal at sea. “It was the happiest day of my life,” he told UNHCR staff upon seeing his family for the first time in over six years. “We are faceless, homeless and left adrift; we need a solution. I want to say to the whole world, please find a solution for us.” Finally, this report makes clear and actionable recommendations on how to avoid further tragedies. These include bolstering search and rescue efforts at sea, stopping the deadly practice of pushbacks, and working towards a regional mechanism for predictable and equitable disembarkation. For as long as States bordering the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal are reluctant to rescue and land those in distress at sea, that collective failure to act will have tragic and fatal consequences. We can and must do better. Indrika Ratwatte Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-08-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: (10.93 MB - Original version), (5.07 MB - Reduce version)
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Title: COVID-19 vaccinations begin in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps
Description: "Yesterday in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, over 4,000 Rohingya refugees received their first COVID-19 vaccine, as part of a national vaccination drive to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Rohingya refugees eligible for vaccination in the first cohort include some 48,000 individuals over 55 years of age. The drive will continue until 17 August. UNHCR welcomes the commencement of the vaccination of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, in line with national authorities’ broader public health efforts. Equitable inclusion of Rohingya refugees in allocation of vaccines is critical to curbing the spread of the ongoing pandemic. Johannes Van Der Klaauw, UNHCR’s Representative in Bangladesh emphasized, “The Rohingya refugee and host community volunteers have an essential frontline role in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the camps. The first step in fully protecting communities; however, is through the rollout of vaccination. We are grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for having included Rohingya refugees in the vaccination campaign.” The vaccination drive for Rohingya refugees is being led by the Bangladesh authorities with technical support from the UN Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and other humanitarian partners. The fight against the pandemic has been led by thousands of refugee and host community volunteers, who have worked since 2020 on informing refugees about health and hygiene, monitoring any signs of illness, and connecting the refugee community with critical health services. While the threat of COVID-19 remains critical, their efforts have helped to prevent and curb outbreaks and have saved lives. The vaccinations follow the devastating monsoon rains that hit Cox’s Bazar District over the past weeks, causing flash floods and landslides which killed eight Rohingya refugees and 15 Bangladeshis in the host communities. Almost 25,000 refugees were displaced due to landslides, flooding, wind and storms. Thousands of facilities have been damaged including primary health clinics, distribution points and latrines. Access was hindered due to damage to roads, pathways and bridges. UNHCR’s Emergency Response Teams, and partners, refugee and host community volunteers were deployed to assess the damage, to provide support to families forced to relocate, to begin immediate repairs of shelters and other site improvements and to ensure access to essential services for all. While the weather has improved over the last few days, the monsoon season will continue for another couple of months followed by the cyclone season..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-08-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s Military Blocks Supply Routes to 50,000 Refugees in Chin State Amid Renewed Fighting
Sub-title: Sources say the hilly town of Mindat has only two weeks of food left.
