In the aftermath of floods in the Uru River and landslides, jade tycoons are distributing much-needed food and drinking water to victims in Hpakant jade land in Burma's northern Kachin State, said local sources. Massive floods and landslides, one of the worst in recent memory, occurred on July 4 and 5.
The rescue and relief operations could start in the affected areas only after the floods subsided and the heavy downpour stopped on July 7, said residents of Hpakant.
Local Kachin jade tycoon Ze Lum and his colleagues are distributing rice and fried eggs, which are packed in one-time use plastic bags as well as one litre bottles of drinking water to hundreds of flood survivors and victims in Hpakant jade mining city, said residents of Hpakant.
According to local people, the Burmese military junta is yet to begin rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. The junta earns its third highest foreign exchange from gem, mainly from Hpakant jade mines but the victims and survivors of the floods and mudslides are being ignored by the regime, said locals.
Vehicular traffic has ground to a halt between Hpakant and areas outside jade land because the road has been blocked by landslides in three places between Nam Ya and Lonkin, also called Lawng Hkang in Kachin, according to travellers.
Only motorcycles can cross the landslide hit areas and travel to Hpakant. But motorcycle owners have to pay 30,000 Kyat per vehicle as carrier fee at every landslide block, said travellers.
Eyewitnesses said they saw a bulldozer yesterday on the Hpakant Road heading towards the blockages between Nam Ya and Lonkin.
Residents of Hpakant said, Uru River, the main river in Hpakant jade land, inundated three major cities--- Hpakant, Seng Tawng and Lonkin but Nga-Pyaw-Taw, Kala Jawng, Kalat Kone and Maw One quarters in Hpakant were the most severely affected by floods and mudslides.
In Kala Jawng quarter in Hpakant, almost entire houses in the quarters with over 60 homes, except one wooden two-storeyed house were wiped out by the flood waters on July 4, said local people.
The death toll according to the City Administrative Office or City Peace and Development Council of the junta, is over 100.
Following the flood and the consequent shortage of clean water in Hpakant, many people are suffering from water-borne diseases like dysentery and cholera, a resident of Hpakant told KNG today.
An outsider cannot estimate the total number of dead, the number of victims and survivors in the flood affected areas because the roads have over three-feet of mud and slush, said locals.
The government hospital in Hpakant is full of injured people as well as patients suffering from dysentery, said residents
KNG
Showing posts with label Kachin News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kachin News. Show all posts
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Myitkyina Public Hospital Teeming With Child Patients
With the onset of monsoon in June there has been a sudden increase in the number of child patients in Burma's northern Kachin State's capital Myitkyina leaving no room for fresh admissions in the Myitkyina public hospital, said hospital sources.
The hospital has only one children’s ward and it can admit around 80 child patients, said insiders.
As of now, the children’s ward is full with over 100 child patients mainly of ages under 12. Given the overcrowding, some are being treated on the corridors outside the ward, a hospital blue staff told KNG today. Many teenagers in the town are also suffering from Malaria and symptoms of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), said hospital sources.
According to sources in the children’s ward, all infants and child patients in the hospital mainly have symptoms of DHF and Malaria --- high continuous fever, dysentery, headache, respiratory and intestinal problems with sore throat, coughing, nausea, vomiting, and solid waste excretion with blood.
Following blood examination results only a few child patients were found to be afflicted with DHF virus and most patients have been given virus-infection status by the hospital, the sources added.
There are also many child patients in the town but they cannot go to the hospital for two reasons--- there is no more place for new patients in the hospital and they lack affordability for treatment, said residents of Myitkyina.
At the hospital, the patients have to pay 4,000 Kyat to 7,000 Kyat per person for blood examination. They also have to buy all injections and medicine, said hospital staff.
Clinics in the town are also full of infants, children and teenager patients, said local people.
Patients found to be suffering from DHF or otherwise in both the government public hospital and outside clinics are mainly treated with Chinese anti-malarial injections like Artemether and Artesunate with anti-biotic tablets and injections, said parents of patients.
According to locals, almost every family in the town has one or more DHF or Malaria patient.
Hospital and residents of Myitkyina said the number of infants; children and teenager patients in the town are much more than that in last year’s rainy season.
