More than 6,000 villagers in southern Shan State are facing severe shelter shortages and health risks after being forcibly displaced by the Pa-O National Organization (PNO), an armed militia, during peak monsoon season.

Between June 6 and 15, the PNO ordered the immediate evacuation of seven villages across Nawngkyaw and Nawnghtaw village tracts without providing justification, according to local sources. Farmers—many in the middle of planting season, were forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods with little warning.

“They pleaded to stay long enough to harvest their crops, but by late June, they had no choice but to flee,” said a local aid worker assisting the displaced.

Now scattered near Mwe Daw Pagoda, Sakho Khun Village, and along roadsides, displaced families endure overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Some have secured rented shelters, while others sleep in flimsy bamboo huts or makeshift tents, vulnerable to relentless downpours.

“Hsihseng is overwhelmed, there’s simply not enough space or resources,” the aid worker added.

With limited access to clean water, food, and mosquito nets, preventable illnesses are surging. Multiple cases of diarrhea, typhoid, and malaria have been reported, particularly among women and children.

“The rains won’t stop, tents are scarce, and some families are stranded in flooded areas,” said one displaced villager. “We desperately need food, clean water, and medical aid.”

The crisis has disproportionately affected vulnerable groups. One displaced woman described the humiliation of living in mixed-gender shelters: “We have no privacy, and sickness is spreading everywhere.”

While some men risk returning to tend their farms, they fear retaliation. “When the PNO gave the order, people had no choice but to leave everything behind,” said another evictee.

The PNO has not disclosed the reason for the mass eviction, though observers speculate it may be linked to counterinsurgency efforts against resistance groups like the People’s Defense Forces (PDF).

As monsoon rains worsen and humanitarian needs escalate, local relief efforts are stretched to the breaking point, leaving thousands in urgent need of international attention and aid.