Victims of famine in 15 villages around Chikha Township, Northern Chin state, Burma have at last received some succour with the Burmese military providing them some goods and tobacco, according to a report.

The Light Infantry Battalion no (50) based in Cikha, provided some goods like dry fish, soap,  (locally called Shwewa), tobacco for smoking in plastic packets, match boxes and vests, said a local.

"They provided one match box for each house, a bar of soap for three households, one packet of tobacco to each village, one tickle of dry fish for one village and one vest for each village," a local in Cikha said.

All the stuff was carried by seven military personnel on two horses for 15 villages with a population of 3000.

This is the first time that the Burmese Army has given provisions to people in Chin state. Previously they used to collect money and take some domestic animals from the villagers for their own consumption and recruit porters for their work.

Chin people in the state are suffering from famine following  bamboo flowering which leads to rats devouring the flowers and multiplying by the dozen and then destroying both standing crops and those in godowns. Bamboo flowers every 50 years when its life cycle comes to an end. 

Though the Chin people are suffering from famine, the military junta has not bothered to help the people of the affected state in terms of food.

"I think the relief programme just undertaken is at the initiative of the local authorities to garner support from the people but it is a joke given the pittance handed out," a local said.

Overseas Chin people are helping and supplying some food for their relatives as well as the people who are suffering from food shortage in Chin State.

The groups called the Chin Famine Emergency Relief Committee, Chin Humanitarian Relief Committee and Chin Public Affair Committee in exile are helping Chin people who are suffering directly from the effects of the famine.