Since March 27, an estimated 25,000 Karen people have been internally displaced as a result of bombing attacks from the Myanmar military.

Nhill Karen community leader Kaw Doh Htoo said fighting in the region Karen people live in, the Northern Karen State, has intensified over the past months.

"There is a situation in Burma where the military are continuing to kill the people," he said.

"The Burmese military sends more troops every month. Now the people hiding in the Northern Karen State area have to face malaria and hunger - it is very difficult."

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Mr Htoo has had difficulty reaching his family members in Myanmar, with the military having cut off the region's internet.

"I have family members in Burma, my mum, my brothers and sisters escaped inside Burma in the Karen State, but not where the most fighting is happening. In a different area," he said.

"But security personnel and military troops have exercises - they send in more troops and they train. They have to always listen to the news or message each other person by person."

Myanmar's elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted from government and detained in an early morning raid by the military on February 1, 2021.

Since then, Myanmar's military has been tightening its grip on power as protests spread through its cities and guerilla fighting occurs in the countryside.

Mr Htoo said if he wanted to contact his family members in Myanmar, he needed to call them by phone, with some regions in Myanmar having all telecommunications cut off entirely.

He said he would like to see more support for displaced people by the Australian government.

"I would like to see the Australian government put more pressure on the military coup - also to support the people who have become homeless in the Karen State area through NGOs," he said.

"I would like to send a message to the government to take care of people who are homeless, whose land has been taken away and have had to flee by themselves, with nothing.

"Now they need food, shelter and security."

To donate to the fundraiser for internally displaced Karen people, send money to the Nhill Karen Community Funds Account, Account Number: 26-372-7578, BSB: 083-752, and reference "Karen Protection Appeal".

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