UNICEF Myanmar Humanitarian Situation Report No. 10: December 2023

Highlights

• More than 2.6 million people nationally are internally displaced and in need of life-saving assistance. The escalation of conflict has a disproportionate impact on children with suffering mental health and psychosocial impacts from witnessing or experiencing violence, as well as new or prolonged displacement.

• A total of 858 casualties have been reported nationwide in the first nine months of 2023, injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW); 22 per cent of the casualties were children.

• 29,980 people received mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) at child-friendly spaces, community centres, from mobile teams, and by remote counselling.

• The funding gap of 84.8 per cent is severely affecting UNICEF’s capacity to respond effectively; especially children who need basic social services, will not be able to receive humanitarian assistance.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

At the end of 2023, more than 2.6 million people are internally displaced with the need for life-saving assistance. More than 660,000 people are estimated to be newly displaced in northern and southern Shan, Rakhine, the southeast and the northwest regions. In addition, at least 378 civilians have reportedly been killed and 505 injured since the escalation of armed conflict that began in late October. The key challenge for humanitarian workers is the restriction of movement, including the use of roadblocks. Inflation and the depreciation of the local currency is affecting the flow of commodities, depleting stocks in the markets and sharply increasing the price of essential items. The lack of fuel is affecting transportation, telecommunications, the agricultural and industrial sectors and is impacting the delivery of supplies to internally displaced persons in conflict-affected townships. Telecommunications and internet services in Kachin have been extremely unreliable, with limited or no access in some areas as well as in the northwest and Kayah impacting the displaced population’s access to services and information.

The escalation of conflict has a disproportionate impact on children. Children suffer mental health and psychosocial impacts from witnessing or experiencing violence, as well as new or prolonged displacement.

In northern Shan, the conflict remains intense with continuous fighting across several townships. Artillery shelling and multiple airstrikes have increased the number of civilian casualties, with unverified reports of 130 civilians killed and 210 injured since the fighting escalated. Some 104,300 people are newly displaced in northern Shan, as well as in Kachin and Mandalay, while almost 20,000 people have returned home, particularly to nearby villages at Lashio township. Lashio airport has been closed for seven weeks and access by road is worsening, with increased restrictions on humanitarian supplies at various checkpoints.

All townships in Rakhine State continue to be affected by severe blockades, movement restrictions, arbitrary arrests, and artillery shelling; 37 civilian deaths and 121 injuries were reported. Arbitrary arrests have escalated across Rakhine, with more than 190 people placed in detention; humanitarian workers have also been affected by this. Some 114,700 people have been newly displaced due to the ongoing fighting.

Across the northwest and central Myanmar, the intensifying conflict has resulted in 118 civilian deaths and 73 injured with more than 314,000 people newly displaced. More than one million people are now displaced in Sagaing region, and more than 60 per cent of the population displaced after February 2021 remains in the northwest region. Humanitarian workers and some 110 civilians have been reportedly arrested since early December. Landmines and unexploded ordnance pose a major risk in the northwest. An estimated 150,000 internally displaced people in Kawlin and Tigyaing townships in Sagaing have no access to humanitarian assistance.

In the southeast, intense clashes are increasing, especially in Kawtkareik, Kyainnseikkyi and Hpapun in Kayin and Nyaunglebin and Kyaukkyi in Bago East. More than 136,000 people have been newly displaced since the escalation began with 93 civilians reported dead, and 101 injured, many of them along the Shan-Kayah border. Access to, and transportation of, essential supplies are heavily restricted, especially in Kayah.