Myanmar military's offensive against Karen people
More than 20,000 people are hiding in the jungle and in dire need of food, says a humanitarian group.
By Robin Gomes
As news of the brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s security forces against the opponents of the February 1 military coup continues to draw media attention, the military is cranking up its offensive against the insurgent groups, displacing thousands of innocent civilians.
20,000 Karen displaced
More than 20,000 people in Myanmar’s Karen state have been forced to flee their homes as the military has continued its air and ground attacks since late March, according to Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian group that provides help to internally displaced people in the southeast nation, also called Burma. It said, “The newly displaced people are unable to tend their crops or take care of their animals and are surviving on emergency rations they have hidden. But not only do they need food now, this will become a greater crisis if they cannot plant their fields,” and take care of their animals.