America Christian Organizations are sending millions of dollars in aid to the beleaguered Kachin Internally Displaced People. You’d think all is looking up but unfortunately this is not the case according to my Jinghpaw brother La Seng Labya who just returned from Kachinland. Apparently these well meaning organizations are sending aid that is simply not getting to the people in dire need. Rather than speculate where the money is actually going I’ve compiled a few pictures to show you where the aid is NOT going.
Reverend La Seng Labya is a Baptist minister from Fort Worth-Texas and cares deeply for his brothers and sisters in Burma. He is a true philanthropist and made the pilgrimage to Kachinland many times with humanitarian aid he personally gathered with the help of the DFW Kachin Baptist Church, Oakland Burmese Mission Baptist Church, Chin Revival Church, Arizona Kachin Christian Fellowship, Smiley Dental Group and fellow Christian Brothers and Sisters back in the US in an effort to ease the suffering. He also hand delivered the aid to insure it got to the people in dire need. Truly nonpolitical his only real concern is for their physical & spiritual needs. The photos are just a brief pictorial journey into the lives of the suffering of Kachinland who are just not being served by well intending organizations in the US.
Refugee center along the China/Burma border are hard pressed for resources and if it were not for the Chinese population in the region they would surely die of starvation. It should be noted the Chinese people are also hard pressed for resources because of the on going conflict but they give what they can to help the Kachin people in spite of their condition. The Chinese have shown themselves to be humanitarians in their own right.
Thousands of Kachin IDP’s have survived insurmountable odds to arrive in what was perceived as sanctuary but in actuality this may be their final death nill as the brutal winter months approach. Humanitarian aid is only a word for many IDPs and the struggle to survive continues and death awaits the weak, the young and the elderly. The plight of the refugee is equally dire for the only difference between them and the IDP is the fact they are on the Chinese side of the border.
Though the IDP and refugees are protected from enemy troops and human traffickers they are totally at the whim of nature and the elements.
As La Seng described what he had witnessed just a few weeks ago I knew in my heart he was totally overwhelmed by what he saw. The emotion in his voice and body language foretold a man who was grief stricken by the fetid conditions his people were being subjected to. I also felt his determination to ease their pain and suffering. La Seng is a man driven and he truly believes he can make a difference in the lives these human beings. I must admit that I was moved deeply as well for I only showed you the tip of the ice berg in this epic human drama.
Pictures speak louder than words and for the most part I am speechless.
I can only ponder how many people will survive the monsoon season only to face the harsh winters this region is noted for.
The established centers are severly overcrowded but there are a few more amenities such as a chapels, learning centers, proximity to medical assistance but they are also a better target for enemy troops who’ve shelled centers along the border indiscriminately over the last year. With what assistance was available more shelters were build but without further aid some projects were canceled in favor of more basic needs such as food and medical supplies.
There are many more photos but they all tell the same tale of grief and human suffering. The lack of support from the outside world has left an indelible mark on my soul as well as La Seng’s. There is no question critically needed aid never arrived in some of the neediest places on earth. The only thing that keeps them going is their faith and they have services every day, 3 times a day in part to keep their souls filled with hope and to give their spirits some solace in spite of their plight.
Though it would appear they have been neglected or ignored they are not bitter nor do they hold any anger to the outside agencies. It is said they believe the outside world simply does not know the real score and how things are or are not done. With this in mind I made this little pictorial so outside agencies are made aware of their situation. Hopefully aid will finally be pointed in the direction of the people who truly are in need of the critical supplies they need to sustain life. With winter just around the corner time is a critical factor. Reverend La Seng Labya is planning another trip and I urge people and agencies to contact him if they want to help these innocent people.
This was La Seng’s itinerary the last trip he took;
1. July 17-22, 2012: Laiza, Kachin State: Jeyang, Hpum Lum Yang IDP Camps and Churches, China-Burma Border.
2. July 23-24, 2012: Mai Ja Yang, Kachin state: IDP Camps, NGO office, School and Institution, Kachin-Burma Border.
3. July 25-26, 2012: Yingjang, Yunan, China: Meeting and Bible Semiar at Hpyingyang Chinese Baptist Church, Yunan, China.
4. July 27-28, 2012: Mangshi, Yunan, China-Meeting and visitation.
5. July 16, 28, 2012: Kunming, Yunan, China.
For more information on how you can help the IDP & Refugees from Kachin State I urge you to contact La Seng directly for more details. There is no question you will be saving lives and your donations will be hand delivered to the people who need it most of all.
DFW Kachin Baptist Church DFW Kachin Baptist Church
1000 West Lamar Blvd PO BOX-121603
Arlington,TX 76012 Arlington,TX 76012
(Worship & Fellowship) (Gift/Donation to be sent)
Your Devil’s Advocate
Buffalohair (Shan Htoi Gam)
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Pestilence has already begun to count coup on the internally displaced people of Kachinland. With no sustenance, shelter nor winter clothing the future of the IDP’s in Kachinland is grim at best but let’s lift sanctions regardless. Why couldn’t western mining interests forge a deal with the Kachin people rather than the military regime? After all, Kachin State does belong to the Kachin people not the junta. The quest for Kachinland’s natural resources could have been resolved amicably and lucratively for Burma, the people of Kachinland and the global mining interests who are eager to exploit Kachin State. But I guess it’s easier to simply let the junta kill them off rather than share in the bounty.
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