Description: "The military junta has cut all supply routes to a hilly town in western Myanmar’s Chin state, putting as many as 50,000 refugees from months of fighting under siege with only two weeks supply of food, sources in the embattled region told RFA. Junta forces have blocked all entrances and exits to Mindat and shut down supply routes to neighboring regions in Chin state, a hotbed of resistance to the Feb. 1 military takeover, where fighting between troops loyal to the junta and local militias from March through May killed scores of regime soldiers and civilians. “All the roads have been blocked…The authorities stop, arrest or interrogate all the young men entering the town, and confiscate their mobile phones. Nobody dares to enter,” a refugee in Mindat who requested anonymity for security reasons told RFA’s Myanmar Service. The junta’s move to cut off access to Mindat came at a time when Mindat’s transportation situation was already complicated by heavy rains over the past month that had caused mudslides that had made some roads impassible, even by motorcycle. “The landslides west and south of Mindat cut off the roads there… We will run out of food in two weeks,” a refugee the refugee told RFA’s Myanmar Service. Mindat, with a population of 10,000-15,000 people, including its suburbs, is battling a COVID-19 outbreak, part of a third wave that has overrun the entire country. “Many goods cannot be purchased here in Mindat anymore, or the prices are up exponentially. No one is selling what we need. The military council’s forces have blocked access roads to the Yaw region, where all our supplies come from,” the refugee said. Refugees and others living outside of Mindat are too afraid to come into the town for grocery shopping, according to the refugee. An additional 7,000 refugees have been displaced by fighting since fighting resumed July 21, according to the Chin Defense Force (CDF), a local militia group founded after the military ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected government and seized power February 1. The CDF is a network of volunteers that formed in April to protect the people of Chin and has enjoyed relative success facing the military—the second largest in Southeast Asia—with slingshots and the same crude flintlock “Tumee” rifles their forefathers used to fight off British colonizers in the 1880s. The CDF said it had killed some 100 junta troops between March and May. The CDF keeps records of refugees displaced in the conflict, but estimated that in Mindat there are many more than it had the capacity to confirm. “In the villages there are between 30,000 and 50,000 IDPs, but in our IDP camps, we have around 15,000 to 20,000 on record. This is for the first record taken at the end of May, but fighting resumed in early June,” the information officer of the Mindat CDF told RFA. “Many IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons] fled to nearby Htilin and Pakkoku townships and the Yaw region. Some have fled to the inner parts of Mindat township and the Matupi and Palatwa townships in Chin state. We don’t know the exact numbers of all IDPs, but we have been able to gather info on the IDPs in the vicinity of the fighting, numbering around 6,000 to 7,000,” the information officer said. The junta has also prevented the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) from delivering aid that would have helped around 5,000 IDPs , but they were allowed to aid 60 households last month. The rest of the aid package, which included truckloads of food, medicines and necessities like tarps, had to be left at a local monastery. They stockpiled all the aid… at the monastery and won’t allow it to be distributed to nearby areas like the UNHCR wants,” a resident of Mindat told RFA. “The UNHCR cannot take it back, but they don’t want to leave it here because they don’t want the military forces to steal it. So they put it at the monastery with the caretaker,” said he resident, who declined to be named. When asked to comment on having to leave the aid at the monastery, Reuben Wende, information officer of UNHCR office in Yangon, told RFA July 23 that authorities should cooperate with efforts to distribute aid in Chin state, but made no direct mention of the incident. According to the United Nations and aid groups, conflict in Myanmar’s remote border regions has displaced an estimated 230,000 residents since the junta coup. They join more than 500,000 refugees from decades of conflict between the military and ethnic armies who were already counted as IDPs at the end of 2020, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO. Troops loyal to Myanmar’s junta have killed more than 80 ethnic Chins in the country since the military took power during the Feb. 1 coup, including two infants and a 15-year-old rape victim, a Chin watchdog group said last month. The military killed at least 51 ethnic Chin in Chin state, two in Kachin state, 23 in the Sagaing region, one in Mandalay, one in Yangon, and three in Magwe region, according to a statement issued by the Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA) Amid nationwide turmoil, the military has stepped up offensives in remote parts of the country of 54 million that have led to fierce battles with several local militias..."
