4 July 2011: Irate villagers cut the water pipe line of Tluangram (B) villagers, Than Tlang township of Chin State, Burma. The pipe connected Tluangram (A) village area in the Indo-Burma border to Tluangram (B) village. Cutting the pipe has caused acute shortage of water supply since 22 June.
The dispute is old and has to do with Tlaungram (B) villagers being separated from Tluangram (A) for almost two decades. TLuangram (A) villagers disliked the water pipe line connected from their village area.
“Tluangram (A) villagers called a public meeting in their village on 20 June and the water pipe was cut in several places by more than 40 Tluangram (A) youths on 22 June,” said a local from Tluangram (B).
Around 50 households of Tluangram (B) villagers have been facing water shortage since their supply was cut from Tluangram (A) village area.
“It is cruel act and terribly unfair, said a local Christian leader.
About 26 departmental officials led by Colonel Zaw Min Oo, Security and Border Affairs Minister of Chin state visited the areas to improve relations between the two villagers on May, but the dispute has not ebbed.
Tluangram (B) shifted to its present area because of water crisis. Their resettlement from the previous place happened after water supply was provided.
“We cannot buy water pipes, so we shifted, but now we can resettle in our place, said a local.
Village authorities of Tluangram (B) village reported the incident to Vuangtu village army camp commander situated near their village, but the army commander referred them to township authorities.
The dispute is old and the local authorities have not been able to solve the problem till now. Khonumthung News