Three Things for October 10
1. Civilians in harm’s way as renewed fighting occurs in Myanmar
On Sept. 25, an uneasy truce between rebel groups and the Myanmar military seemed to have collapsed. The first sign was heavy shelling in a remote village in western Myanmar.
A little after midnight, Bu Wine and her family were woken up to the sound of gunfire close by. Suddenly, an artillery shell came crashing through the Wine's roof, landing in their living room.
“My eyes went blurry. When I could open my eyes, I saw my youngest son lying on the floor and bleeding profusely,” she said. Seven-year-old Maung Ko Naing was groaning on the floor. He said his back and stomach hurt. Unfortunately, they were unable to be reached by an ambulance because the shelling was still continuing. His mother and father carried him by a motorcycle to a rural clinic, where he died without receiving any medical treatment.
Since fighting has resumed, at least 14 civilians have been killed. Among the dead are five children.
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2. Department of Defense to start removing fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii
On Oct. 8, the Hawaii Department of Health cleared the way for the Department of Defense to begin defueling operations at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage site in Honolulu. The first stage of this process involves emptying three main fuel pipelines at the facility, containing an estimated 1.08 million gallons of fuel.
“DOH staff completed a careful review of the unpacking plan, observed spill response drills, and required additional environmental control measures be put into place before unpacking can begin. We continue to push for the defueling and closure of the Red Hill facility to happen as quickly as possible with safety as our first priority,” said Deputy Director of Environmental Health Kathleen Ho.
This plan will happen in four phases. Before the DOD removes any fuel, the pipes must first be inspected for valve maintenance and pressure equalization. Once all of the inspections are completed, it will take three to five days for the pipes to be emptied via gravity-down draining.
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3. United Nations recommends rapid response to aid Haiti
The primary fuel port for the country of Haiti has been under a blockage the past week by a group of armed gangs.
In response to this crisis, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter on Oct. 7 to the UN Security Council, recommending that the council send a "rapid action force" to Haiti. In this letter, Guterres is clear that this force will not have UN backing. Rather, one or more member countries of the UNSC should commit to this action. The letter also said this force recommendation is coming at the request of Haiti.
Much of the Haitian infrastructure has been harmed by this blockade. Most notably, many hospitals across the small country have been forced to close. Bottled water has also been hard to procure since the blockade started.
Unfortunately, this also comes as a new cholera outbreak has been confirmed in Haiti. According to the Center for Disease Control, the best way to defend against cholera is through good hygiene and drinking clean water.
On Oct. 8, the State Department released a statement saying that the request was being reviewed.
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