As part of the response of the ruling Burmese junta administration to the virus infection, the Myitkyina Town Health Department has been spraying anti-mosquito gas in the houses of patients' suffering from DHF virus, said hospital sources.
The hospital has only one children’s ward and it can admit around 80 child patients, said insiders.
As of now, the children’s ward is full with over 100 child patients mainly of ages under 12. Given the overcrowding, some are being treated on the corridors outside the ward, a hospital blue staff told KNG today. Many teenagers in the town are also suffering from Malaria and symptoms of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), said hospital sources.
According to sources in the children’s ward, all infants and child patients in the hospital mainly have symptoms of DHF and Malaria --- high continuous fever, dysentery, headache, respiratory and intestinal problems with sore throat, coughing, nausea, vomiting, and solid waste excretion with blood.
Following blood examination results only a few child patients were found to be afflicted with DHF virus and most patients have been given virus-infection status by the hospital, the sources added.
There are also many child patients in the town but they cannot go to the hospital for two reasons--- there is no more place for new patients in the hospital and they lack affordability for treatment, said residents of Myitkyina.
At the hospital, the patients have to pay 4,000 Kyat to 7,000 Kyat per person for blood examination. They also have to buy all injections and medicine, said hospital staff.
Clinics in the town are also full of infants, children and teenager patients, said local people.
Patients found to be suffering from DHF or otherwise in both the government public hospital and outside clinics are mainly treated with Chinese anti-malarial injections like Artemether and Artesunate with anti-biotic tablets and injections, said parents of patients.
According to locals, almost every family in the town has one or more DHF or Malaria patient.
Hospital and residents of Myitkyina said the number of infants; children and teenager patients in the town are much more than that in last year’s rainy season.
As part of the response of the ruling Burmese junta administration to the virus infection, the Myitkyina Town Health Department has been spraying anti-mosquito gas in the houses of patients' suffering from DHF virus, said hospital sources.
Northern Commander Meets Kachin Church Leaders On Transformation Issue
Written by KNG
Friday, 10 July 2009 15:42
Leaders of the biggest churches in Myitkyina, Kachin State were summoned by the Burmese ruling junta's Northern Regional Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win two weeks ago to discuss the amorphous stand of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) regarding transforming its armed-wing, local Churches' sources said.
The church leaders in Myitkyina were especially called to a meeting at the Mali Hka Centre Hall in the Northern Regional Command headquarters in Myitkyina on June 27 from 10 a.m. to noon by Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win. They were told that the KIO had not given a clear answer on transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to a junta-proposed Border Guard Force (BGF), said participants.
The church leaders were requested by the Commander that they tell KIO leaders to come up with a clear answer whether the KIA will be transformed to BGF or not, added the participants.
According to sources who attended the meeting, the Kachin church leaders told the Commander that to resolve the problems it would take a long time and that it could only be solved through a process of serious discussions.
At the meeting there were 17 church leaders from Myitkyina Christian Council (MCC), which is made up of churches like Baptist, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Independent Christian Church (also called Shanglawt Hkristan in Kachin). The participants also included Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum former general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention, who is currently serving as a leader of civilian peace mediators between the KIO and the junta, and the current KBC general secretary Rev. Labya Paul Naw Tawng, said participants.
KIO/A officials in Laiza headquarters on the Sino-Burma border in Kachin State said, the KIO is now awaiting a reply from the junta over its request that the issue be solved only after a new government comes to power after next year’s elections.
On July 8, KIO delegates and Commander Soe Win met at the Mali Hka Center in Northern Regional Command headquarters in Myitkyina but the meeting could not resolve the issue, KIO sources said.
According to the junta's time frame, the KIO has to come up with an answer in black and white over transforming the KIA to the BGF by this month, said KIO sources.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Friday, 10 July 2009 15:42
Leaders of the biggest churches in Myitkyina, Kachin State were summoned by the Burmese ruling junta's Northern Regional Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win two weeks ago to discuss the amorphous stand of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) regarding transforming its armed-wing, local Churches' sources said.
The church leaders in Myitkyina were especially called to a meeting at the Mali Hka Centre Hall in the Northern Regional Command headquarters in Myitkyina on June 27 from 10 a.m. to noon by Commander Brig-Gen Soe Win. They were told that the KIO had not given a clear answer on transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to a junta-proposed Border Guard Force (BGF), said participants.
