Women in Karenni State face increasing levels of violence
Three civilians were killed by airstrikes at the Sin-Sakhan (Elephant) Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Loikaw Township of Karenni State on Tuesday.
“They deliberately targeted this area,” said a spokesperson from Jobs For Kayah, a group providing humanitarian aid at IDP camps in Karenni State.
The victims included a 40-year-old woman who was killed instantly, along with a woman and child who died after receiving medical treatment for their wounds sustained during three reported airstrikes.
An airstrike was also carried out in Demoso Township, 10 miles (16 km) south of the Karenni State capital Loikaw, on Dec. 31. There were no reported casualties, according to local aid groups.
The Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar), an independent conflict monitor, stated that the military has conducted over 7,000 airstrikes on more than 150 townships in Myanmar since the 2021 coup.
It added that there have been approximately 2,000 civilian casualties caused by airstrikes. The number of civilians killed in Karenni State is unknown, but this level of violence inflicted on IDPs by the military over the last three years of conflict – since the uprising to the 2021 coup began – has caused collective trauma.
The Karenni National Women’s Organization (KNWO) reported that domestic violence cases have doubled in 2024 compared to pre-2021 levels, with 101 documented incidents in the last 12 months that include physical violence, psychological abuse, and sexual assault.
“Domestic violence cases have significantly increased since the military coup. The economic hardships faced by displaced families have contributed to rising tensions within households,” said Maw Byar Mar Oo, the KNWO vice president.
Approximately 200,000 civilians – over half of Karenni State’s population – are currently displaced from their homes due to the conflict and are staying temporarily in IDP camps.
“I’ve witnessed children being abused despite their innocence. Married couples fight because we can’t make ends meet. We’re truly jobless here. Many of us can’t access our farmlands anymore. We have no fields, no crops, nothing,” said a woman who was displaced from her home in Karenni State.
Aid workers and women’s rights groups have reported that the psychological impact of airstrikes on the local civilian population staying at IDP camps has caused the levels of domestic violence against women and children to escalate rapidly since 2021.
