Around 655 miners and their families are trapped in Tanai Township as escape routes are blocked by ongoing clashes between the Myanmar Defense Services (Tatmadaw) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Eleven reported yesterday.
The trapped refugees are reportedly staying in local churches and receiving rice and cash handouts from the government.
The Tatmadaw dropped leaflets over the mining area on June 5, warning the estimated 150,000 people living there to vacate by June 15. The warnings said anyone who remained would be considered a KIA sympathizer.
Thousands left, abandoning their mines and livestock. However, some have stayed and build bunkers to protect themselves from the conflict in order to stay near their mines.
Tanai Township is located in KIA-controlled territory in northern Kachin State. The area’s gold and amber mines are not recognized by the Myanmar government, and miners pay taxes to the KIA.
On June 16, the Tatmadaw began “clearance operations” in Tanai, claiming mining operations threatened the local environment. However, many suspect the true reason for the operations is to cut off the KIA’s revenue source.
The Kachin Peace Network, a local NGO, said the conditions in Tanai leave women vulnerable to sexual violence and called on the government to set up a hotline for victims.
Reader Interactions