The church leaders were requested by the Commander that they tell KIO leaders to come up with a clear answer whether the KIA will be transformed to BGF or not, added the participants.
According to sources who attended the meeting, the Kachin church leaders told the Commander that to resolve the problems it would take a long time and that it could only be solved through a process of serious discussions.
At the meeting there were 17 church leaders from Myitkyina Christian Council (MCC), which is made up of churches like Baptist, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Independent Christian Church (also called Shanglawt Hkristan in Kachin). The participants also included Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum former general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention, who is currently serving as a leader of civilian peace mediators between the KIO and the junta, and the current KBC general secretary Rev. Labya Paul Naw Tawng, said participants.
KIO/A officials in Laiza headquarters on the Sino-Burma border in Kachin State said, the KIO is now awaiting a reply from the junta over its request that the issue be solved only after a new government comes to power after next year’s elections.
On July 8, KIO delegates and Commander Soe Win met at the Mali Hka Center in Northern Regional Command headquarters in Myitkyina but the meeting could not resolve the issue, KIO sources said.
According to the junta's time frame, the KIO has to come up with an answer in black and white over transforming the KIA to the BGF by this month, said KIO sources.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Former KBC's general secretary Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, who is currently serving as a peace mediator between the KIO and the Burma's ruling junta.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Kachins Lose Wherewithal Under KIO-Junta (Opinion)
Written by Ring Aung
People in Kachin State have been largely dependent on precious and priceless natural resources like gems and the state's rich biodiversity. The dependence was on splendid and valuable stones and precious metal such as jade and gold in large quantities and this was the main trading business in the past.
However, now the Burmese military regime has resorted to a cunning strategy for the rapid absorption of the massive resources by granting mining permission to Burmese, Chinese and Indian businessmen who have large amounts of money.
Kachin people who have a limited amount of money cannot compete with the rich Chinese and Indians, capable of investing big amounts of money. To make matters worse Kachin businessmen are losing out or are incapable of holding on to their own land which yields business.
One of the recent instances has been the case between Kachin businessman Tsinyu Zau Mung the owner of Seng Bum Company and Chinese businessman Kyaw Myint the owner of 'Hole in One' company.
According to Hpakant jade traders, "Seng Bum Company had recently bought some parts of the 'Hole in One' company's jade mines, and started excavations. Soon after which there were some good results on those particular jade mines. Therefore, the 'Hole in One' Company's owners wanted the jade mines back."
The case went to court of the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO).
The Chinese businessman claimed that he would seize that particular jade mine by filing a case in the KIO's court for he had a good relationship with many high ranking KIO officers.
The Chinese businessman even offered more than 500 million kyats for the court judgment going in his favour.
It was stated that at that particular time, the KIO court had judged fairly despite the relationship, the bribe, and allegations of racism.
After the hearing by the judge, the Chinese businessman even accused the KIO's court of racism and sent the accusation letter to the court.
However, despite the decision of the KIO's court, the Chinese businessman was allowed to do jade mining on the sold out jade mines to the Seng Bum Company.
The reason why he could continue his jade mining business in the sold out areas was because he was granted permission from the vice-president of KIO, Lt-Gen Nban La Awng and he was adopted by the general.
It was said that the Lt-Gen Nban La Awng had abused the power with no respect to the KIO's court's judgment or despite the decision of the KIO's court.
Meanwhile the Chinese businessman has been boasting and saying that nobody can touch and challenge him for he has good relations with all the officers of the KIO.
In conclusion it needs to be pondered how Kachins are going to survive in their own land, if there is no back up or support from even their own Kachin Independent Organization or Army (KIO/A). Instead of looking at the upliftment of Kachin people's life, there are all the signs of a downhill slide in different aspects of life.
People in Kachin State have been largely dependent on precious and priceless natural resources like gems and the state's rich biodiversity. The dependence was on splendid and valuable stones and precious metal such as jade and gold in large quantities and this was the main trading business in the past.
However, now the Burmese military regime has resorted to a cunning strategy for the rapid absorption of the massive resources by granting mining permission to Burmese, Chinese and Indian businessmen who have large amounts of money.
