Friends of Burma, Inc. Newsletter

As of March 2024, martial law has been enforced in 61 townships in the country of Burma with 8.2 million people affected. The continued armed conflict with the military junta in control of the country, along with the rising costs of basic goods due to inflation and limited civilian infrastructure due to the fighting, continues to drive displacement of the population. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that close to 2 million are now internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burma due to widespread conflict, dire economic conditions and natural disasters such as cyclones and flooding. People with disabilities, the elderly, women-headed households, and people with medical conditions are particularly vulnerable. Many are desperate to find food, shelter and clothing after being forced to flee into the jungle to escape the military who continue to burn or destroy entire villages in their quest for control of the civilian population (Sources for the above paragraph are the UN Refugee Agency, Irraw