Thank you to those of you who have been praying for the recent attacks and subsequent displacement of thousands of Karen villages near the Thai-Burma border.
I read today that over 3,500 displaced people have fled across the Moei River, the natural border separating Thailand and Burma and are seeking refuge and shelter in Thailand. The Burma Army has continued shelling the small village of Ler Per Her throughout the week. Reports indicate Burma Army proxy forces have even sent mortar fire into Thailand.
Thankfully, there appears to either be minimal or no casualties reported among the Karen. Even though relief work has been made extra difficult by torrential rains, Partners Relief & Development and Free Burma Rangers (FBR) have been able to provide hundreds of pounds of food, medicine, mosquito nets, and clothing to the displaced citizens. Shelter is inadequate in the heavy winds and rain and many, especially babies and young children are suffering from malaria and diarrhea.
More supplies are needed such as blankets, sleeping mats, additional medicine, plastic sheeting, food, children's clothing, and boots. If you wish to donate, please go to the Partners website, www.partnersworld.org/donate.
For documentation and photos of the crisis, covered by BCC, go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8093562.stm
Please continue to pray for peace.
Showing posts with label Burma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Burma. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Update on Burma Army Attack
I just received the following update from a representative of Partners Relief and Development, which is providing support to the displaced people from these attacks. Please keep praying. Also, if you would like to donate to help these people see the link in the update below:
6th June 2009
We have just been informed by our team that the Burma Army have begun an offensive against displaced villagers along the Thai-Burma border and early this morning heavy bombing has been heard.
There are an estimated 800 Burma Army troops, joined by 300 soldiers from their proxy forces spread along approximately 20 - 30km of border region.
Three days ago there was an ambush which reportedly left four Burma Army soldiers deceased and four wounded. This resulted in the Burma Army retreating a short distance. On Thursday there was a second ambush where one Burma soldier died and four were wounded. This has resulted in the Burma Army reinforcing their troops.
Innocent children and families are hungry and at risk. With their home villages destroyed or in peril, the options to escape to safety are limited.
Major evacuations are under way. Yesterday all women and children were evacuated, leaving the older people and men at the camp last night. They plan to move them today.
Since the 3rd of June, more than 3,295 villagers have left their villages inside Karen State Burma and travelled to towns inside Tak province in Thailand. The Thai authorities have been very helpful.
These villagers from eleven different internally displaced persons villages were being forced to be porters and human mine sweepers for the Burma Army in preparation of this attack.
Many of these families have already fled previous Burma Army attacks. As recently as last week, Partners' staff assisted 40 families with essential survival materials, such as mosquito nets, blankets, clothes, pots, pans, and bowls.
Partners' staff are rapidly working with ethnic leaders to provide critical assistance to the hundreds of families have arrived at the border seeking aid and refuge. Food and medicine are being distributed.
Yesterday, the Partners Mae Sot staff delivered aid and emergency supplies to these villagers. Three four-wheel drive trucks were fully loaded and supplies were delivered to the camp leader.
We were able to give:
Two trucks of clothing
Medicines for 200 cases of each of the following illnesses: malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory, wound care, analgesics etc
30 pots
25 large sized tarpaulins
100 bottles of mosquito repellent
15 boxes each containing 100 dried fish
10 boxes each containing 180 individual packs of Ma Ma noodles
5 boxes each containing 96 packs of small shrimp
72 bottles of cooking oil
Rolls of plastic sheeting
All of this was brought in torrential rain, which continued for 90% of the journey - usually this journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes, but yesterday took 5 hours. The team prayed with the camp leader and Isaiah 41:10 came to their minds "Don't be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand"
YOU CAN DONATE TODAY TOWARDS THIS EMERGENCY CRISIS – WE NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE VISIT : http://www.partnersworld.org.uk/donate.html
Thanks for your ongoing support and prayers. We will endeavour to update you as soon as we hear news.
6th June 2009
We have just been informed by our team that the Burma Army have begun an offensive against displaced villagers along the Thai-Burma border and early this morning heavy bombing has been heard.
There are an estimated 800 Burma Army troops, joined by 300 soldiers from their proxy forces spread along approximately 20 - 30km of border region.
Three days ago there was an ambush which reportedly left four Burma Army soldiers deceased and four wounded. This resulted in the Burma Army retreating a short distance. On Thursday there was a second ambush where one Burma soldier died and four were wounded. This has resulted in the Burma Army reinforcing their troops.
Innocent children and families are hungry and at risk. With their home villages destroyed or in peril, the options to escape to safety are limited.
