Hkamti Township ခန္တီးမြို့နယ် Zingaling Khamti | |
|---|---|
 Location in Hkamti district | |
 Location in Sagaing region | |
  Hkamti Township Location in Burma | |
| Coordinates:26°0′N95°41′E / 26.000°N 95.683°E /26.000; 95.683 | |
| Country |  Burma |
| Region | Sagaing Region |
| District | Hkamti |
| Capital | Hkamti |
| Area | |
• Total | 8,174 km2 (3,156 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 47,658 |
| Time zone | UTC+6.30 (MST) |
Hkamti Township orKhamti Township (Burmese:ခန္တီးမြို့နယ်) is a township inHkamti District in theSagaing Region ofBurma (Myanmar).[1] The principal town isHkamti. As of 2014 the township had a population of 47,658 people and covered an area of 8,174 square kilometres (3,156 sq mi).[2] The township is dominated by theChindwin River and its tributaries as well as thickly forested areas. Nearly half the active working population are employed in agriculture, forestry or fishing. The township is a producer of rice and has gold and jade reserves.
The name "Hkamti" means "Place of Gold".[3] According toJames George Scott's 1901Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States, the Hkamti area was ruled by seven "Sawbwas" before the British arrived. Hkamti was bordered to the east and the south by Uyu Township and to the west by Chin country borderingAssam and covered an area of 2576 square miles.[4]
In the 1900s the British established a small rubber plantation withhevea trees atMepok. It didn't prove successful.[5] In 1914 the British built Fort Hertz in the territory of what was thenHkamti Long. CaptainFrank Kingdon-Ward visited it on his travels.[6] Hkamti later became the headquarters of the Myanmar Hills for the 52nd Myanmar Regiment who were controlling the area.[7]
In creating theNaga Self-Administered Zone in 2010, a small portion of Hkamti Township south of the Kundwin Hemu (stream)[8] was transferred toLeshi Township.[9]
At 4am on 9 September 2016, a hand-made bomb was detonated about 800 metres (2,600 ft) from Hkamti town. One person was killed, the person who detonated the bomb. Investigation of the area by the authorities found four unexploded mines which failed to detonate which were believed to be due to wet gunpowder.[10] In July 2018, extensive flooding during the summer monsoon saw the village of Thazi evacuated and the people relocated.[11]
Hkamti Township is situated inHkamti District in theSagaing Region of northwestern Burma. The township is bordered byNanyun Township to the north,Lahe Township to the northwest,Lay Shi Township to the southwest,Homalin Township to the south, and borders theKachin State townships ofTanai Township to the northeast andHpakan Township to the east and southeast.[1]
The township is dominated by theChindwin River and areas of thick forest. The Nam Tonhtun flows into the Chindwin to the southeast of Hkamti Town after meandering around the village ofAung Myay.[12] The Nam Samun and Nam Saukpa streams flow into the Chindwin to the north and south of the village ofKaunghein respectively. The Nam Kadon flows into the Chindwin near Kadi-thingan in theSeinnan village tract. The Nam Za-wu begins in the hamlet of Sunzo (Sun So) inSaung Lin village tract and enters the Chindwin at the village ofMepok (Mei Poke). The Natyesan Chaung flows into the Chindwin in the south of township nearMinsin. Other streams include the Nam Pilin, Nam Sake and the Nam Le.[13]
The Hkamti site SW of the Hukawng basin is also an important site forBurmese amber in palaeontology. The site has been determined to be significantly older, dating to the earlyAlbian around ca. 110 million years ago and is therefore considered distinct.[14]
The township is divided administratively into 25village tracts and 3wards. According to the 2014 census the population of each is given:[15]
Hkamti Township also contains villages such as:
Ainda, Bahumaing, Chawhkam, Gum Ga, Hakon, Hintiu,Hkampti, Hkataw, Hpalamung, Htanghkaw, Janhtang, Kado-maingkun, Kado-thingan, Kadung Ga, Kauktaung-anauk, Kauktaung-ashe, 'Kawai, Kawala, Kawngkau, Kinsagahtawng, Kumteng, Lachau, Lachau Ga, Laisai Ga, Lapauk, Lapyep Ga, Lasaung, Laungtauk, Maingnaung, Mandung, Mangu, Man Pang, Masum Zup, Maung Te, Namhkam, Nammawhku Ga, Namsam, Napang Ga, Naukpe, Ngalang Ga, Ningbau Ga, Pachaung, Pangaw, Ritu Ga, Sabigahtawng, Salem, Saungle, Seinnan, Sekkyu, Shirang, Sinla, Sunzo, Taklang, Tasinngan, Thazi, Uka Ga, Utaw, Wakshang, Yana, Yang-yaw, Yungpaw Ga.[16]
