One might readily connect words like “refugees” and “war” to the Syrians, the Rohingya people, or the South Sudanese.
In fact, besides the Rohingya refugee crisis in Rakhine State of Myanmar, another 200,000 people in the country were forced to be internally displaced from Kachin State in the north, Shan State in north-east, and Kayin State in south-east due to unceasing armed conflicts. The United Nations estimated that close to 172,000 individuals in these three states need humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, humanitarian effort is limited due to safety concern or inaccessibility in non-government-controlled areas.
A 72-year-old pastor partnering with a younger pastor to visit the refugees
[ ‘SHARE’ May-Jun 2017 ] STEP INTO THE WORLD
The Myanmar government and the anti-government forces were at war for the past 10 years. As the conflict was reinitiated in 2016, the estimated number of internally displaced population has reached 660,000. The conflicts in Kachin State alone forced close to 100,000 to flee to Yunnan, China.
The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) signed a tentative peace agreement with the Myanmar government in late May, the last of the 11 major ethnic armed groups to do so since 2011. Key issues are yet to discuss including how to develop an equitable peace economy and proper regulation and management of Kachin’s rich natural resources. CEDAR partner KLCC has been taking care of displaced families who take shelter at church compounds, school hostel and displaced camps.
Pray for Kachin community in Myanmar:
Pray that the peace agreement will secure lasting peace in the country.
Pray for God’s provision as KLCC start to secure new land to settle displaced families in Government allocated area.
Pray that God to raise up HK churches/Christians to partner with CEDAR to respond to needs in Kachin State.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