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Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-08-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 01 August 2021)
Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES 22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 206,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS The security situation across the country continues to be volatile and fluid, including in south-east Myanmar, Kachin/Shan (North), and Chin States. Some 206,000 people have been displaced internally in Myanmar as of end July, due to armed conflict and unrest since 1 February 2021. This includes some 170,000 IDPs in Southeast Myanmar and Shan (South). This total number of IDPs has remained steady since the last update. The situation of internally displaced people within Myanmar has been compounded by the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Myanmar has reported record numbers of cases and deaths and is experiencing its most severe wave of infections so far. As a result, access restrictions have been introduced in many areas with, in some cases, IDPs and other communities going into self-imposed lockdowns. The humanitarian situation in Myanmar has been further exacerbated by heavy floods, particularly in the south-east of the country, at the end of July. There have been no significant movements of refugees in the reporting period, including into India and Thailand. Some 7,000 refugees crossed into Thailand in March and April, almost all of whom subsequently returned but remain displaced in Myanmar. There have been reports of groups continuing to gather in border areas on the Myanmar side close to Thailand, including opposite Thailand’s Mae Sariang, Khun Yuam and Mueng districts. The groups have not yet demonstrated an intention to cross. There are also continued reports of arrests, which have though decreased in July compared to June, of Myanmar nationals attempting to enter Thailand irregularly in the Kanchanaburi/Ratchaburi area. Thai authorities consider them “illegal migrant workers” for whom there is no systematic identification of people in need of international protection..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-08-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: The issue of providing humanitarian assistance - လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာအကူအညီများ ကူညီဆောင်ရွက်ပေးရန်ကိစ္စ
Description: "၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်၊ ဇူလိုင်လ ၂၄ ရက်နေ့ ------------------------------------------------- သို့ Ms. Hai Kyung Jun မြန်မာနိုင်ငံဆိုင်ရာကိုယ်စားလှယ် ကုလသမဂ္ဂဒုက္ခသည်များဆိုင်ရာမဟာမင်းကြီးရုံး အကြောင်းအရာ။ လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာအကူအညီများ ကူညီဆောင်ရွက်ပေးရန်ကိစ္စ လေးစားအပ်ပါသော ကိုယ်စားလှယ်ခင်ဗျာ - မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတစ်ဝှမ်းရှိ နေရပ်စွန့်ခွာနေရသည့် ပြည်သူများအတွက် ကုလသမဂ္ဂဒုက္ခသည်များဆိုင်ရာ မဟာမင်းကြီးရုံးမှ လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာ အကူအညီများ ပံ့ပိုးကူညီနေမှုများအတွက် အထူး ကျေးဇူးတင်ရှိကြောင်း ဦးစွာပြောကြားလိုပါသည်။ စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အာဏာသိမ်းမှုကို ဆန့်ကျင့်သည့် တိုင်းရင်းသားလက်နက်ကိုင်တပ်ဖွဲ့များ၊ ဒေသအလိုက် ပြည်သူ့ကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့များနှင့် အာဏာသိမ်းစစ်ကောင်စီတပ်များအကြား ဖြစ်ပွားခဲ့သည့် တိုက်ပွဲများကြောင့် လည်းကောင်း၊ စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်တပ်က အပြစ်မဲ့အရပ်သားပြည်သူများ နေထိုင်ရာ မြို့၊ ကျေးရွာ များသို့ တိုက်ခိုက်နေမှုများကြောင့်လည်းကောင်း ပြည်သူထောင်ပေါင်းများစွာသည် နေရပ်စွန့်ခွာ၍ ဘေးကင်း လုံခြုံရာ နေရပ်များနှင့် ဝေးလံသော တောတောင်များထဲသို့ ထွက်ပြေး တိမ်းရှောင်နေရသည်ကို သိရှိပြီးဖြစ်မည် ဖြစ်ပါသည်။ UNHCR ၏ အကူအညီပေးမှုများသည်လည်း စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ ဟန့်တားပိတ်ဆို့မှုများကြောင့် တောတောင် များထဲတွင် ထွက်ပြေးခိုလှုံနေရသည့် ပြည်သူများထံသို့ ရောက်ရှိနိုင်ခြင်း မရှိဘဲ အမိုးအကာ၊ အစားအသောက်၊ သောက်သုံးရေနှင့် ဆေးဝါး မလုံလောက်ခြင်းတို့ တွေ့ကြုံခံစားနေရပါသည်။ ထို့ပြင် ရာသီဥတုဆိုးဝါးခြင်းကြောင့် ရာသီတုပ်ကွေးနှင့် နိုင်ငံတွင်း ကိုဗစ်ရောဂါကူးစက်မှုသည် ဆိုးဆိုး ရွားရွား ဖြစ်ပွားနေမှုများကြောင့် အသက်ဆက်လက်ရှင်သန်နိုင်ရေးအတွက် ကာကွယ်ရေးပစ္စည်းများနှင့် ကျန်းမာရေး စောင့်ရှောက်မှုတို့သည်လည်း အရေးပေါ် လိုအပ်လျက်ရှိပါသည်။ သို့ဖြစ်ပါ၍ ကုလသမဂ္ဂဒုက္ခသည်များဆိုင်ရာမဟာမင်းကြီးရုံးအနေဖြင့် ဝေးလံသော တောတောင်များရှိ နေရပ်စွန့်ခွာရသူများအတွက် ဖြစ်နိုင်သမျှ ထိရောက်သော အကူအညီများ ပေးအပ်နိုင်ရေး ဆောင်ရွက်ပေးပါရန်နှင့် အခြားသော စစ်ဘေးရှောင်စခန်းများသို့ လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာ အကူအညီများ ဆက်လက်ဆောင်ရွက် ပေးပါရန် မိမိတို့အနေဖြင့် လေးနက်စွာ တောင်းဆိုအပ်ပါသည်။ လူကြီးမင်း၏ အကူအညီပေးမှုအပေါ် များစွာ ကျေးဇူးတင်ရှိပါသည်။ လေးစားစွာဖြင့် အောင်ကြည်ညွန့် ဥက္ကဋ္ဌ၊ ပြည်ထောင်စုလွှတ်တော်ကိုယ်စားပြုကော်မတီ..."
