Nearly 500 households in an internally displaced person camp in Sami, Paletwa Township, are without proper shelter after their bamboo huts were damaged by a termite infestation. “Some houses have already collapsed. Some IDPs are renting bamboo huts from other IDPs in the camp who have taken mercy on them,” Pyi Su, who is helping the Sami IDPs, told Khonumthung News. There are five IDP camps in Sami town, housing a total of 3,388 people from 818 families. The IDPs were displaced by clashes between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army in southern Chin State. The bamboo huts they…
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All COVID-19 patients have been discharged from the public hospital in Falam, Chin State. “The final confirmed patient with COVID-19 was discharged from hospital at around 10:00 a.m. today,” Dr. Tluang Cung Thang, head of Falam’s hospital, told Khonumthung News on Wednesday. “Currently, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our hospital.” He added that four patients had received medical treatment for the coronavirus in Falam’s hospital. According to Dr. Tluang Cung Thang, even though these patients have recovered, they must complete an at-home quarantine for seven days. The patients in Falam had returned from Rihkhawdar, a town on…
Khonumthung News recently interviewed Salai Htet Ni, spokesperson for the Chin National Front (CNF), about the state of Burma’s current peace process, the situation on the ground in war-torn Paletwa Township, and the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatory’s expectations for the country’s next government following the general election in November. The CNF has implemented the peace process with both the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) governments. What are the differences in the way these administrations worked? And how do you feel about the current situation regarding the peace process? For peace process…
After a lengthy delay, the first passenger aircraft successfully landed at the brand new Surbung Airport around 10:30 a.m. this Tuesday (October 27) in Falam Township, located in Chin State. “The weather was fine, despite a thin fog,” Soe Htet, spokesperson and Minister of Development, Electricity and Industry for Chin State, told Khonumthung News. The minister explained that an ATR-72 aircraft carried 9 flight staff— including the captain—and 25 passengers from Yangon and Mandalay to the new airport, located 6,000 feet above sea level. After landing, the captain praised the quality of the new airport, Soe Htet said. While the…
Burma’s Union Election Committee (UEC) said it canceled polling for the 2020 general election in over two-thirds of Paletwa Township due to hostilities between Tatmadaw and Arakan Army (AA). But Soe Htet, spokesperson and Minister of Development, Electricity and Industry for Chin State, says the election was stopped in 78.43 percent of the township despite there’s no fighting in 75 percent of it. “It’s unlikely the election will be held in Paletwa Township,” he explained, even though “some areas are peaceful.” The minister told Khonumthung News after this information was reported to the Union government some criticized him. “I believe…
The last COVID-19 patient currently in Tedim hospital, Chin State, was discharged on Friday afternoon. The 24-year-old man was Burma’s 30,723rd confirmed patient with the coronavirus. He was a recent returnee from India. He tested positive on October 13 and was then admitted to the hospital. “No confirmed case of COVID-19 remains in our hospital. There were 18 confirmed cases in Tedim hospital. They have all recovered,” Dr. Zaw Myint Naing, the head of Tedim’s public hospital, told Khonumthung News. Eight people remain in quarantine in Tedim, where they are being monitored for symptoms. Tedim was home to Burma’s first…
The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) has accused the Arakan Army (AA) of forcing villagers to provide them with rice in Paletwa Township, southern Chin State, even as locals are facing food shortages. According to an October 20 CHRO statement, the AA collected rice since mid-September from five villages in Ngar Shar village tract, five hours from Paletwa town: the 109-household Nga Shar, 74-household Nombu Nge, 56-household Kyaung Chuang, 30-household Nombu Gyi, and the 4-household Kyaung Chaung. CHRO reported that each household was forced to give the soldiers two bags of rice, and 10 villagers from each community were forced…
The Sagaing Regional COVID-19 Control and Response Committee reported four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sagaing Region’s Tamu town this week. “Three of the four new patients with Patient 1 in Tamu town,” Twi Swin Van, head of the Tamu District information and public health department, said. “The other new patient lost their sense of smell and came to test for COVID-19 in the hospital. The person tested positive. They didn’t have a history of travel. Currently, they are receiving medical treatment in the ICU ward in Tamu hospital.” Among the four new cases are a 39-year-old woman from…
With polling about two weeks away, Election Commission (EC) officials are facing challenges collecting advance votes from Chin residents staying in quarantine facilities for the upcoming election. “People are required to stay in a quarantine facility for 14-days. But some won’t be able to cast their vote at a polling station on election day,” said Thawing Za Sang, who’s the secretary of Hakha Township Election Commission (EC). The problem is getting their signature for form-15, which is required for advance voting, he explained. “We need to wear personal protective equipment when collecting their signatures at the quarantine centers.” On Monday…
The Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD) has spoken out against the government designation of a village they say is part of Chin State into Magwe Region for the upcoming general election on November 8. The CNLD released a statement on October 19 outlining how Shwe Aung Tha village was considered part of Lei Chan village tract in Chin State’s Mindat Township in the 2015 election. The current National League for Democracy (NLD) administration has categorized the community as part of Htee Lin Township in Magwe Region, a designation that the CNLD rejects based on historical records of the area.…