Internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Nawng Chin Parish. - Photo: Fr Kurt Zion Pala
The Columban Mission Office team continues to accompany the people of Myanmar through its work aligned with the Columban Mission Priorities - particularly in the areas of biodiversity conservation and the accompaniment of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). These two priorities - care for our common home and solidarity with the displaced - remain deeply interwoven in the life and mission of the Church in Myanmar.
In addition to marking Laudato Si’ Week with ecological reflections and awareness-raising, the Columban Mission Office has carried out pastoral visits to a number of IDP camps across the region. The numbers of displaced families and individuals continue to grow rapidly, particularly as the ongoing conflict spreads into areas that had previously escaped direct violence.
We heard heartbreaking stories from displaced people in several camps. “Entire villages have been burned, one house after another,” shared one mother in Namti. Her voice carried both sorrow and exhaustion as she described the many times her family had been forced to move, always seeking a safer place. “We no longer have homes, or farms, or certainty,” she said. Another young mother shared that the presence of Burmese soldiers in their village meant that there was no possibility of returning - not now, and perhaps not ever.
I joined Fr La Lung, the Myitkyina Diocesan Youth Director and a member of the Diocesan Emergency Response Team (DERT), on a pastoral visit to the parishes of Namti and Mogaung in early June. These two parishes have become sanctuaries for hundreds of families displaced from surrounding villages. We first arrived at Namti Parish, which has welcomed families from Lawa and other villages since March 2025. Initially, these families were housed within parish structures and makeshift tents in the town centre.
In June, after lengthy negotiations, the township authorities permitted the displaced families to rent a section of government land. There, they are now attempting to construct more “permanent” shelters from bamboo, plastic tarps, and tarpaulin sheets. While this represents a step forward, conditions remain harsh. When strong winds blow or the rains fall - as they often do during the monsoon season - the shelters leak, and the interiors become cold and wet. Families crowd together at night to stay warm.
Fr La Lung spoke with the camp leader to understand their most pressing needs. The head of the camp explained that while 300 families have already settled in, they expect at least 100 more in the coming weeks. Yet, the camp currently has only 11 functioning toilet facilities and limited access to clean water. The fear of sanitation-related diseases looms large. “We are praying there won’t be an outbreak, but we know the risk is high,” he said.
We were hosted overnight at Namti Parish by Fr Tu Hkawng, the local parish priest. Early the next morning, we travelled to St Peter’s Parish in Mogaung, where more displaced families from Kamaing and nearby villages had sought shelter. A catechist welcomed us and shared that their food stores were nearly depleted. Many people, he added, were still hiding in the forests, afraid of both armed conflict and displacement. “We don’t know how long they can stay hidden,” he said quietly. “They are running out of everything.”
Last month, I also joined Columban lay missionaries Michael Javier and Cata Son from our office in visiting Nawng Chin Parish, one of the newest parishes in the region. Created only last year, it is now host to ten separate IDP camps scattered across its territory. When fighting escalated in a nearby area, families fled and found temporary refuge here.
Columban Fr Kurt Zion (left) and Columban lay missionaries Cata Son and Michael Javier (right) visiting the IDP camps in Nawng Chin Parish. - Photo: Fr Kurt Zion Pala
The most recent survey of Nawng Chin Parish reveals 1,707 individuals living across ten camps. Five camps are located near the parish church compound, the others are more remote. Some camps are building new shelters with bamboo and salvaged materials, but most still face the need for repairs and access to basic services. Food supplies are stretched thin, clean water is limited, and electricity is scarce or non-existent.
The situation continues to deteriorate as displacement spreads. What is most concerning is that even as the number of displaced persons increases, international humanitarian support to Myanmar has significantly declined. Global attention has shifted elsewhere, leaving vulnerable families and communities to rely increasingly on local church efforts, small-scale donations, and prayerful solidarity.
And yet, amidst all of this, hope remains. We witness it in the tireless work of parish volunteers who share what little they have. We hear it in the quiet courage of mothers who care for their children in shelters made of tarps and bamboo. We see it in the faith of the catechists who continue to teach and serve, even while displaced themselves. This hope is not naïve - it is born of deep suffering, but also of deep resilience.
On World Refugee Day, we are reminded that solidarity is not just a feeling of compassion - it is an action. It is showing up. It is walking alongside the displaced. It is helping amplify their voices and respond to their needs.
We thank each of you for your continued support of our efforts to accompany the displaced families and individuals here in Myanmar. Your prayers, your generosity, and your shared commitment allow us to remain present - to offer not just material aid, but hope, friendship, and dignity.
As the conflict continues, we will continue to go where we are needed. We will listen, we will advocate, and we will serve - together.
Columban Fr Kurt Zion Pala lives and works in Myanmar.
Listen to "World Refugee Day: "Solidarity with refugees""
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - August 2025
