Searching for safety

An ethnic Kokang woman who brought her child to China after violence erupted in the Kokang region in February. They now live in a tarpaulin tent. Photo: Cui Meng/GT

On March 13, a bomb dropped by a Myanmese warplane hit a sugarcane field in Lincang, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, killing five Chinese villagers and injuring several others. Since the conflict in Myanmar restarted in February, around 60,000 refugees have crossed the border to seek refuge in Yunnan.

The streets of the towns that the refugees fled are silent, the sugarcane and tea fields are empty of workers, property that could not be carried lies abandoned. Sugar and tea are the staple crops for farmers living near the China-Myanmar border. In times of peace, a sugarcane farmer in this area can normally earn 40,000 yuan ($6,448) a year by growing the sweet crop.

Since the conflict between the Myanmar government forces and the Kokang ethnic army restarted, the Chinese government has stepped in to offer humanitarian aid, providing water, medical services and temporary shelters. But still, many refugees are struggling to cope.

For those refugees who have been able to get hotel rooms in Yunnan, the Chinese government has capped the price of accommodation of 200 yuan ($32) a night. For those who can't afford this expense, the Chinese government has built 15 large temporary settlements.

Some refugees have set up their own simple tents near the homes of their friends or relatives who live in Yunnan. A resident of Lincang said that many locals are hosting more than 10 refugees.

Many refugees have had to work the fields of Yunnan to make a living. Just finding a safe place to sleep and being able to buy food to eat is enough for most.

In addition to humanitarian aid, Chinese troops are conducting armed patrols near the border to ensure the security of local residents and refugees.