MYANMAR: KNU Grateful For Aid Sent by Thai Government Through Myanmar Red Cross

Posted by Asia Views | Apr 1, 2024 | 0 |

Mizzima.com-March 31

The Karen National Union (KNU) has responded to the delivery of humanitarian aid by the Thai government to help people in distress in Karen State. The following is the statement issued this week on 27 March by the KNU: On the 25th of March 2024, at the 2nd Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, Mae Sot, Thailand, the Thai Red Cross Society handed over aid packages to the Myanmar Red Cross Society, through the Royal Thai Government’s Humanitarian Aid Program. The aid packages were distributed to 20,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled into Karen National Union (KNU) control areas due to SAC’s air strikes, artillery attacks, looting and burning of civilian houses. The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) transported the aid materials through Myawaddy via Thay Ka Tae. Officials from the Royal Thai Army accompanied them to observe the aid deliveries. Officials from the KNU’s Hpa-an District received 3,874 aid packages from Royal Thai Army officials in Nabu Township and handed them over to CIDKP (Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People) and respective community leaders that assist and care for the IDPs. In Paingkyon Township and Tha Ma Nya (Don Yin Township), officials from SAC and the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) unexpectedly participated in the delivery of humanitarian aid. Our leaders were able to distribute them completely and with restraint despite the challenges. Although there was a lack of information and challenges, we, the KNU would like to express our gratitude on behalf of the Karen IDP to the Royal Thai Government for the humanitarian assistance. As almost of the whole country is in urgent need of humanitarian aid during this period, we request that humanitarian aid is provided only after information sharing and consultation on all sides and among all relevant stakeholders with transparency, responsibility, and accountability is done. Read more at: https://eng.mizzima.com/2024/03/31/8549#google_vignette

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

MYANMAR: KNU Grateful For Aid Sent by Thai Government Through Myanmar Red Cross

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