Paletwa (Burmese: ပလက်ဝမြို့; MLCTS: pa. lak wa. mrui., pronounced [pəlɛʔwa̰ mjo̰]) is one of the westernmost towns of Myanmar, in Chin State 18 kilometres from the border with Bangladesh. From the other side of the border, lies Chittagong Division of Bangladesh. Paletwa town's population in 2014 was about 97,000.[1]
Paletwa
ပလက်ဝမြို့ | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 | |
  Paletwa Location in Myanmar | |
| Coordinates: 21°18′N 92°51′E / 21.300°N 92.850°E | |
| Country |  Myanmar |
| State |  Chin State |
| District | Matupi District |
| Township | Paletwa Township |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,368 sq mi (3,543 km2) |
| Population (2014) | 96,899 |
| Time zone | UTC 6.30 (MST) |
| Climate | Am |
The Arakan Army launched an attack at the town on November 13, 2023 and captured it on 15 January, 2024 during the Myanmar Civil War.[2]
Demographics
editRakhine is the Lingua Franca of the region, while Kuki-Chin languages are spoken mostly in the hills.[3] The west of the town hosts many refugees that have fled from Rakhine state.[4] The literacy rate is 65% (2017).[5]
Neighboring villages such as Kan Lay (ကန်းလေ) can be reached only by foot in about an hour.
Connectivity
editPaletwa is connected to the Rakhine state only by boat. It leaves Kyauktaw every morning and reaches Paletwa in the afternoon, running up the Kaladan River.[6]
The road to Matupi is reported to be on the brink of completion. Though, there is no direct evidence of it. [7][8]
Paletwa is part of an ongoing infrastructure project Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project that will connect it to the Indian state of Mizoram.[3]
Tourism
editDespite its serene natural surroundings, Paletwa sees few tourists. The town has one hotel, but restrictive policies and limited accessibility make travel to the area a challenge.
References
edit- ^ http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/99newsn.pdf[permanent dead link] Page 10 Column 1
- ^ "Arakan Army Declares Victory in Paletwa, Myanmar's Chin State".
- ^ a b "The Limits of Development and Control in the Borderlands of Burma (Part I)". Tea Circle. 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ^ "Hundreds of villagers flee fighting in sourthern [sic] Chin". Myanmar NOW. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ^ "The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing CensusDepartment of PopulationMinistry of Labour, Immigration and PopulationOctober 2017CHIN STATE, MINDAT DISTRICT" (PDF).
- ^ "The Abduction of AA over the Paletwa MP confirmed by the Chin State Govt". Burma News International. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ^ "Farmers' land destroyed to make way for Paletwa to Matupi road – Chin Human Rights Organization". Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ^ "Civilians pay the price of conflict in southern Chin". Frontier Myanmar. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
External links
edit
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