Kyaukphyu Twsp residents to face disaster law charges if out past 11 a.m.

08 Oct 2020

Aung Kaung Zaw | DMG
8 October 2020, Manaung 

Local residents in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township will be punished under Section 30(a) of the Natural Disaster Management Law if they go out after 11a.m. except for health reasons starting on October 9, according to a statement from the township COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment committee. 

The statement said if an individual wants to go shopping, that person will be allowed to do so on condition that they wear a face mask and possess an entry and exit card, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. If someone wants to go to a health clinic or hospital, that person needs to seek a permission letter from their respective ward administrator. 

Section 30(a) threatens up to a year in prison, a fine or both for anyone found guilty of “wilful failure to comply with any of the directives of the department, organization or person assigned by this Law to perform any of the natural disaster management” functions. 

The Kyaukphyu Township COVID-19 committee’s statement also said that walking along on the shoreline, playing football or chinlone, and drinking alcohol will not be allowed at all until further notice. 

“People here are weak in terms of discipline. This is the reason why we released the statement,” said U Soe Moe Kyaw, the Kyaukphyu Township administrator. “The rules are intended to urge locals to abide by the strictures. If not, locals with entry/exit cards give various excuses for failing to follow the strictures.”  

People working for government agencies, private companies and factories will not be covered by the terms, but they will be given special consideration, he added. 

Forty violators who did not wear masks in public in Kyaukphyu Township were recently asked to sign a pledge of commitment and were released during an “education period” allowing for some leeway. 

As of 6 p.m. on October 7, there were 248 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kyaukphyu Township, with 189 recovered patients discharged from hospitals and 59 receiving hospital treatment.