The head of the Chin State health department said a COVID-19 ward is being built in the herbal medical hospital in Hakha town. Dr. Aung Ngwe San told Khonumthung News there are only five COVID-19 patients at Hakha Public Hospital, but if the caseload increases, they need somewhere else to send patients. SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 disease, has infected people across the country, including Chin State. To prevent outbreaks, Dr. Aung Ngwe San said everyone needs to follow the health guidelines set by the government’s Ministry of Health and Sports. A truck owner tested positive on October 19…
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Citizens of southern Chin State, who are sequestered by fighting between Burma Army and Arakan Army (AA), are more concerned about having enough food rations than voting in the general election, which is less than three weeks away, aid workers told Khonumthung News. “People are running out of the rice in their hands,” said Zarni, who’s helping internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Paletwa Township. With rice stocks that were borrowed by the Burma Army already consumed, many don’t have much rice left. Meanwhile, the food convoy from Sami to Paletwa town has been delayed. State spokesperson and Municipal Affairs minister…
Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kanpetlet town, Chin State, released a statement this week calling for a case to be opened against a police officer accused of raping a 17-year-old girl. The police officer from Myoma police station allegedly committed the rape on September 13. Kee Bu, who is working with the Khonumthung Regional Development Organization, said that the police station did not immediately bring charges against the officer in question, despite the fact that he was named by the victim as the perpetrator. “This is a child rape case. They didn’t immediately open the case. They tried to negotiate…
Seven ethnic Khumi Chin civil society organizations (CSOs) released a statement this week expressing concern about whether voting in Burma’s general election will take place in Paletwa Township on November 8. The October 14 statement said that clashes between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army (AA) in southern Chin State could impact the chances of polling taking place in Paletwa. “Political parties and electoral candidates have not been able to launch their election campaigns and voter education campaigns because AA troops remain in Paletwa Township,” Saw Mya, spokesperson of the Khumi Affairs Coordination Committee, told Khonumthung News. “The Burma…
With the construction of Chin State’s Surbung Airport complete, the first flight test—with a landing—is scheduled for the last week in October. The Falam Township airport is the state’s first. “We have yet to open Surbung Airport. This time we will conduct the airport’s first flight landing test,” Chin State’s municipal minister and spokesperson Soe Htet said. “We had a flight flying over the airport in the last flight test; the airport didn’t land on the runway. This time the flight will test out the landing at the airport.” The landing test is scheduled for October 27. The fly-over test…
The Chin State government is planning to build a quarantine facility with a 100-person capacity in each of the state’s nine townships, a spokesperson for the administration said, after four truck drivers tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on Tuesday. Municipal minister Soe Htet said that for the time being, local authorities are carrying out medical checks at the entrances and exits of the state capital of Hakha, testing truck drivers and their assistants for COVID-19 since October 9. “Doctors and nurses test drivers at the checkpoints into Hakha town between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. and between 2:00 and…
The government of Chin State sent rice, domestic products and construction materials to the town of Paletwa this Monday, October 12. Fighting between Burma Army and Arakan Army prevented rice and other essential items from reaching the town in southern Chin State by regular routes for many months. Soe Htet, the state’s spokesperson and minister of Municipal Affairs, said 1,700 bags of rice were shipped from Sami to Paletwa in 12 vehicles. Domestic items, other food items and building materials were sent in 29 vehicles. Everything was expected to arrive on Tuesday, October 13, he said. “The Burma Army is…
The regional government lifted a ‘stay at home order’ in Sanmyo ward and re-opened the Tarhan market in Kalay town, located in Sagaing Region, this Monday (October 12) after no new coronavirus transmissions were reported. Nyi Zaw, who is in charge of Kalay District Information Department, told Khonumthung News the measures, which were in effect for two-weeks, were revoked after no COVID-19 cases were reported. “All market vendors are required to follow health guidelines that are mandated by MoHS (Ministry of Health and Sports) when opening their stalls.” Not all of the vendors returned to work today, he added. The…
Thirteen Chin youth organizations are calling for legal action against officials who ordered a young Chin woman to be hastily buried on a lonely roadside after her body was returned to Burma following a tragic accident in Malaysia. The youth organizations released a joint statement on October 7 demanding that the Chin State government create an independent inquiry, which includes Chin elders, to investigate. Salai An No Bik, chair of Central Chin Youth Organization, questioned why Mai Shui Lay Tiel’s body was prevented from reaching the town. “Many Bamar (aka Burmese) people serve in the Thangtlang Township COVID-19 Control and…
For one week, Paletwa town in southern Chin State has been unable to restart its diesel-powered generator, due to a lack of fuel. While 120 barrels of diesel sits in Sami town—also in Paletwa Township—General Administration Department officer Awng Law Har told Khonumthung News that they cannot be transported due to ongoing regional instability. “We are unable to provide electricity to the town as of today. We cannot bring in fuel for security reasons,” Awng Law Har said. The Burma Army has frequently clashed with the Arakan Army in Paletwa Township. All roads have been cut off linking Paletwa to…