The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has supplied some rice to nine villages in Matupi Township, in southern Chin State, western Burma, as part of an ongoing process of relief for the famine, which has hit the area, post bamboo flowering.
The UNDP has given 7 kgs of rice per head for three months, to the nine villages of – Lungmam, Sabawlte, Mala, Darling, Tawnlailung, Saphaw, Pintiya and Yomang village of Matupi Township. The UNDP has been conducting this relief operation for a month, in areas, which have been reeling under the onslaught of famine since last March.
“Actually the relief program is not by UNDP, but under the World Food Program. However, UNDP has purchased and distributed the rice. It also made lists of the population and other things to help them,” a local from Matupi town said.
The UNDP is making arrangements for relief for other villages in the coming month. But, it cannot give an estimate of how many villages would be helped, he added.
The UNDP staff will go to the field, in order to know the exact condition of the villagers and then they would give away 7 kgs of rice per head.
The rice would be kept in Matupi, Lailenpi, Rizua and KaCe villages, as these locations are easy for transportation. Other villages would take their rations from these villages. The fares of carrying or transportation charges, would be given by UNDP, a local from Matupi said.
The phenomenon of bamboo flowering earlier used to happen once in 50 years. It has started again from end of 2006, so that Chin people are facing tremendous problems and are living in famine conditions till date. Some of them have moved to resettle in Mizoram State , India .
The consequences of the famine, due to bamboo flowering, used to last for 5 years. Currently, it lasts for only 3 years, but many people are still in great suffering and are helpless.
There has been no help or relief from the SPDC government till now. Besides, the military junta still collects excessive taxes and money from traders, and they also seize the domestic animals of civilians, whenever they want.
However, the NGO groups of the World Food Program, Country Agency for Rural Development (CAD), and other Chin organizations - Chin Famine Emergency Relief Committee (CFERC), Chin Humanitarian and Relief Committee (CHRC), Chin Public Affair Committee (CPAC), Women’s League of Chin Land (WLC), which have been established in Mizoram , India , have given some relief to the Chin people.
