Chin Churches and Communities Held Prayers For Victims of Burma Cyclone
Chin churches and communities across the world held prayers and stood united in lending their helping hands for victims of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma on Saturday 3 May, 2008 leaving hundreds of thousands dead, injured, starved and homeless.
The estimated 1000 Chin families around Rangon are among those whose houses are destroyed and left in desparate situation without food and drinking water. “All the houses including our church are wrecked but we haven’t so far heard any casualties among the Chin people,” a Chin pastor in Rangon told Chinland Guardian.
“All the prices, especially rice, have rocketed. Some people can not afford to buy even one piece of candle for a night. We need your earnest prayers and helps. Just anything will be useful,” added the church pastor, whose name is kept anonymous for security reasons.
Delay of humanitarian aids and slow response by Burma’s military regime to helping victims of the cyclone-ravaged regions has worsened the crisis-to-calamity situation and sparked ‘anger’ among international communities and organisations.
“Humanitarian crisis has been going on in Chin State for decades. Even before this devastating cyclone, the Chin people in about 120 Chin villages have already suffered from food shortage and famine,” said Salai Bawi Lian Mang, Director of Chin Human Rights Organisation.
The scale of the disaster is growing and the cyclone death toll rises.
Chin churches, communities and individuals in their respective countries make a serious, urgent appeal to international communities and churches worldwide to help survivors of the Burmese cyclone Nargis and put more pressure on power-hungry Burma’s junta to allow unhindered humanitarian aids into the country.