Source/publisher: Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)
Date of publication: 2021-07-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Displaced Myanmar Civilians Denied UN Aid
Description: "United Nations aid to displaced people from Mindat, a mountainous town in Chin State which saw fighting between junta troops and civilian resistance fighters, is only reaching areas permitted by Myanmar’s regime. This week UN humanitarian organization the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) delivered humanitarian aid in “emergency response” to Mindat’s growing displaced population. However, the aid had not reached those in need, who fled the town following shootouts into rural Mindat. But villagers told The Irrawaddy this week that the aid had not left Mindat town and they had not received any assistance. https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/ceasefire-broken-in-chin-state-as-myanmar-junta-troops-clash-with-civilian-resistance-fighters.html “The travel authorization granted to UNHCR permitted access to a number of displacement sites within Mindat town,” the UNHCR told The Irrawaddy by email on Friday. UNHCR convoys carrying non-food items and COVID-19 preventative materials went to Mindat on Monday. The agency said that since February it has been closely following developments in Chin State to assist those displaced. The UNHCR said it “calls for the continued collaboration of all concerned to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access in Chin State and across the country, so that no disruption to humanitarian work occurs”. The agency declined to provide details about how the aid was distributed and how many civilians benefited from the assistance. The agency said on Monday it plans to distribute tarpaulins, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets, kitchen equipment, solar lamps and protective equipment for COVID-19 prevention as humanitarian assistance for up to 5,000 people. Dr. Bu Htang, a member of a displacement camp committee in Tuili village, about 50km from Mindat, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the internally displaced people (IDP) in his village did not receive the UNHCR’s aid. His village hosts some 1,200 people who fled fighting in Mindat town and are unable to return home. “There is no support. We are sharing whatever donations we have. We heard the UN’s aid only goes to the areas where the military regime’s governing council permits. The aid should be delivered to the IDPs and many of those are in the villages, far from the town,” he said. Despite the hurdles, the UNHCR said the agency is in regular contact with partners “to explore the best way to reach and respond to the needs of those displaced in other areas of Chin State”..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-07-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Local groups offer vital assistance to newly displaced in Myanmar
Sub-title: UNHCR is partnering with local communities and faith groups to help an estimated 200,000 people driven from their homes by fresh violence since February’s military takeover.
Description: "Armed conflict is sadly nothing new for 27-year-old Nway Nway Htay. An ethnic Rakhine woman originally from Myanmar’s western Rakhine State, she became familiar with the sounds of artillery and gunfire as the Myanmar Armed Forces, locally known as the Tatmadaw, battled ethnic armed groups in her native state. Security was something she constantly worried about. “I may be used to the sound of gunshots, but the fear is always there,” she said. “Last year, I came back to Rakhine to give birth when fighting erupted near the hospital. The explosions made the process even more stressful.” Following the birth of her son, Nway Nway Htay returned to Kachin State, a mountainous region wedged between India and China, where she had been living with her ethnic Kachin husband for two years. There, the couple worked the land along with a small group of villagers, growing oranges as cash crops in Injangyang Township to support themselves. Nway Nway Htay’s move to a rural corner of Myanmar’s northernmost state in 2019 was made in the hopes of living a more peaceful life. While also embroiled in its own ethnic armed conflict, prospects for peace in Kachin State had been improving. Negotiations between the Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) were making headway. Major hostilities ceased in late 2018, while smaller-scale skirmishes had largely subsided by the end of 2020. “I may be used to the sound of gunshots, but the fear is always there.” That all changed in 2021. Following a military takeover on 1 February, Myanmar was plunged into a crisis that saw the spread and intensification of fighting in many areas. Violence resurfaced once again in Kachin State, including frequent heavy clashes and airstrikes. Nway Nway Htay is one of an estimated 200,000 people across the country forced to flee their homes by the upsurge of armed conflict. One sunny day in mid-March, she was at home with her son when the sound of gunshots echoed between the hills. Having experienced similar incidents before in Rakhine State, Nway Nway Htay’s first instinct was to stay inside the safety of her home. Moments later, her husband burst through the door saying they had to leave. The fighting was getting closer. By the time Nway Nway Htay stepped outside, the village had emptied and they were the last to leave. Her anxiety grew as they fled. “The Tatmadaw and KIA were constantly firing at each other and a soldier we encountered warned us of landmines in the area. Each step we took filled me with dread,” she recalled. The family eventually reached the banks of the Malikha River where a boat transported them to a nearby safe zone. There, they hid with other villagers for five days before making their way by motorbike to the Kachin State capital, Myitkyina. With little more than what they could carry on their backs, the family called on a relative who took them in. Seeking the assistance of relatives is often the preferred choice for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar, a country with a strong tradition of extended family support and community solidarity. Religious affiliation often also determines how assistance is sought. Buddhists prefer to approach Buddhist charities and shelter at monasteries while Christians often receive assistance