1 March 2009: Two Burmese women, who were working as weavers in Aizawl in Mizoram state, India sustained electric shocks on 27 December 2009 at their work place and were hospitalized in Aizawl civil hospital for a month. Now they are suffering from disability.
A source said that the two women are Soe Ma (20) D/o Hla Ngein and Su Su Ma (17) D/o Thein Naing from Moe Ywa township, Sagaing division western Burma. They were working as weavers in Zuangtui block in Aizawl. Su Su Ma injured her fingers and her hand had to be amputated while Ms. Soe Ma lost a finger.
“Three operations were done and my daughter lost her left hand in January. After that the doctor operated on two fingers on the right hand and amputated them,” said Daw Thin Thin Khai, mother of Ms. Su Su Ma.
The family of Daw Thin Thin Khai had migrated to Zuangtui block, Aizawl in 2009 from Burma to earn a livelihood, so their daughter Ms. Su Su Ma could not continue her schooling in class XI. She started supporting her family by weaving. They earn about Rs. 800 a week.
Ms. Soe Ma has no family or relatives in Aizawl city. She has been working with her friends to support her family who live in Burma.
The incident took place on 27 December 2009, when Ms. Soe Ma was styling her wet hair after a bath. Her wet hair touched some untidy electric wires and she received an electric shock. Her friend Ms. Su Su Ma, who tried to help her, was also affected. But after sometime an Indian, house builder saw them and removed the wire with a bamboo.
Thin Thin Khai, mother of Ms. Su Su Ma told Khonumthung News that although they faced many problems in hospital because of the language, their employer Mrs. Nutei was very kind to them and supported her with money for medical treatment. They also received Rs. 20,000 from Burmese weavers and others in Aizawl. They have already spent about Rs. 14,000.
The total expenditure for treatment of Ms. Soe Ma and Ms. Su Su Ma was around Rs. 80,000.
There are many weavers in Mizoram state from Shwebo, Moeywa, Kalemyo in Sagaing division and some parts of Chin state in Burma. There are an estimated 2000 Burmese weavers in Aizawl city, Mizoram.