Major evacuations are under way. Yesterday all women and children were evacuated, leaving the older people and men at the camp last night. They plan to move them today.
Since the 3rd of June, more than 3,295 villagers have left their villages inside Karen State Burma and travelled to towns inside Tak province in Thailand. The Thai authorities have been very helpful.
These villagers from eleven different internally displaced persons villages were being forced to be porters and human mine sweepers for the Burma Army in preparation of this attack.
Many of these families have already fled previous Burma Army attacks. As recently as last week, Partners' staff assisted 40 families with essential survival materials, such as mosquito nets, blankets, clothes, pots, pans, and bowls.
Partners' staff are rapidly working with ethnic leaders to provide critical assistance to the hundreds of families have arrived at the border seeking aid and refuge. Food and medicine are being distributed.
Yesterday, the Partners Mae Sot staff delivered aid and emergency supplies to these villagers. Three four-wheel drive trucks were fully loaded and supplies were delivered to the camp leader.
We were able to give:
Two trucks of clothing
Medicines for 200 cases of each of the following illnesses: malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory, wound care, analgesics etc
30 pots
25 large sized tarpaulins
100 bottles of mosquito repellent
15 boxes each containing 100 dried fish
10 boxes each containing 180 individual packs of Ma Ma noodles
5 boxes each containing 96 packs of small shrimp
72 bottles of cooking oil
Rolls of plastic sheeting
All of this was brought in torrential rain, which continued for 90% of the journey - usually this journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes, but yesterday took 5 hours. The team prayed with the camp leader and Isaiah 41:10 came to their minds "Don't be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand"
YOU CAN DONATE TODAY TOWARDS THIS EMERGENCY CRISIS – WE NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE VISIT : http://www.partnersworld.o
Thanks for your ongoing support and prayers. We will endeavour to update you as soon as we hear news.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Pray for Burma
Today I got word that the Burma Army and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) are planning to attack Ler Per Her, a Karen village on the Thai-Burma border where many internally-displaced people have set up camp for years. Some have heard that armed troops of hundreds of soldiers are only 2 days walk away. The people in Ler Per Her have nowhere else to run and are in fear for their lives.
Some of you may know that while in Thailand, I worked on a small development project called Babies at Risk. I, along with a nurse from England and good friend of mine, Kelly, trained village health workers to provide breastfeeding and nutrition education to mothers and to prevent, assess and treat malnutrition in infants. We also regularly distributed vitamins and vegetables seeds and provided training on how to grow vegetables and reproduce small crops year after year.
Ler Per Her is one area that we did a lot of work in. I've made numerous trips there and we trained more than 30 regular health workers and provided them with a small salary for a while. In the process I got to know many of the health workers, who do what they can to serve their people. They are very dear to me. I want to post some photos from some of the time I spent there in 2006-2007. Please pray for these precious people.
The boat ride across the border
Walking into the village
A walk through the village to the middle school
The Health Center annex where trainings are held
Community Health Workers & Babies at Risk trainees
Teaching on how to use growth charts
Learning to use the infant weighing scale
Shwe Dah and children - a struggling family we got to know; Shwe Dah's malnourished 18-month-old son died from an upper respiratory infection 7 days after her baby (pictured here) was born
Shwe Dah and Kelly with the squash grown from seeds that were provided
Heading back to Thailand
Male health worker demonstrates proper breastfeeding position
Health workers take a training break to play a game
Some of you may know that while in Thailand, I worked on a small development project called Babies at Risk. I, along with a nurse from England and good friend of mine, Kelly, trained village health workers to provide breastfeeding and nutrition education to mothers and to prevent, assess and treat malnutrition in infants. We also regularly distributed vitamins and vegetables seeds and provided training on how to grow vegetables and reproduce small crops year after year.
Ler Per Her is one area that we did a lot of work in. I've made numerous trips there and we trained more than 30 regular health workers and provided them with a small salary for a while. In the process I got to know many of the health workers, who do what they can to serve their people. They are very dear to me. I want to post some photos from some of the time I spent there in 2006-2007. Please pray for these precious people.
The boat ride across the border
Walking into the village
A walk through the village to the middle school
The Health Center annex where trainings are held
Community Health Workers & Babies at Risk trainees
Teaching on how to use growth charts
Learning to use the infant weighing scale
Shwe Dah and children - a struggling family we got to know; Shwe Dah's malnourished 18-month-old son died from an upper respiratory infection 7 days after her baby (pictured here) was born
Shwe Dah and Kelly with the squash grown from seeds that were provided
Heading back to ThailandMale health worker demonstrates proper breastfeeding position
Health workers take a training break to play a game
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