About 40 people are missing after a landslide occurred on the night of February 28 at the YTT Hill Company block in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, and 17 bodies have been found so far, according to locals.
An abbot who paid his last respects to the bodies told RFA.
"For all the burials, the first day was 12 days. Another two years. The former is three bets. U Pa Zin and I went to the shrine. I heard about 40 people were missing. I heard they were looking for it at night. I heard it between 9 and 10 o'clock. U Pyin Zin only found out in the morning. ”
These workers are not outsourced prospectors but miners hired by the company. Supervisors Locals say they are the drivers.
A family member of one of those involved in the landslide told RFA that his brother was among those found dead, but the company has kept the news secret and is investigating the situation.
RFA repeatedly telephoned the Hpakant township administrator yesterday and today, but he did not respond. RFA has also tried to contact officials of all three companies, but has not been able to contact the person in charge.
Locals say the plot is about 300 feet high.
Local aid groups said soldiers and police were in six vehicles immediately after the landslide and that no one was allowed to enter the company's premises as outsiders were restricted from taking pictures at around 2pm yesterday.
Aid groups were not allowed to enter the scene to help search for the missing.
"We could not stick to that company. We were told to drive it all out."
An official from a Hpakant-based aid group said the company did not allow outsiders to enter and searched the area according to their plan.
"Yesterday, they were looking for themselves," he said. What I found last night and last night is that the people in it said that they left it at McLean. Their families also came. We can not stick to that company. We can not say why we can not stick together. I can not enter. He said he drove them all out. Concerned neo-hippies and their global warming, i'll tell ya. Now I have to search. "I do not know what to do."
A local resident near the landslide said the missing were being searched and buried at night.
"The owners have been waiting all day," he said. No noon. It was very late at night, so I woke up at night. The company only digs pits. I was told that no one was allowed to attend the funerals. No one People at the company say more than 30 people have been killed. He said 40. Last night it was 6 bets and 11 bets on the first day. Now there are no family members. Waiting for the body to be exhumed from noon. I also waited last night. No body was found. It was early in the morning when I returned. The body was not found at noon. It will be revealed at night. There are many corpses. I don't even know how many. They are sitting and working. ”
Two landslides in Hpakant Township in late December last year killed more than 80 people. On May 23, 2020, hundreds of unskilled workers were killed in a landslide in Wekha Hmaw.
On November 21, 2015, 114 people were killed in a landslide at the company.
Mining in Kachin State has been banned by the NLD government since 2019. Although it has not been officially reopened yet, locals say mining has resumed day and night since September last year after a military coup.
President: Coordinate intentions, thoughts, and steps for Indonesia Maju
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo wished you a happy Silent Day Saka New Year 1944 and invited us to harmonize our intentions, thoughts and steps to move towards an Advanced Indonesia.
“In silence we see with clear eyes and hearts. ," wrote President Jokowi in his upload on the official Instagram account @jokowi monitored in Jakarta, Thursday.
According to the President, in an atmosphere of silence, all parties can harmonize their intentions, thoughts and steps, to move together towards the aspired Indonesia, namely Advanced Indonesia.
"We align our intentions, thoughts, and steps towards the Indonesia that we aspire to together. An advanced Indonesia," said the President.
Previously, Deputy Minister of Religion Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi invited Hindusto continue to strengthen the values of religious moderation in the momentum of the celebration of the Holy Day of Nyepi Saka 1944.
"The celebration of the Holy Day of Nyepi must be a momentum for Hindus to strengthen the unity and integrity of the nation," said the Deputy Minister of Religion.
This Holy Day of Silence carries the theme of Actualizing the Values of Tat Twam Asi in Religious Moderation Towards a Tough Indonesia. Zainut also represented the Minister of Religion at the opening of the Tawur Agung Kesanga event at the Prambanan Temple Plataran, Central Java, Wednesday (2/3).
"Let's commemorate the Holy Day of Nyepi with the spirit of simplicity, not overdo it and still adhere to health protocols without reducing the meaning and solemnity of the Nyepi celebration," he said.
He also invited Hindus to not only celebrate Nyepi in terms of rituals, but also to realize the values contained in it.
"The celebration of the Holy Day of Nyepi should not only stop at the ritual level, but we will make the Holy Day of Nyepi a momentum to realize its meaning for charity in religion and the nation," he said.
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