from Christian organizations and seek refuge at church compounds. Host families and communities therefore act as crucial first responders, offering material assistance such as shelter and food as well as psychological support in the form of emotional and spiritual security. In Nway Nway Htay’s case, her husband’s religious affiliation as a Baptist led to the family seeking assistance from the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC). The ethnic Kachin are predominantly Christian and faith-based organizations like KBC play a prominent role in supporting IDPs within Kachin State. Many facilitate the day to day running of IDP camps and mobilize resources to support new arrivals. “We have to find them so that no one is left behind.” “These organizations spearhead humanitarian responses and our role is to reinforce their capacity, introduce best practices and complement their interventions,” explained Cliff Alvarico, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Myitkyina. Since 2012, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been helping KBC and other faith-based organizations optimize resources to assist displaced populations and ensure a swift response. “We also ensure that those who stay outside of IDP camps remain on our radar and receive the same level of assistance as those inside,” he added. “Wherever they are, we have to find them so that no one is left behind.” The focus on assisting IDPs outside of camps is particularly pertinent in Kachin State. Many existing camps in urban centres face space constraints as they already host thousands of IDPs displaced up to a decade before the recent resurgence of armed conflict. New arrivals have therefore on occasion been asked to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere. “Restarting will not be easy.” Though hosted by a relative, Nway Nway Htay and her family are entitled to the same level of assistance as those living in camps. UNHCR ensures this by having them registered as members of a nearby IDP camp. A coalition of humanitarian agencies provide food and other support to the population on a regular basis. For its part, UNHCR distributes domestic items such as blankets, sleeping mats and mosquito nets to new arrivals as well as the rest of the registered population. While relieved that her immediate material needs have been taken care of, Nway Nway Htay is worried about what lies ahead. Four months after their arrival in Myitkyina, the family has been unable to return to their village due to continued insecurity. Finances remain tight as they seek alternative means to make ends meet. “My husband has left to work at a mine. It’s not a stable job and when fighting occurs nearby, he has to stop work and flee,” she said. “Restarting will not be easy. We’ve already lost one harvest and have to wait until the rainy season ends.” Nway Nway Htay’s focus in the meantime remains on caring for her child. “My priority is my son. I want him to be strong and healthy before we return in case we ever have to run again.”..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-07-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-23
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 15 July 2021
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: Although displacement figures have remained steady in recent weeks—some 206,000 people are displaced within Myanmar since 1 February—continued armed conflict and unrest across the country have meant that the needs of the internally displaced are increasing. Their needs and the challenges of addressing them have been further exacerbated by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar, which has added to existing restrictions on humanitarian actors’ access to internally displaced persons (IDPs). With Myanmar reporting record numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the last two weeks, either the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) or ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have imposed movement restrictions in areas of displacement. There have not been significant refugee movements from Myanmar to neighboring countries in the past month, but UNHCR and other humanitarian actors continue advocacy efforts to ensure any new refugee arrivals would have access to protection measures and assistance. Thai authorities continue to regularly arrest Myanmar nationals attempting to enter Thailand irregularly though Tak and Kanchanaburi provinces, without systematic identification of whether such individuals are seeking or in need of international protection. Local communities in India, meanwhile, are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their support of Myanmar refugees who have now been in Mizoram and Manipur for months..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Date of publication: 2021-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Emergency Update (as of 01 July 2021)
Description: "22,000 Estimated refugee movements to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 980,000 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 31 December 2020 211,000 Estimated total internal displacement within Myanmar since 1 February 2021 370,000 Estimated internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 31 December 2020 HIGHLIGHTS Approximately 211,000 people have now been displaced internally in Myanmar since 1 February 2021, a more than 20% increase since one month ago. This includes 176,900 IDPs in Southeast Myanmar and Shan (South). Although recent weeks have seen a decrease in violence in some parts of the country, such as Kachin State and Chin State, the security situation remains volatile, with continued armed clashes, rocket fire, shelling, raids and new military deployments, particularly in southeast Myanmar. Ceasefires between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and local defence groups in Kayah State and Chin State have allowed some IDPs to return to their homes, but many remain hiding in forest areas and are in dire need of shelter, sleeping mats and medical supplies. Heavy monsoon rains in June have heightened these needs, while the recent increase in COVID-19 transmission—and resulting travel restrictions—has further hampered already limited humanitarian access. Despite the continuing violence in Myanmar, no significant movements of refugees have been reported to neighbouring countries in the last two weeks..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR, aid partners call for renewed and strong support for the Rohingya refugees
