Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw, Kayah State, recounted the harsh realities of life for displaced communities in Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict in an interview with AsiaNews.
Forced to flee due to the violence following the military coup in 2021, Bishop Ba Shwe said, “No one lives in Loikaw anymore.”
“Most of the buildings have been burned and destroyed, especially in the Christian areas. In many parts of the city, people cannot return, also because of landmines and unexploded ordnance,” he added.
Now living among 150,000 displaced people across 200 refugee camps, the bishop noted that while the camps are in remote areas, the threat of violence remains constant.
“We can’t really say there is no conflict, because a bombing or an artillery attack could come at any moment,” the prelate said.
Typhoon Yagi further worsened conditions. “At least 10 refugee camps have been washed away by floods,” he said, adding that the lack of food and water remains a pressing issue.
The conflict has deeply affected the youth of Kayah State, with many joining the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government.
“They are fighting for their future and their freedom,” he said. “They witnessed democratic progress during the years of Aung San Suu Kyi between 2015 and 2020.”
“Now young people know that there is a space in which they can express their freedoms, they are convinced that they are fighting for justice,” he added.
However, Bishop Ba Shwe stressed that young Burmese people “also know that war is not the solution to achieving a democratic state. We need dialogue.”
Children, many of whom have been out of school for years, also face constant threats. The bishop has supported informal schools, though they remain vulnerable.
“The children have learned to look up to see if bombs are coming. If they see a jet, they know to run somewhere else,” he explained.
Bishop Ba Shwe acknowledged that he was given the option to relocate to safer areas, but he chose to stay with his displaced community.
“When I fled Loikaw, many people offered me to go to Taunggyi or other safe places where there is no fighting. But how can I leave my people? I have to go where my flock is,” he said.