Six villagers have died of starvation in Paletwa Township in southern Chin state, Burma in a famine like situation caused by rat infestation.
"Since early this year, six people in our village (Mala) died as a result of food shortage in the region," a member of the village council in Mala village in Paletwa Township told Khonumthung's correspondent who recently visited southern parts of Chin state.
"Since February, one person has been dying each month in our village of diarrhea, dysentery and pain in the abdomen," he added.
In February, Lali (2) and Emanuel (9 months) died of diarrhea, Zathli (7) died of pain in the abdomen in April, Bukau (2) and Lily (1 and half years) died of diarrhea in May and Ba Khung (72) died of low blood pressure.
Though there is no report of villagers dying as a direct impact of food shortage in Para village, near Mala village, it is learnt that some villagers are suffering from malaria. However, there have been some cases of miscarriages.
Mr. Dawt Mang from the Chin Backpack medical team operating along the Indo-Burma border areas has linked the outbreak of malaria and abortion in Para village to the shortage of food in Chin state.
"When I checked the health condition of villagers in that area, I found most villagers suffering from malaria. The people could not afford to buy mosquito nets," Dawt Mang said.
"When pregnant women did not get sufficient food they became weak. Pregnant women in the village suffered from malaria and malnutrition. As a consequence, some women delivered prematurely. Some had miscarriages," he added.
Last month, the Chin National Council said that 44 children died from malnutrition and diarrhea in food crisis hit remote areas of Thangtlang Township.
However, the Country Agency for Rural Development in Myanmar (CAD), a non-government organization that handles development projects in Chin state denied the report of the deaths and claimed that no one had died of diarrhea and malnutrition in remote areas of Thangtlang Township.
However, a villager from Thangtlang Township told Khonumthung's correspondent that around 30 children had died in Thangtlang Township since 2006.- KHONUMTHUNG.
