YANGON: At least 100 people have been killed in a Myanmar military airstrike, leaving relatives to recover the charred bodies of victims on Wednesday following one of the deadliest attacks since the junta seized power two years ago.
The military air attack struck Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region early on Tuesday, where hundreds, mostly civilians, had gathered to celebrate the opening of a local administration office under the authority of the shadow National Unity Government.
Like much of Sagaing, Pa Zi Gyi village and surrounding areas are not under the control of the junta, which confirmed the attack late on Tuesday and accused NUG’s armed wing, the People’s Defense Forces, of coercing residents into supporting them.
“I lost my youngest brother, brother-in-law, aunty, uncle, niece and nephew in the airstrike,” Myo, a resident of Pa Zi Gyi, told Arab News on Wednesday.
“It’s proof that the junta is a ruthless organization led by the dictator and they acted like a mad dog,” he said. “I will fight against that cruel regime regardless of my life and soul.”
Infants and the elderly were among those killed in the strike, villagers told Arab News.
“People in the area have never fought against the military, but still I have no idea why the junta launched an attack on the area and killed the people,” Zaw, another resident, said.
Zaw said that his uncle and cousins were killed in the airstrike.
“I am in despair, but I don’t cry,” he said. “Because our village is severely harmed by that brutal attack by the military, I want the People’s Defense Force to continue protecting our village.”
Arab News has used aliases for Myo and Zaw to protect their identity.
The initial death toll from Tuesday’s attacks stood at 53, but was later raised to about 100 by independent media and voluntary rescuers at the scene.
Images shared online, which appeared to have been taken after the attack, showed people in civilian clothes dead on the ground beside a destroyed structure.
The airstrike has sparked widespread condemnation, as human rights organizations called for more concrete action from the international community.
Human Rights Watch said the latest airstrike should lead to an international arms embargo against the Myanmar junta.
“This is part of a larger pattern that we are seeing across Myanmar, where the security forces are targeting civilians in a systematic way. These are the sorts of crimes against humanity that we have been speaking about,” Phil Roberston, Human Rights Watch Asia division deputy director, said in a video statement.
Myanmar’s military has carried out a string of deadly airstrikes, including one targeting a concert in Kachin state in October that killed at least 60 people.
“It’s quite clear that the civil war in Myanmar is intensifying. There’s no doubt about that. We are entering a situation where neither side is conceding anything, that there are attacks happening every day all across the country. And I expect it will intensify further.”
Myanmar military airstrike on village gathering kills at least 100
https://arab.news/wy6ke
Myanmar military airstrike on village gathering kills at least 100
- Deadly attack targeted a largely civilian gathering in central Sagaing region
- Witnesses recount horror of bombing and death of family members
94 million need cataract surgery, but access lacking: WHO
- Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision
GENEVA: More than 94 million people suffer from cataracts, but half of them do not have access to the surgery needed to fix it, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Cataracts — the clouding of the eye’s lens that causes blurred vision and can lead to blindness — are on the rise as populations get older, with age being the main risk factor.
“Cataract surgery — a simple, 15-minute procedure — is one of the most cost-effective medical procedures, providing immediate and lasting restoration of sight,” the WHO said.
It is one of the most frequently performed surgeries undertaken in high-income countries.
However, “half of the world’s population in need of cataract surgery don’t have access to it,” said Stuart Keel, the UN health agency’s technical lead for eye care.
The situation is worst in the WHO’s Africa region, where three in four people needing cataract surgery remain untreated.
In Kenya, at the current rate, 77 percent of people needing cataract surgery are likely to die with their cataract blindness or vision impairment, said Keel.
Across all regions, women consistently experience lower access to care than men.
Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision.
- 2030 vision -
The WHO said that over the past two decades, global cataract surgery coverage had increased by 15 percent.
In 2021, WHO member states set a target of a 30-percent increase by 2030.
However, current modelling predicts that cataract surgery coverage will rise by only about 8.4 percent this decade.
To close the gap, the WHO urged countries to integrate eye examinations into primary health care and invest in the required surgical equipment.
States should also expand the eye-care workforce, training surgeons in a standardised manner and then distributing them throughout the country, notably outside major cities.
The WHO was on Wednesday launching new guidance for countries on how to provide quality cataract surgery services.
It will also issue guidance to help support workforce development.
Keel said the main issue was capacity and financing.
“We do need money invested to get rid of this backlog, which is nearly 100 million people,” he told a press conference.
While age is the primary risk factor for cataracts, others include prolonged UV-B light exposure, tobacco use, prolonged corticosteroid use and diabetes.
Keel urged people to keep up regular eye checks as they get older, with most problems able to be either prevented or diagnosed and treated.
The cost of the new lens that goes inside the eye can be under $100.
However, out-of-pocket costs can be higher when not covered by health insurance.
“Cataract surgery is one of the most powerful tools we have to restore vision and transform lives,” said Devora Kestel, head of the WHO’s noncommunicable diseases and mental health department.
“When people regain their sight, they regain independence, dignity, and opportunity.”