Historically theShan people migrated to the Hkamti area fromMong Kawng, encouraged by the Shan rulerSao Hsam Long Hpa.[17] TheTibetan people also migrated as far south as the Hkamti plain.[18] TheKhamti ethnic group live in this region of Burma.[19] In theLaung Sauk village tract in the hill forest to the northwest ofHkamti town,[20] the locals speak their own dialect, "lawng-sauk".[21]
At the time of the 2014 census, the religious composition of the population was: 87.9% Buddhist, 6.2% Christian, 4.3% Islam, 0.5% Hindu, 0.8% Animist, 0.2% Other religion and 0.1% No religion. The 4.3% Muslim is higher than the regional average of 1.1%. As of 2014. 79.1% of people in the township were literate, though this was significantly higher for youths in the 15-24 age bracket with 92.6%. School attendance was higher than the average in the country.[15]
At the time of the 2014 census, 77.4% of people aged 15–64 were employed in the township, though the disparity between males and females is high with males at 89.3% and females just 60%. 46.9% of all employed aged 15–64 were agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, followed by crafts and trade workers at 16.2%, the latter group higher than the regional average of 11%. In total, 7541 people were employed in agriculture, forestry or fishing, 1914 in mining and quarrying, 1647 in retail, 393 in accommodation and food services, 386 in transportation, 354 in construction, 665 in public administration, 263 in education, 241 in manufacturing and 155 in human health and social work activities.[15]
The Chindwin River plays a key role in agricultural production in the township, with rice cultivated in several places. The area to the northwest of Hkamti town and the villages of Seinnan, Kado-thingan and Kaung Hein in particular are major centres for production in the township with extensive fields alongside the Chindwin.[20] A North Korean firm is involved withgold mining in the township in the village of Nangsipon.[22] Disputes broke out in the township over the mining ofjade in January 2017.[23]
The township in general has low living standards and suffers from poor access to quality healthcare,[24] thoughHkamti Hospital is situated in the southeast of the main town of Hkamti.[20] In February 2020,Eleven News stated that Hkamti Township has the largest number ofTB patients in the entire Sagaing Region, amounting to over 200 in Hkamti andHpakant. The patients are being treated by a mobile team of doctors. The worst affected areas are Zip Phyu Gone ward and the villages of Sin Thayar and Shwe Pyi Thar. As of 2020 the health director of the township was Daw Naing Naing.[24] A travelling medical team also treats diabetes and various diseases such as eye disorders, skin, bone and respiratory diseases, urinary tract infections, gum disease andgastroenteritis.[25] In March 2019 a number of gold mining workers in Nangsipon were suffering from suspected cases ofsepsis.[22]
Drug trafficking and abuse has increasingly become a problem in the township, particularly among students of GTI Technical College and GTHS Government Industrial Science Institutes. Needles are often found in the streets of Hkamti town.U Thein Hlaing Win, a regional parliament speaker of the Sagaing Region stated that a Special Narcotics Force was being sent to Hkamti to deal with the issue.[26]
Flooding is common in the summer months such as July during the monsoon. Flood disaster preventative training is provided by the Department of Natural Disaster Management, and further aid is provided by theRed Cross.[11]
The main buildings of the township are situated in Hkamti Town, such asMya Thein Tan Pagoda, the Khamti Post Office and a branch of theMyanmar Economic Bank in the southeast of the town. Hkamti also contains the Paw Maine Church, The Full Gospel Assembly Church, the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Min Galar Market and a football pitch.Hkamti Airport lies to the southwest of the town.[27]
Capital:Hkamti | |
| Village tracts and wards | |
| Landmarks | |
| Geography | |
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