DKBA Helps At Risk Displaced Villagers

The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) has invited villagers displaced by the Burma Army to stay with them.

The DKBA has told villagers from the Tha-Mee-Lay village, Hle-Gu Township, to come and stay with them after the villagers were forced from their homes by the Burma Army on February 4.

The displacement involved around 150 families – about 500 people – who were left homeless after the Burma Army claimed control of their land.

DKBA Colonel Saw San Aung arrived at Tha-mee-lay village and told the villagers that they were welcome to move to Myawaddy township if they wanted to.

Colonel Saw San Aung spoke to Karen News.

“We have sympathy for the people facing difficulties as we live in the same country and we are ethnic brotherhood. We went to inform them that they are welcome to come and stay with us if they wish. We can arrange food for them, we will arrange the transportation for them if they want to come and stay with us. We plan to relocated them around our headquarters at Sone-Si-Myaing village.”

Ko Maung Maung Ta, a villager from Tha-mee-lay village spoke to Karen News.

“We are very happy that the DKBA came and expressed their sympathy to us. We don’t want to leave our village. But we have the plan to move there completely if the government authorities do not make any arrangement for us by the start of raining season.”

Former Burma Army Captain Nay Myo Zin, said that the displaced villagers are living in temporary shelters.

“They are staying on the ground under waterproof canvas which is very hot. It is impossible to live long-term in these conditions. The villagers only have to eat what they have on them and their health will be a concern if they have to survive under these condition much longer.”