Thousands of people displaced by fighting in Lay Kay Kaw in the south of Myawady in Myanmar-Thai border are still unable to return home and they are being provided with food by Thailand, local sources report.
Fighting that started on December 15 forced tens of thousands of local villagers to flee. Some of the displaced are now returning to their native places. However, thousands of people from some villages including Lay Kay Kaw, Htemewakhee, Phalulay and Phalugyi remain on both the Myanmar and Thai sides divided by the Thaungyin (Moei) River.
“There are over 1,000 war refugees from Kyaukkhit Village of Lay Kay Kaw Myothit. We have difficulty with our food. People from Thailand are coming to us to provide food. But most of them are Myanmar workers and aid organizations in Thailand. We are very grateful to them. But we cannot go home now,” said a young woman from Kyaukkhit Village.
An official from a charity organization in Mae Sot said about 5,000 food packages were sent daily to the refugees living on the both sides of the river.
Besides those displaced villagers, there are also about 1,000 others living in Mekokin temporary refugee camp in Mae Sot.
Over 10,000 people from 10 villages from that region including Lay Kay Kaw, formerly known as a town of peace, fled fighting to safer places.
With somewhat stability there, those from the villages of Ingyinmyaing, Mehtawthalay, Minlatpan and Falu have returned home. But those from the villages such as Lay Kay Kaw, Htemewakhee, Yathegu and Pahakalaw are still in refugee camps along the Thaungyin River and unable to go home.
