Memorandum submitted by the Committee
for Internally Displaced Karen People
OVERVIEW OF
CIDKP
The committee is entrusted with the following
responsibilities:
(1) To raise awareness of the plight of
Internally Displaced Karen People, by means of report writing
and the dissemination of human rights violations and present situations
being faced by the IDP.
(2) To secure humanitarian assistance for
Internally Displaced Karen People.
(3) To distribute the secured humanitarian
assistance.
The CIDKP has four main programs:
(A) Relief program;
(B) Health care program;
(C) Education program; and
(D) Community development program.
As the needs of the IDP's have increased our
organizations responsibilities have increased. We monitor situations
in three different geographical areas, the Southern, Central and
Northern regions. Each area is administered by separate offices
based in Thailand; the Kanchanaburi office is responsible for
the southern region. The Central office is based in Mae Sot and
is responsible for the Central region and our MaiSariang office
is responsible for the Northern region. Each area has its own
field workers office staff and the responsibilities differ depending
upon the internal situations at the time.
Our field workers inside Burma monitor situations
and communicate with our Thailand offices; they also gather Human
rights information and photographs when safe and possible. We
target and monitor the needs of IDP's, depending upon access,
safety and feasibility our priority is immediate emergency relief,
which is not always easy as we have not always had sufficient
funds or a safe means of transportation. From Jan 2005-Dec 2006
we provided assistance to 35,697 people in Karen state. The emergency
relief needs for the IDP are food, medicine shelter and safety.
Our objective is to provide humanitarian assistance for the suffering
Internally Displaced People, irrespective of religion, race. We
maintain good relationships with the KNU, KNLA and the Thailand
authorities. Without their help we would not have security information
regarding access and safety for our distribution and monitoring
work. We share out information with NGO's like TBBC for their
reports and also all international communities and governments.
THERE ARE
FOUR MAIN
SUGGESTIONS I WOULD
LIKE TO
RAISE
— Improvement to immediate emergency
relief ie food and medicine, transportation, safety and security,
Transportation is a great challenge in IDP areas; people rely
on walking and carrying on shoulders. Some areas can use boats
but there is always the transportation from river bank to location...
Some of our staff can be carrying rice and walking for up to seven
days to reach areas, however if there is a need to avoid skirmishes
and patrols it can take a lot longer, maybe two weeks to travel
to a seven day location. For security walkie talkies and wireless
transmitters are necessary, it is very useful for early warning
notice and safety of IDPs these little items are invaluable and
saves lives. The ultimate means of transportation and safety would
be helicopter drop offs.
— Landmine projects survey and future
confiscation partnerships. CIDKP have already began projects surveying
and map making of landmine locations, with the help of some international
organisations, but better and more advances equipment is needed
to improve our methods.
— Sustainable safe IDP areas ie Eh
Htu Hta new IDP village, these new IDP locations are a way of
forming a new community for the IDP. Initially basics like food
provision is important, however the development of food propagation
is instigated, (all types of farming), housing (materials), education
schools and teachers curriculum), medical clinics (facilities,
supplies and health care workers), future development and rehabilitation
for IDP (to build and maintain a normal and safe future).
— Training and education for healthcare
workers (continued and increased advanced courses for medics and
nurses), safety and security awareness of danger and survival
in jungle and conflict situations, staff field workers ie report
writing and communication.
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