By Camp Correspondent
Say Tha Mar Gyi, Sittwe Township | May 3, 2025
A devastating fire tore through the Say Tha Mar Gyi IDP camp in Sittwe Township late on May 1, destroying nearly 480 makeshift shelters and displacing approximately 3,000 Rohingya residents, many of whom had already been living in extreme vulnerability since fleeing previous waves of violence in Myanmar.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, but eyewitnesses said flames spread rapidly through the tightly packed shelters, built from bamboo and tarpaulin, offering little resistance.
Lives Lost and Hundreds Injured
At least two people—a man and a woman—have been confirmed dead, and over 200 others were injured, many suffering from burns, smoke inhalation, or injuries sustained while fleeing the inferno. There are fears that more bodies may be discovered in the debris.
“I saw the fire coming toward our home,” said Noor Kalima, a mother of five who had lived in the camp for more than a decade. “I just grabbed my children and ran. Everything we owned is gone. Now we’re sleeping under the open sky. We urgently need shelter, water, and food. Please help us.”
Another survivor, Hossain Ahmed (60), broke down as he shared his loss:
“I lost my grandson in the fire. He was only three years old. We couldn’t save him in time. Our hearts are broken.”
Urgent Humanitarian Needs
Thousands of displaced families are now without any basic necessities. Immediate needs include:
- Emergency shelter (tents, tarpaulins)
- Clean drinking water
- Food and baby formula
- Burn and wound care supplies
- Mosquito nets, hygiene kits, and dignity kits
- Mats, blankets, and clothing
Local resources are overstretched and inadequate, with little capacity to provide for the scale of destruction.
Global Community Urged to Act Swiftly
Humanitarian groups and Rohingya leaders are calling on international aid organizations, Islamic charities, and foreign governments—particularly from Qatar, UAE, Turkey, Malaysia, the UK, the USA, Australia, and across the Muslim world—to respond urgently.
“This is not just a fire—it is another blow to people who have already lost everything,” said a local camp volunteer. “If help doesn’t come now, we will see a secondary crisis unfold—disease, hunger, despair.”
With the monsoon season approaching, conditions are expected to deteriorate further, making immediate aid not only necessary but life-saving.
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