A resident of Yatchaung village in Pletwa Township stepped on a landmine on 29 October and seriously wounded. The victim of the landmine is U Huai Htan (35), a resident of Yatchaung village, has been sent to Sittwe Hospital in Rakhine State this morning in order to get medical care there.
“The landmine victim was sent to Sittwe Hospital this morning. His wound seems to be serious and concerned,” Ko Kyaw Aung from social welfare association of Pletwa told Khonumthung News.
U Huai Htan and five villagers went into the forest in search of foodstuff and he stepped on landmine on return journey. His face and left hand’s fingers were injured seriously and his right thigh also wounded badly.
U Huai Htan is a father of six and he could not afford paying medical charges due to poverty, Ko Kyaw Aung said.
Armed clashes take place often between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Tatmadaw in the Pletwa Township and there were plenty of landmines planted around the border areas.
On 20 September, Daw Phyit Lite from Nga-tein village in Nga-tein village-tract under Pletwa Township also died by landmine while she was searching root vegetable in the upper Pichaung creek area.
In 2016 and 2017 combined, 337 casualties were reported, with conflict-stricken States such as Kachin and Shan topping the list. Out of every four casualties at least one child was injured, and one out of four accidents resulted in death, according to a UNICEF’s report in April 2018.
“Even though we know that many incidents still go unreported, every second day an accident caused by a landmine happens in Myanmar. Sadly, children and women bear the brunt,” said June Kunugi, UNICEF Representative to Myanmar, noting that 43% of those harmed in 2017 alone were women and children.
