Ei Soe Pru
Narinjara News, 29 August  2020

Minbya Youth Association (MYA) called for reopening speedy internet services  in seven townships of  Rakhine  and Paletwa township of  Chin State so that information related to the Covid-19 outbreaks in those areas become easily accessible to the concerned authority.

Ma Khin Phyo Wai of MYA in a statement issued on Friday, a copy is with Narinjara News also, pointed out that it was too difficult to receive real time information about the novel corona virus infection related cases with the presently available 2G (E-level) internet services.

“The Covid-19 outbreaks are a reality in Rakhine today but the available internet connectivity is too inferior to deal with the situation. It needs hours to get adequate information from the ground. So we are demanding 4G internet services in our localities. Not only the health issues, education and business sectors are also dependent
on speedy internet services now-a-days,” she asserted.

The MYA statement claimed that the Covid-19 outbreak in Arakan State reached an alarming level and some persons from Minbya Township also tested positive for the virus infection. It argued that unless there is a speedy internet facility in rural areas, it would be difficult to get real time information about the disaster.

U Khaing Kaung San, director of Wun Lark Foundation, the Sittwe-based development group, also  agreed that  4G internet services were necessary to get relevant information from the ground quickly. Even the social media users can give vital clues about the pandemic, he added.

Rakhine State  has 216 confirmed Covid-19 cases till 28 August, said a source in Myanmar health and sports ministry in Naypyidaw.

The Union government imposed an internet shutdown in the conflict-ridden States of Rakhine and Chin a year back. Lately the concerned authority has reopened the internet connectivity in seven townships of both the bordering chin States, but the available 2G connectivity turns less effective for speedy discrimination of urgent information.

(Photo: Although 2G internet is available here it is not convenient
for local internet users and hence  local internet users have to scale the mountain in Mrauk-U township tocatch the signals )