Sub-title: This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Description: "Ahead of next Tuesday’s (18 May) donor conference and launch of the 2021 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is calling for renewed international commitment, support and solidarity for Rohingya refugees. The 2021 JRP brings together the efforts of the Government of Bangladesh, and 134 UN agencies and NGO partners to target almost 1.4 million people this year. The US$943 million plan seeks to meet the needs of more than 880,000 Rohingya refugees and 472,000 Bangladeshis in the surrounding host communities in Cox’s Bazar District. Most Rohingya refugees, some 740,000, fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017. With the refugee crisis in its fourth year, Bangladesh needs robust and sustained international support to ensure the safety and wellbeing of stateless Rohingya refugees. This must not become a forgotten crisis. Both Rohingya refugees and Bangladesh, having generously hosted them for decades, must see the world standing with them. Adding to the complexity of this crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded vulnerabilities for refugees and host communities alike. To date, the Government of Bangladesh, with the support of the humanitarian community, has effectively managed the COVID-19 response and the spread of the disease in the Rohingya camps and surrounding areas, though the trajectory of the virus remains unpredictable. A coordinated and inclusive response has saved lives. However, it is critical to ensure the continued delivery of all humanitarian assistance and protection services. The needs of Rohingya refugees reach beyond subsistence and physical safety. Refugees, like any other people, cannot be allowed to wait for years without access to education and options for a decent life and a meaningful future. In order to mitigate the risks of people taking dangerous onward journeys, more must be done to ensure that refugees have hope in Bangladesh, and of a future back home in Myanmar. Otherwise, they may increasingly risk such journeys by land or sea to find a solution elsewhere. Last year, the United Nations appealed for more than US$1 billion to meet the needs of the Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar District. At the end of 2020, this appeal was just 59.4% funded. We stress that the international community must not only maintain support for refugees and their hosts, but also adapt to new and emerging needs and pursue the search for durable solutions. The search for durable solutions must remain focused on the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to their homes in Myanmar, when conditions allow them to do so. However, the ongoing crisis and political instability in Myanmar have added new layers of complexity to this challenge. Jointly co-hosted by the Government of Bangladesh, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, the virtual 2021 JRP launch event will highlight the most immediate needs and ongoing humanitarian response..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-06
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 1 June 2021
Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: The civil unrest and conflict in Myanmar following 1 February has resulted in increased displacement and there are now an estimated half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country, including those displaced before 01 February. In the last two weeks, the estimated number of new IDPs has nearly tripled from 61,000 to 175,000, largely due to new armed clashes and a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Myanmar’s Kayah State. In Kayah State, located in eastern Myanmar, an estimated 100,000 people have now been displaced since 1 February, most of whom have been displaced since 20 May. The security situation also continues to be particularly tense across southeast Myanmar, with explosions and shelling reported in various locations and intensified clashes also observed in Kayin State and eastern Bago Region. Many of the 149,000 total IDPs in southeast Myanmar remain in hiding. In northern Myanmar, internal displacement has increased due to ongoing fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and Kachin Independence Army, expanding across Kachin State, the northernmost state in Myanmar, and into northern Sagaing Region. In northern Shan State, armed conflict among ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and between EAOs and the MAF continued to displace people across a number of townships. As a result of recent fighting in Kayah and Shan States, there have not yet been new reported movements from Myanmar toward Thailand. From earlier displacement from Myanmar, Mae Hong Son Province remains the most affected area in Thailand, though humanitarian actors have not yet formally been granted access. The group of over 1,700 arrivals from Myanmar reported on 13 May has now reduced to some 255, who are being accommodated in four temporary safety areas, managed by the Royal Thai Government. The remainder of the group has reportedly returned to Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-06-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioners conclude four-day visit to Bangladesh
Description: "Wrapping up today their four-day visit to Bangladesh, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioners for Protection and for Operations - Gillian Triggs and Raouf Mazou - called for international support and solidarity with Rohingya refugees and Bangladesh. The protection, well-being, and concerns of refugees, as well as renewed efforts towards solutions should be at the forefront of the response. A joint visit to Bangladesh of the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs and UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou, took place from 30 May to 2 June. It included visits to the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar where the vast majority of Rohingya refugees reside, and the island of Bhasan Char, as well as meetings with senior Government officials. Throughout the visit, the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioners reiterated their sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of Bangladesh for