For the past four years, Ma Moe, 40, has been living a life of uncertainty. Originally from Demoso in Karenni (Kayah) state, Myanmar, she and her family have moved three times, fleeing relentless airstrikes and artillery attacks. "I moved three times with my family. Everywhere is temporary," Ma Moe said. "I’m afraid to live at home. I’m concerned about my safety; my ward is not safe anymore".

Her fears are not unfounded. In August 2021, she returned to check on her home, only to find two burnt civilian bodies and another dumped in a streetlight pole pit - the area she had been told was safe. 

Since Myanmar’s military coup, more than 200,000 people in Karenni state have been displaced, according to civil society organisations and the Interim Executive Council (IEC). Many have taken refuge in bomb shelters designed to withstand aerial attacks by the junta.

Maui, 32, deputy commander-in-chief of the Karenni National Defence Force (KNDF), explained that airstrikes have displaced more people than ground battles. "There are two types of IDPs in our state," he said, using the abbreviation for internally displaced persons. "The first are those who flee fighting in or near their villages. The second group is made up of people forced to leave because of aerial attacks. These civilians are targeted even when no ground fighting occurs. They are afraid to live in their homes."

Across Karenni state, electricity, mobile signals, internet, and water have been cut off by the military, leaving displaced communities with little to survive on. Entire villages now stand empty, their residents driven away by ongoing conflict. A KNDF fighter, speaking anonymously, described the situation on the ground: "We just stay here as a security checkpoint. Burmese soldiers can arrive at any time. Even when they're not here, they fire heavy artillery. That’s why civilians are scared to live here." The once-thriving village of Nan Hpe is now deserted due to repeated airstrikes.

Htoo May Dae, 38, and her four children relocated to an IDP camp in west Demoso after an airstrike hit their previous home in Cherry Hill. "Before I lived here, we lived in Cherry Hill, but an airstrike hit near us and we moved here," she said. "My kids have suffered a lot of traumas because of them." The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that as of March 3, 2025, Myanmar hosts over 14mn refugees, internally displaced persons, and others in need of assistance.

Karenni state is among the most heavily affected regions, with thousands seeking refuge in neighbouring Thailand. 

Daw Noe Khu, an IDP camp near the Myanmar-Thai border, shelters around 4,000 people who have fled their homes since 2021. "All these people are from Kayah state, mostly from Loikaw, Demoso, Fruso, and Bawlakhe," said an anonymous camp worker. "This camp is currently sheltering people who have moved at least three times due to airstrikes and conflict."

On July 13, 2023, a junta airstrike hit the camp, killing one person and injuring three. "Heavy artillery had landed near us several times, but this was the first direct airstrike since the coup," the camp worker added. The crisis for displaced people in Myanmar has worsened following the Trump administration’s decision to suspend USAID funding, which has disrupted essential humanitarian aid.

According to CNN, this move led to the closure of healthcare facilities along the Thailand-Myanmar border, which had served thousands of refugees. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which operated clinics in these camps, was forced to shut down due to the funding freeze, leaving refugees without critical medical care. The aid suspension has also resulted in mass layoffs of aid workers in Thailand, further straining relief efforts.

Previously, hospitals in refugee camps, funded by USAID, provided lifesaving treatment. Now, many of these facilities are closed, leaving displaced people without access to basic healthcare. Human rights groups warn that the reduction in aid not only disrupts immediate relief but also weakens international pressure on Myanmar’s military regime. The funding cuts may also push Myanmar closer to neighbouring China, shifting regional power dynamics.

According to The Irrawaddy, this could further embolden the junta while diminishing support for pro-democracy movements. The funding freeze has already led to fatal consequences. Wah K'Ler Paw, a refugee dependent on dialysis, died after her treatment was halted due to the aid suspension. Many NGOs, including the IRC, have been forced to shut down critical healthcare services, leaving refugees without necessary medical treatments.

As Myanmar nears the four-year anniversary of the military’s takeover, the junta has announced plans to hold elections later this year or in early 2026. 

However, with ongoing conflict and widespread displacement, many view these elections as a means for the military to consolidate its control rather than a step toward genuine democracy.

The international community continues to monitor the situation, with neighbouring countries and organisations seeking ways to provide assistance to those affected by the crisis. Yet for those displaced inside Myanmar, like Ma Moe, the future remains bleak. "Everywhere is temporary," she said. "I just want a safe place for my family.