Village heads deduct half financial aid for fire victims
June 8, 2007: For the first time victims of a forest fire in Chin state Myanmar , who lost stocks of paddy, were provided financial assistance by the Myanmar military authorities. The assistance was to the tune of Kyat 9,000 per family. However, more than half the amount from each household was deducted by the village council to bail out a council member jailed for negligence in preventing the fire.
The forest fire in Lailenpi village destroyed around 100,000 kilograms of paddy belonging to 29 families.
The army authorities provided Kyat 9000 ( Myanmar currency) to locals in Lailenpi village in Matupi, Chin state, after their stocks of paddy were destroyed after a forest fire broke out over two months ago. However, in order to bail out U Hlaing Maung imprisoned for carelessness in preventing the forest fire, village council members forcibly deducted Kyat 5,000 out of Kyat 9,000 from each family.
“They (village council members) called the victims of the forest fire and took away Kyat 5,000 from the Kyat 9000 with out serving prior notice,” a local said.
A week after furnishing the bail U Hlaing Maung was released from jail in Matupi town. U Hlaing Maung was arrested by Captain Myo Than Thaih of the Light Infantry Battalion (304), stationed in Matupi town allegedly for negligence which led to the fire.
“Most people believe that the arrest had to do with the hill side farm being burnt down on Army Day on March 27,” said the local.
Military authorities from Matupi town called the 29 families who lost paddy because of the forest fire in Lailenpi village, to Matupi and disbursed Kyat 9000 to each family.
This is the first time that money has been distributed by military authorities in the wake of a forest fire in Chin state. Earlier, only the village head or other accused were punished or jailed for carelessness in the event of fire. – KNG.
