The Country Agency for Rural Development (CAD) in Yangon, Burma will provide relief to victims of famine following bamboo flowering in Chin state, as of October 2010...
16 August 2010: The Country Agency for Rural Development (CAD) in Yangon, Burma will provide relief to victims of famine following bamboo flowering in Chin state, as of October 2010.
Pu Joseph Kung Za Hmung, Director of CAD, told Khonumthung News by email that its relief group will initiate steps to help the people affected by famine especially in Zokhua, Hakha Township, which is the worst affected in Chin state. They will also extend the aid package to Kanpalet and Paletwa Townships if they have adequate budget provisions.
A CAD statement on August 12 said 16,000 tins of corns and 2000 tins of peanuts crops have been destroyed by rats in Malsawm, Tinam and Zokhua villages in Hakha Township. In Malsawm village 82 per cent of corn plants and 72 per cent of peanuts plants were destroyed.
“International NGOs do not have much interest in helping Chin people and as there is no NGO in Chin state, others cannot enter Chin state to see what is happening,” said Pu Joseph Kung Za Hmung.
Mizzima News reported on 3 August that there is no effort to provide relief to the victims of famine by private groups or NGOs. In some villages of Falam Township, the villagers used locally made guns to kill rats though the authorities have provided poison to kill rats at Kyat 500 per packet. Since the poison can kill domestic animals, the villagers prefer to use the gun.
Other affected areas in Matupi township, in Chin state are Am Soi, Ma Du, Voi Lu, Thing Khong, Tui Chip, Palato, Si Hleh, Pan Tui, Ling Tui, Tho Tui, Nga Pang, Rung, Rawh Thang, Bel Khoeng, Kheng Ca, Kui Ca, Boi Chip and in Paletwa township are Ui Ci, Dui, Tui Ca, Hung, Mung Ta Nu, Khai Canu, Aih Ca and Long Dan villages.
“We don’t know how to save our crops or how to kill all the rats that are eating our crops. The rats are everywhere, we don’t know what to do,” said a local to Khonumthung News by email.
The Country Agency for Rural Development (CAD) is one of the most important NGOs for Chin state after the 2006 bamboo flowering caused famine and consequent suffering to Chin people. It coordinates with other Chin relief groups in the country and abroad, and it is still trying to provide aid for Chin people.