their humanitarian spirit and generous hospitality towards Rohingya refugees as they sought protection from violence and persecution in Myanmar over decades. This includes, notably, the recent influx of more than 740,000 Rohingya refugees since August 2017. They also reiterated the urgent need to continue working towards comprehensive solutions, including the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. The Assistant High Commissioners emphasized that the responsibility for the current Rohingya refugee situation in Bangladesh rests with Myanmar, and that is where the solution lies. However, the recent developments in Myanmar make the prospects of voluntary repatriation in the short term more challenging. “While Bangladesh has shown humanity and solidarity, in line with the guiding principles of the Global Compact on Refugees, the international community must step up and give practical effect to the obligation to share responsibility, and to protect refugees and support the host Bangladeshi Government,” said Triggs. The Assistant High Commissioners visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and met with the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), responsible for the overall coordination of the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar as well as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Cox’s Bazar. Despite the COVID-19 challenges, they noted remarkable strides have been made in preparing for and responding to the pandemic, both within and outside of the camps, for refugees and host communities alike. The Assistant High Commissioners visited a COVID-19 treatment facility in the local community of Ukhiya, which was built in just 8 weeks. This facility alone has responded to the needs of around 1,000 patients in the past year, almost 70% of whom came from the Bangladeshi host community. “The inclusive Health Sector response in Cox’s Bazar has saved lives. The Government has set a positive example by including the Rohingya refugees in the national COVID-19 response plan and the related national vaccination plan. UNHCR opened two of a total of 12 operational COVID-19 treatment facilities and established the first Intensive Care Unit in the District hospital. Responding to the needs of both communities on an equal basis is essential to ensuring that everyone is kept safe,” said Mazou. Additional challenges have been presented by COVID-19 and related restrictions in the camps. The Assistant High Commissioners observed a reduced humanitarian presence in the camps and associated protection risks. UNHCR advocates for essential protection services for the most vulnerable, including women and children who are particularly exposed to gender-based violence, including sexual exploitation, early marriage and child labour. In its work, UNHCR listens to the voices of refugees. During the visit to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, the Assistant High Commissioners had the opportunity to discuss with refugees and to better understand their situation and needs. Many stressed the need for the resumption of education and skills training. The Government facilitated a visit of the Assistant High Commissioners to Bhasan Char. While on the island, they clearly recognized the significant financial investments by the Bangladeshi government in facilities and infrastructure, including housing. However, it was clear that the 18,000 Rohingya refugees currently on the island have protection and assistance needs. That is, access to meaningful livelihoods opportunities, skills development, education, health and access to cash to facilitate their daily lives. UNHCR recognizes the potential that Bhasan Char could provide as an alternative temporary location for some Rohingya refugees while in Bangladesh. UNHCR proposes further discussions with the Government to ensure protection of refugees, as well as on our future operational engagement on the island. At the same time, UNHCR remains concerned about reports of refugees being arrested and detained for attempting to leave Bhasan Char. UNHCR strongly discourages the use of relocation to Bhasan Char as a punitive measure. “Bhasan Char has some potential, though the human and protection elements of refugees living there must be fully considered. Refugees who decide to relocate to Bhasan Char must do so on a voluntary basis. They should have freedom of movement on the island and must be granted the possibility to return to Cox’s Bazar and to maintain family connections with those in the camps,” said Triggs. While on Bhasan Char, UNHCR had the opportunity to talk to a large group of refugees, predominantly young men. They raised their concerns about the lack of access to livelihoods and self-reliance opportunities, skills development, as well as access to education. UNHCR was deeply concerned to learn of reports of refugees who were injured on the day of the visit to Bhasan Char. While ultimately, the desired solution by the majority of the Rohingya refugees is to return home voluntarily, safely, sustainably and in dignity, when conditions in Myanmar allow, the crisis is now in its fourth year and refugees cannot remain fully dependent on aid. “Livelihoods and skills training opportunities will provide refugees with a sense of purpose and autonomy while they are in Bangladesh, while preparing them for reintegration when conditions allow them to return home,” stressed Mazou. Today, 2 June, the UNHCR Assistant High Commissioners were grateful for the opportunity to meet and discuss these various issues with senior Government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. While continuing to work together with the support of the international community towards voluntary repatriation, the Assistant High Commissioners discussed the possibility of introducing alternative solutions for Rohingya refugees, including resettlement to third countries for the most vulnerable with specific protection needs, as well as complementary pathways overseas, which could include employment and educational opportunities. UNHCR once more calls on the international community, including through the recently launched 2021 Joint Response Plan, to continue to support the Government of Bangladesh who have taken on a huge responsibility in hosting almost 1 million Rohingya refugees in the largest refugee camp in the world. This must not become a forgotten crisis..."
