by Salai Pi Pi
New Delhi (Mizzima) - The scarcity of food in rat-infested Chin State in western Burma, is likely to escalate during the monsoons, according to a relief group in exile.
Salai Cinzah, Chairman of the Chin Humanitarian Relief Committee (CHRC), in exile, said on Monday, the villagers, the victims of food shortage caused by rat infestation in Chin state, were worried as the coming monsoons would disrupt the ongoing relief assistance by the International Non-government Organizations (INGOs) and NGOs.
"They [villagers] are worried that the shortage of food will get worse in the monsoons, as the weather will make it difficult to access the places, where they are staying and the inflow of aid from outside and inside Burma would be hampered," Cinzah told Mizzima.
The rat infested Chin state, is the most backward and least developed state in military ruled Burma, where only a few villages can be accessed by car during the rainy season, making transportation of food and other commodities difficult and expensive.
Most of the affected areas are over 160 kilometres away from the places where most of the relief agencies' field offices are established in Chin state.
Cinzah said, though there are some INGOs and NGOs distributing aid and money to the most critical areas in southern Chin state, there are a lot of affected villages facing shortage of food and which needs to be given assistance.
"Although, some villages have received aid from INGOs and NGOs, a lot of villages are still facing insufficiency of food and need help," he said.
He added, "The worst thing is that there is no sign of reduction in the number of rats that damage the crops on the field, consume food grains and other food items."
Last month, the World Food Program (WFP) in its report said, the food scarcity of vulnerable households in Chin state remains precarious as their purchasing power continues to be limited due to the loss of crops, while the situation of early 2009 seems to be stabilizing, with the relief aid of the international community.
Moreover, in addition to emergency food assistance, WFP which serves as a coordinating agency of several relief agencies in Chin state also said, "Some agencies have begun to distribute seeds for winter crops, and take preventive measures against future infestations."
WFP and its coordinating relief agencies have responded to the food crisis in Chin state by projecting a "Food for Work" programme in 3 townships and "Food plus Cash for Work" programme in 5 townships.
The report said, "The activities focus on improving productive assets that increase their food security, such as agricultural land development, construction of trafficable roads, as well as other projects identified by the communities themselves."
WFP also expected that the assistance project, of USD 708,000 given by United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and Denmark, would benefit a total of 6,360 households in 50 villages and added, it had requested European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) to support another additional 7,500 beneficiaries with 203 tons of food as well as to carry out a food security survey.
Meanwhile, Terah, another relief worker from the Chin Famine Emergency Relief Committee (CFERC) told Mizzima that the new symptoms of food scarcity was found in the areas of Chin's southern township Paletwa near northern Arakan state.
"We are told that some villages in Paletwa Township near Arakan state also experienced shortage of food as rats began damaging the crops in the fields," said Terah.