Kachin people who have a limited amount of money cannot compete with the rich Chinese and Indians, capable of investing big amounts of money. To make matters worse Kachin businessmen are losing out or are incapable of holding on to their own land which yields business.
One of the recent instances has been the case between Kachin businessman Tsinyu Zau Mung the owner of Seng Bum Company and Chinese businessman Kyaw Myint the owner of 'Hole in One' company.
According to Hpakant jade traders, "Seng Bum Company had recently bought some parts of the 'Hole in One' company's jade mines, and started excavations. Soon after which there were some good results on those particular jade mines. Therefore, the 'Hole in One' Company's owners wanted the jade mines back."
The case went to court of the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO).
The Chinese businessman claimed that he would seize that particular jade mine by filing a case in the KIO's court for he had a good relationship with many high ranking KIO officers.
The Chinese businessman even offered more than 500 million kyats for the court judgment going in his favour.
It was stated that at that particular time, the KIO court had judged fairly despite the relationship, the bribe, and allegations of racism.
After the hearing by the judge, the Chinese businessman even accused the KIO's court of racism and sent the accusation letter to the court.
However, despite the decision of the KIO's court, the Chinese businessman was allowed to do jade mining on the sold out jade mines to the Seng Bum Company.
The reason why he could continue his jade mining business in the sold out areas was because he was granted permission from the vice-president of KIO, Lt-Gen Nban La Awng and he was adopted by the general.
It was said that the Lt-Gen Nban La Awng had abused the power with no respect to the KIO's court's judgment or despite the decision of the KIO's court.
Meanwhile the Chinese businessman has been boasting and saying that nobody can touch and challenge him for he has good relations with all the officers of the KIO.
In conclusion it needs to be pondered how Kachins are going to survive in their own land, if there is no back up or support from even their own Kachin Independent Organization or Army (KIO/A). Instead of looking at the upliftment of Kachin people's life, there are all the signs of a downhill slide in different aspects of life.
Death Toll In Floods And Landslide Rise To 70 In Hpakant
The death toll has risen to 70 in the aftermath of floods and landslides in Burma's Hpakant jade mining area in the country's northern Kachin State on July 4 and 5. Hundreds have been injured including over 10 people from local Kachin Baptist Churches, according to official figures available from Burmese Army authorities.
The floods and mudslides were the biggest ever witnessed in Hpakant jade land. The devastation was said to have been caused because the ruling junta has been allowing indiscriminate jade mining activities with sophisticated machines following the ceasefire agreement between the regime and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in 1994, said local environmentalists.
The death toll was compiled till yesterday by the administrative office of the Hpakant Jade Mining City also called the City Peace and Development Council (Ma Ya Ka) of the junta, said Hpakant residents.
The search for bodies in jade land is underway and an additional 30 bodies were found under soil and slush dug out from the jade mines yesterday evening, a resident of Hpakant told KNG today.
Eyewitnesses said they saw dozens of bodies being carried in trucks while people were searching for more bodies under the soil heads which came crashing down in the heavy downpour.
Most of the deaths resulted from the mudslides because of the high land dug for the jade mines and because most villages were constructed on low land near the Uru River, according to residents of Hpakants.
The Hpakant government hospital is full of people with injuries as of Saturday night but a callous Burmese military authority is yet to launch any rescue mission for the victims, said residents of Hpakant.
Residents expect the death toll to touch several hundred because over seven main jade mining villages were severely affected by the flood from the Uru River which brought down heaps of soil and mud dug out from thousands of jade mines near their villages.
The three major jade mining cities of Hpakant, Lonkin (also called Lawng Hkang in Kachin) and Seng Tawng were flooded by the Uru River. However the water is receding since yesterday, added residents.
Private and non-government rescue and relief missions were started yesterday in some of the flood and landslide affected areas like Hpakant city, Maw One, Seng Tawng and Lonkin after the rain and floods stopped, said locals.
Soon after the floods, the Hpakant Regional Kachin Baptist Convention under the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), the biggest Kachin Christian body in the country formed an emergency committee. It is implementing rescue and relief missions, said a KBC staff member in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.
Roads in most villages in Hpakant jade land are covered with over three-foot of mud and slush allowing only ferry transportation, said local residents.
Residents of Hpakant city are now busy cleaning their inundated homes. They are facing an acute shortage of clean water, said residents.
KNG
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