To Hopeland and Back: 27th trip
Day Three. Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Breakfast
is served by Sai Hserh En (Small Tiger) who also works as a tourist guide. He
says he’s seen both Sao Harn and myself quite often in video clips.
At
09:30, we are on our way again. About an hour later, we come to a Kachin
village (called Kadu in Kachin and Tongbikwan in Chinese), where we have an
early lunch.
 |
Visiting on IDP camp in
Laiza, 14 February 2017.
(Photo: PI)
|
At 13:00, we are across the border and installed at
the Laiza Hotel. We are then informed that no meetings have been planned for
today. Reasons:
§
Chairman Zawng
Hra is away on medical leave
§
Military chief
Gen Gam Shawng is also on an inspection trip along the border and is not
expected to be back until after the meeting in Pangkham, planned 22-24 February
§
Generals
N’Ban La and Gun Maw are also on their way to Laiza, and meetings with the KIO
CEC and SMJH should wait for them
The
rest of the day is spent visiting two IDP camps: Je Yang and Hpun Lum Yam (Hot
Springs).
Out
of more than 100,000 displaced by the fighting, some 40,000 are said to be
staying inside KIO/KIA controlled areas and the rest inside Myanmar Army
controlled area.
The
list of donors include Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), Metta, Health
Unlimited, UNHCR and WFP (24 July 2015-end of 2016).
“The
WFP wants us to move into government controlled areas so it can continue to
help,” one of the IDP camp administrators says. “But there is too much distrust
of the government among the IDPs that persuading them to move there is out of the
question.”
At
17:00, we have dinner with Gen N’Ban La and SMJH members. The meeting with SMJH
will be tomorrow at 13:30.
(To
be continued)
Tags: Opinion
