{"id":75220,"date":"2019-11-27T20:34:44","date_gmt":"2019-11-27T13:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freeburmarangers.org\/?p=75220"},"modified":"2019-11-27T20:46:47","modified_gmt":"2019-11-27T13:46:47","slug":"rangers-provide-medical-care-chin-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.freeburmarangers.org\/my\/2019\/11\/27\/rangers-provide-medical-care-chin-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers Provide Medical Care in Chin State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rangers Provide Medical Care in Chin\u00a0State<\/h1>\n

27 November 2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Chin State, Burma<\/p>\n

\"Rangers
Rangers set-up a clinic to distribute medicine to villagers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Civilians in western Burma suffer from the ongoing effects of conflict\u00a0and poverty, as disputes between the Burma Army and Arakan Army (AA) continue to escalate. From late August to mid-September, Free Burma Rangers conducted a mission in the Falam District of Chin State to provide relief and document the needs of\u00a0civilians.<\/span><\/p>\n

At 10 p.m. on 31 Aug. 2019, the Chin Rangers\u00a0encountered\u00a0two Burma Army soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 202 at the\u00a0New Rih camp\u00a0checkpoint. After the soldiers had searched through their goods, the Rangers were allowed to\u00a0pass\u00a0through the checkpoint.\u00a0The Burma Army\u00a0at the New Rih checkpoint and the Burma police near the Burma\/India border\u00a0sometimes\u00a0extort\u00a0money\u00a0in exchange for passage and are actively searching for Rohingya people. Civilians have also reported property destruction and land confiscation\u00a0by the Burma Army.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pervasive poverty, intensified by recent fighting between the Burma Army and EAOs, has greatly impacted Chin State villagers. The Chin Rangers documented villagers\u2019 inability to fulfill their basic needs, and many villagers\u00a0lacked shirts and other clothing.\u00a0The team conducted four GLC programs to 236 children and distributed over 200 GLC T-shirts and 300 GLC packets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Shirts
Shirts distributed to Chin villagers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rangers\u00a0found\u00a032 children out of school in Falam Township.\u00a0Though\u00a0the\u00a0team found a school in every village visited,\u00a0a\u00a0lack of school supplies\u00a0and lower quality of education\u00a0was common.\u00a0In villages, schools are without paper, pencils, and schoolbooks.\u00a0Some schools\u00a0in\u00a0Falam Township are too expensive for Chin villagers to attend.\u00a0For others, schools are located too far away from their rural homes to attend because of high transportation costs. Also, recent fighting has led to the displacement of villagers, and\u00a0a disruption in education for\u00a0children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the Chin Rangers, villagers have limited access to medical care, as many villages do not have a clinic or pharmacy.\u00a0Due to the fact that government hospitals and clinics are\u00a0expensive and difficult to get to, the villagers rely on NGO support\u00a0and the goodwill of physicians who sometimes provide free medical aid. Throughout the mission, the FBR team treated 61 patients and distributed medicine to villagers suffering from ailments, such as: malaria, anemia, typhoid, and dysentery.<\/span><\/p>\n

Endemic poverty coupled with a recent surge in fighting has catalyzed a need for further relief in Chin State. The Chin Rangers have requested more missions in the area to distribute rice, clothing, medical supplies, and land rights training with\u00a0Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A
A Chin School in the Falam District.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Shirts
Shirts distributed to Chin villagers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n