Source/publisher: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Ahead of expected visit, ASEAN must hold Myanmar military accountable
Topic: Myanmar coup | Refugees
Topic: Myanmar coup | Refugees
Description: "As the ASEAN Secretary-General and a representative of the ASEAN Chair, Brunei, are expected to visit Myanmar this week, parliamentarians across Southeast Asia urge them to hold the military accountable for its blatant disregard of the five-point consensus, and to meet with all major stakeholders in Myanmar, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today. “More than one month since the ASEAN leaders’ meeting on Myanmar, the military has merely carried on with its brutal crackdown against the people,” said Charles Santiago, a Malaysian Member of Parliament (MP) and Chair of APHR. “How many more innocent lives must be lost before ASEAN decides to move beyond words and actually put in place binding measures and lay out consequences for the military’s brutality?” This visit must also be the occasion for ASEAN to meet with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, who have been in detention since the military coup on 1 February, APHR said. “If ASEAN only meets with the military it risks, once again, playing into the junta’s public relations exercise and granting them legitimacy, when all they deserve is admonition,” Santiago added. To have a genuine and inclusive dialogue with all parties, ASEAN’s delegation must also meet with representatives of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs). “The delegation must make it clear to Min Aung Hlaing that constructive dialogue cannot be possible while political prisoners remain behind bars. It must demand to see them and urge their release. Otherwise, this trip to Myanmar may be completely worthless,” said Kasit Piromya, a former MP of Thailand and APHR Board Member. The visit comes more than one month after an ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting was held, at which a Five-Point Consensus was agreed to by all who attended, including Myanmar Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. As the Myanmar army continues its attacks and airstrikes, APHR also urges ASEAN Member States to help address the immediate needs of displaced persons inside the country and protect all persons seeking asylum. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that 61,000 persons have been internally displaced and over 12,000 refugees have fled Myanmar since 1 February. “Not only is the military committing serious human rights violations, but they are causing a humanitarian and refugee crisis. ASEAN must urge the military to grant all humanitarian organizations and agencies inside Myanmar and across borders immediate, unfettered and unimpeded access to to all those in need,” Piromya said..."
Source/publisher: ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar refugee emergency (10 May 2021)
Topic: Protection and Human Rights
Topic: Protection and Human Rights
Description: "With over 10,000 refugees fleeing Myanmar in just three months since February 2021 because of violence and the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, neighbouring countries in the region are witnessing increasing arrivals of people from Myanmar seeking international protection.' UNHCR and partners stand ready to support host countries and communities that have generously provided safety to these refugees to assist them and to find solutions to their plight. Persons already abroad who fear return to Myanmar should also have access to protection. Key protection messages Words matter. The men, women and children fleeing Myanmar because violence since February 2021 are refugees. As refugees, they should be allowed access to the territory to seek asylum and be protected against refoulement, which means that they should not be returned to their country as long as it is not safe. People from Myanmar already abroad should not be returned when seeking international protection and should be referred to the appropriate authorities. Refugees have the right to return to their homes voluntarily, in safety and with dignity. While a solution to this crisis lies in Myanmar, the international community must provide protection and support to fleeing refugees. Governments are encouraged to keep their borders open and allow refugees from Myanmar safety and protection in line with long traditions of offering sanctuary to those in need. In order to respond to humanitarian needs, it will be important to provide support and adopt an inclusive approach in responding to the problems of refugees fleeing their country, including access to territory, protection from detention and abuse, and access to basic services. Humanitarian access to arriving refugees is essential to provide the necessary assistance. As the identification of individuals with specific needs and vulnerabilities is a key element of any humanitarian response, it is important to strengthen existing systems for the identification of unaccompanied minors and separated children, survivors of violence and torture and persons suffering from trauma amongst others. Where COVID-19 related bans or border closures are implemented, such measures must not result in denying refugees an effective opportunity to seek asylum or result in refoulement. As in any humanitarian crisis, the importance of upholding the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum is paramount and States would need to assess the situation of arrivals from Myanmar carefully so as to identify armed elements and separate them from the civilian refugee population..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 518.99 KB
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Title: UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP) Myanmar Emergency - External Update, 19 May 2021
Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Shelter and Non-Food Items, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Shelter and Non-Food Items, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Description: "In the first half of May, heavy fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), particularly in Kayin, Kachin and Chin states, killed dozens of combatants and internally displaced thousands of civilians. Approximately 61,000 people have now been displaced internally in Myanmar since the military takeover on 1 February 2021, of whom some 56,000 remain displaced, representing a 10 percent increase since the beginning of May. This number includes an estimated 42,000 in south-eastern Myanmar and 14,000 in Kachin and northern Shan states. Thousands of people are also additionally believed to be internally displaced in Chin State and Sagaing Region. Since late March, some 6,900 Myanmar nationals have also sought safety from armed clashes in Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, with 1,800 refugees currently being accommodated in temporary safety areas along the Thai-Myanmar border. In India, refugees from Myanmar continue crossing into Mizoram and Manipur to seek refuge, including as the COVID-19 outbreak in the border areas becomes worse..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-05-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 3.59 MB
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