Mercy Emergency Medical Treatment and Support for Paletwa - Chin State, Myanmar
An urgent situation has erupted in Paletwa city and villages in the surrounding Paletwa area.
The city of Paletwa is about 18 kilometres east of the border of Myanmar with Bangladesh. The Myanmar Lutheran Church membership is largely made up of people from the Khumi-Chin tribal group, however there are other people joining the Myanma church particularly in Yangon, (formerly Rangoon).
Historically, the Arakan tribal group (Arakan Army or AA) has been fighting against the government military junta since 2015. However, civil war exploded in Myanmar after the military junta overthrew the duly elected government of Aung San Sui Kyi (National League for Democracy) and arrested the leaders on 1 st February 2021.
Since 3rd January 2024 there has been heavy fighting between AA and the Myanmar Army. As a result, civilian people have been injured and killed in the city and area of Paletwa and many people fled. Dean Rev Haggai Aung Than is in charge of the Paletwa church district and along with Pastor Andrew and their families attempted to protect the church complex against break-ins. However, with the war zone closing in on their city, Dean Haggai and Pastor Andrew have also had to flee with their families.
As of February 2024, media has confirmed that 50,000 people have fled and are displaced because of the fighting in the Paletwa region. Many are severely injured and with so many now in refugee camps as displaced persons, food and medical supplies are stretched beyond the limit. Hospitals have almost
no staff, so urgent medical care is not available unless people have the resources to travel over 600kms, across 40 to 50 military check points to get to a major hospital in Yangon.
Pastor James relates that one man, desperate to help his wife whose arm was shattered as a result of the bombing in Paletwa, made this long journey with his injured wife. He estimates that his wife’s medical treatment with reconstructive surgery, hospital bills and other related expenses will cost approximately USD $2000, a huge amount in a country where the average annual income is around USD $3115.
As Pastor James relates: “This is just one of the seriously injured patients from Paletwa; there are many more suffering people who have lost part of their face, their leg, and hands because of the civil war starting from 2015.”
100 people from Paletwa city fled to Yangon and are housed at Hmawbi Lutheran Church Centre. They need our support on humanitarian grounds for food, medical assistance and resettlement to a safer area.
Pastor James’ church is seeking support for those people who have fled the Paletwa region. He says: “Jesus called us to participate in a caring and sharing ministry to bring new hope for our neighbours. Love each other and take care of each other’s burdens and suffering is what Jesus wants us to do. Therefore, we humbly would like to invite you, dear brothers and sisters, to prayerfully consider joining your helping hands with us to bring a new hope for our people in Myanmar. Your small donation means a lot to our people so they can possess a new future and begin the new chapters of their lives.”
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
Pastor James confirms that the Myanmar Lutheran church has the means and contacts to get support to these people in difficult circumstances, even though it will be challenging. Donations should be earmarked and sent to Asia Focus Australia “Paletwa Emergency Support Project”. Bank details are on the back page of the newsletter, or on our website.