Refugees abroad; windows of survival for Chin people

Mounting economic crisis is driving out people in Chin state, western Burma by the day, but refugees abroad continue to be windows of survival for Chin people.
Statistics show that there are many Chin people in Mizoram state, India from Chin state, western Burma.
Recently Mr. Hram Uk and his family fled to Mizoram in order to take refuge in New Delhi, India from Mang Kheng village, Falam township in Chin state.
Mr. Hram Uk said, “Usually the Burmese junta authorities call us to work for them and they collect some donation every month. We cannot afford it as we are very poor. We cannot send our children to school. Sometimes, patrolling military personnel demand our domestic animals. So we had to sell our properties and flee to India.”
He told Khonumthung News that there are many villagers, who wanted to go abroad. They are suffering from different kinds of problems in Burma, so they preferred to go to India as refugees.
Now most Chin people are suffering the effects of famine, which was brought by bamboo flowering in the state leading to multiplication of rats. Crops have been destroyed by rats, flies and bugs since late 2006.
Although some Chin people, who are abroad support them, they cannot cover all the villagers in the state. Therefore, they are doing whatever jobs they get to eke out a living. On the other hand, the military junta oppresses them making myriad demands.
A survey report states the population of Chin state was about 5 lakhs in the last two years, but now it has decreased to about 4 lakhs. Some NGOs’ statistics also show that there are about 2,000 Chin people in New Delhi, about 13,000 in Malaysia, United States and other European countries.