The Burmese regime was lambasted today for its callousness in solving the current food crisis faced by the people of Chin state in Burma by the Women's League of Chinland, an umbrella group of different Chin women's organizations in exile.
Family from Mautam affected areas in Chin state sharing one bowl of chopped up roots and vegetables foraged in the jungle. (Photo - CFERC)
"The WLC strongly condemns the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) for its failure to prevent the disaster, provide assistance and improve the overall livelihood of the victims of this crisis," a WLC's statement released today said.
Around 100,000 people living in remote areas of Chin state near the Indo-Burma border, where bamboo groves are in abundance are facing acute shortage of food because of the famine like situation (locally known as 'Muatam') created by rats devouring bamboo flowers and raiding crops and food stocks. The flowering started in the region since 2006.
Instead of paying attention to the problems and helping the victims of food crisis, the local authorities in Chin state have in a repressive measure restricted relief efforts by churches and other NGOs to the affected areas.
The WLC said that the SPDC authorities cannot be refrained from committing human rights abuse and oppression against Chin people in the future, though the people in the state live through bitter experiences following natural disasters.
The WLC's statement said, "The SPDC will continue to neglect these problems, in fact, they will continue the oppression against civilians despite the severe problems they are now facing".
Recently, the threat of rats that eat paddy and other crops grown in farms in remote areas of Chin state along the Indo-Burma border is getting worse and heading for other places inside Chin state, according to locals.
The WLC also appealed to the international community and neighbouring countries to help the victims of famine called Mautam in Chin state and solve the problem, otherwise the disaster will last for several years.
Bamboos flower every 50 years when its life cycle comes to an end. The flowers are eaten by rats whose fertility increases leading to multiplication in large numbers. The rats then invade crops in farmlands and barns causing shortage of food and consequent famine. This phenomenon is true for both Chin state in Burma and the contiguous Mizoram state in India.
