More than 2,000 ethnic Shan internally displaced persons (IDPs) from approximately 700 households are enduring severe shelter shortages and deteriorating health conditions in Myitkyina’s Shan Ethnic IDP camp.

The displacement follows intensified clashes between Myanmar’s military (State Administrative Council) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

Most families fled from Bhamo Township, while others escaped escalating violence in Sinbo Township, Talawgyi village tract, Sankin village, and conflict-affected areas of Waing Maw Township.

A local aid worker, speaking anonymously to SHAN, described the camp’s dire state: “Healthcare is now critical for children and the elderly are falling ill frequently. With only flimsy tents for shelter, conditions are unsafe and unsanitary.”

The Shan Ethnic IDP Assistance Committee is distributing aid across nine locations in Myitkyina, including the Shan Ethnic Dhamma Center, Shwe Pyi Thar Camp, and multiple monasteries. Yet, overcrowding and inadequate housing persist as major challenges.

“The tarpaulin roofs offer little relief from the heat and fail during heavy rains. Many families in monasteries are forced to sleep in dining halls,” another relief worker reported.

Humanitarian organizations have warned of dwindling food supplies after aid suspensions in early 2025, leaving displaced families uncertain of their next meals.

Since March 2024, continuous fighting between the military and the KIA has driven thousands from Sinbo, Waing Maw, and Bhamo Townships to seek refuge in Myitkyina’s camps. With minimal infrastructure and stretched resources, the IDPs face an increasingly precarious future.