The Burmese military junta authorities are yet to clear the blockage caused by a  landslide on the newly reconstructed Stilwell Road also called Ledo Road on the Burma side in the country's northern Kachin State. The landslide occurred a couple of weeks ago, said local sources.

Vehicles cannot ply on the road between Sadon (also called Sadung in Kachin) and Kambaiti because of the heaps of mud and soil at more than six places following the landslides caused by heavy rains, a local traveller told KNG today.
 

Travellers said the blockage of Stilwell Road is causing severe hardship to government personnel, school teachers, Sino-Burma border traders and local fruit plantation owners in these areas.

Meanwhile, some motorcycle owners tried to negotiate the blockage between Sadon-Kambaiti by creating a small passage for two wheelers but they have to spend three or four days for a one way trip, a local traveller added.

A local traveller told KNG, "No one has bothered to clear the road.  Travellers are trying to make their way through the heap of mud and slush on the road by using personal knives, mattocks and chopping hoes."

Both local people and regular travellers on the road between Sadon and Kambaiti are waiting for the road to be restored to its normal condition. However, there is no sign of clearing the debris by the military authorities, said travellers.

One part of Stiwell Road in Burma between Myitkyina in Kachin State and Tengchong in China's Yunnan province is 176 kilometres long and the reconstruction of the road was completed on April 26, 2007 by the Chinese government.

China's state-media Xinhua reported that the Chinese government spent 1.23 billion Yuan for the reconstruction. Two thirds of the funds were used on the Burma section.

The Stilwell Road was constructed by American and led Allied Forces during World War II in order to transport military supplies to Chinese troops fighting against fascist Japan.

China handed over the road to Burma's ruling junta as soon as it completed rebuilding but the junta is yet to take over maintenance, said residents of Sadon.

On the other hand, several significant cracks and fissures were seen on the newly rebuilt Stilwell Road after a series of earthquakes struck China's Yunnan province last month, according to eyewitnesses and travellers.