Locals, including venerable children, the elderly and women, in Sumpyi Yang and Lung Sha Yang villages in Putao Township of Kachin State in the Northern part of Myanmar fled in fear of regional war on February 5.
“The villagers including the elderly, children, and mothers in Sumpyi Yang and Lung Sha Yang in Putao Township of Kachin State are fleeing and taking refuge in the jungle,” state a local priest on condition of anonymity.
The priest recalled that “Last year on February 3, the airstrikes on the village of Sumpyi Yang forced all the villagers to flee to the jungle. In Lung Sha Yang village, heavy artillery shelling on February 3 and 4 forced many locals to flee to the mountains.”
According to the Rawang priest, Putao town is currently “experiencing heavy rainfall. The weather is freezing.” The temperature in the hilly region can drop to even 4 degrees Celsius.
“In a time of the current weather, leaving one’s home and taking refuge in insecure mountains is a real worry for everyone,” said the concerned priest.
The priest says that “a heroic spirit is needed to build peace, create justice and equal opportunities in Myanmar.” He prays that the heroic spirit may open the way with a good heart as soon as possible.
Another priest, Father James, confirmed that Lung Sha Yang villagers were fleeing to the forest because they worried that war might break out soon, but he was still staying inside the parish church compound.
The parish secretary was with fleeing villagers. He told RVA News that they were experiencing difficulties with food because they were hiding in the deep forest and hard to contact the persons concerned for assistance.
He said, “We are still finding ways and means for help.”
On Friday, Kachin News Group (KNG), local news media, reported that the regime gunships attacked Putao village in Kachin State.
According to local news media, since February 1, Kachin armed groups have raided several Junta army camps in Mohnyin, Hpakant, Putao and Sumprabum Townships.
On Thursday, Kachin Independence Army Battalion 35 and People Defence fighters attacked joint police and an army camp in Mawhan in Mohnyin Township, captured weapons and other equipment, burnt it down and retreated an hour later, reported KNG.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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