Authorities discovered four more cases of COVID-19 in Thazin and Taung Thitsa wards in Kalay, bringing the total detected in the town, located in Sagaing Region, to 47 infections. “One person, who lives in Taung Thitsa ward, lost his sense of smell and came to the hospital,” Nyi Nyi, in charge of the Information and Public Relations Department for Kalay District, told Khonumthung News. It’s unclear how the forty-year-old became infected. Three males ages 29, 33 and 49 from Thazin ward also tested positive. Their families are in quarantine. Despite the rising cases, authorities have no plan to lock down…
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The Kalay Township Election Commission resolved a dispute on Wednesday between two candidates contesting for the position of Chin ethnic affairs minister in the Sagaing Region. San Thawng Thang, who is running with the Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD) had publicly suggested that his rival, independent candidate Lalthang Con, was ineligible to run for the post because he was not yet 35 years old. Lalthang Con filed a complaint with the local election commission regarding the matter and insisted on his eligibility. “I was dissatisfied with what the CNLD candidate San Thawng Thang was saying,” Lalthang Con told Khonumthung…
Election day equipment, including ballots and ballot boxes, was delivered to southern Chin State’s Paletwa Township via military helicopter on Tuesday. The materials are enough to accommodate the 10,000 people allowed to vote—more than 50,000 people in the township will not be able to participate in the election after the Union Election Commission (UEC) canceled voting in 94 village tracts, citing security concerns due to fighting between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army. The election will take place in just four wards in Paletwa town, three in Sami, and in Shin Letwa village tract. Lin Kyaw, the secretary of…
A staff member of an MRTV station in Rihkhawdar, Chin State, was beheaded on Tuesday evening in the office’s break room, according to local sources. Kap Hlay Pyaung was a 43-year-old employee at the tv station and allegedly killed by 28-year-old Shel Thang, also known as Thang Ngar, an employee of a stone-breaking factory. He was reportedly later arrested while in possession of Kap Hlay Pyaung’s severed head. The two men were believed to have had a personal dispute. “The incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. yesterday. It happened in the microwave room of the office. Kap Hlay Pyaung was…
Internally displaced persons (IDPs), who are taking refuge in Meezar village after fleeing from conflict in southern Chin State, don’t have enough to eat even after receiving financial aid from the state government and the World Food Programme (WFP). The Ministry of Social, Relief and Resettlement and WFP provided IDPs with some money to buy food, but due to inflation, they can’t buy much rice. Fighting between the Burma Army and Arakan Army (AA) has blocked vital land and water transportation routes from Paletwa town to the village, increasing the cost of goods. Because there are three Burma Army checkpoints…
A market and minibus station is planned in the town of Rihkhawdar in Chin State, along the Indian border. Salai Thein Htay Lwin, from the town’s municipal committee, told Khonumthung News that construction will be completed by the Spring. “The chief minister of Chin State and our municipal minister told us to build the market and minibus station. We expect to finish the construction by March before the next government is sworn in.” Salai Thein Htay Lwi said a separate committee was being assembled to work with the General Administration Development officer to develop the project. “We intend to submit…
With transportation routes to Paletwa blocked by conflict, diesel prices have increased, reducing available fuel for generators providing power for the sequestered town not yet hooked up to the national power grid. Town residents used to get four hours of power a day but now get only two. Nang Wai, from the Relief and Rehabilitation Committee for Chin IDPs, told Khonumthung News that the power shortage is very difficult for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had to flee from their villages because of fighting between the Arakan Army and Burma Army in Paletwa Township. “A few months ago, we…
Health authorities detected 15 new COVID-19 cases in a quarantine facility in Kalay Public Hospital, located in Sagaing Region, yesterday (November 2). Nyi Zaw, Head of Public Relation and Information Department for Kalay District, informed Khonumthung News that the new transmissions may have been acquired in Tat-Oo Thida ward. All of the individuals in quarantine who became infected with acute respiratory disease were in contact with someone with the virus from the same ward. To control a potential outbreak, authorities are imposing a ‘stay at home’ order for Tat-Oo Thida, Aung Thitsa and Aung Mingalar wards. According to the Kalay…
Without access to the internet, residents of Paletwa Township, located in southern Chin state, can’t access vital information about the election or how to protect themselves during the pandemic. “We can’t communicate with other areas. We don’t know what’s happening with COVID-19 or the election,” a staff member at a women’s organization in Paletwa informed Khonumthung News. The government has restricted the internet in 8 townships in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township since June 21, 2019, because of the conflict between the Burma Army and Arakan Army. In Paletwa Township, only a 2G network is allowed. Nang Wai, from the…
Family and friends of Salai Aung Soe, who has been detained by the Arakan Army (AA) for over three months, are concerned about his safety. Many have called for AA, which is fighting with the Burma Army, to immediately release the Chin youth from Paletwa Township. Mai Nang Wai, with the Khumi Affairs Coordination Committee (KACC), told Khonumthung News they released many statements requesting the ethnic armed organization (EAO) to safely return Salai Aung Soe. “He’s just a normal civilian. I understand that AA acts in accordance with the Geneva Conventions … They should release him as soon as possible.…