A Hakha-based women’s organization has questioned government allocation of funding to natural disaster victims in Chin State in 2015.
The Hakha-Thar Women’s Organization—called Hakha-Thar Nu Bu—released a statement on November 17 regarding assistance provided in the wake of flooding and cyclone damage that occurred more than three years ago. The organization itself was founded in response to the natural disasters of 2015, in the 1,000-residence Hakha-Thar ward.
“Funds for natural disaster victims in 2015 did not directly go to the real victims,” said Pi Man Lang, of Hakha-Thar Nu Bu. “There is a lot of assistance that was wasted. The government needs effective management over these funds.”
An estimated 600 million kyats (US$373,436) in disaster relief funds remains in the Chin State government’s coffers, as well as rice and other foodstuffs which will expire soon. According to Hakha-Thar Nu Bu’s statement, the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) must be transparent in how it spends this remaining money, and further suggested that it be used for road repair.
The women’s organization alleged that government staff took disaster relief assistance for themselves, and demanded that Chin State social affairs minister Pau Lurn Ming Thang publicly speak on the management of the funds, which were delivered by the Union government.
Hakha-Thar Nu Bu called on the Chin State parliament to examine budget planning for future disaster relief funds, particularly since not all of the goods and funds were distributed during the time of need for the victims and instead kept as a reserve.