Chin state authorities have stopped publication of The Hakha Post newspaper in Lai (Chin) language, based in Hakha capital town of Chin state on 29 September. The Hakha Post said that its editor Lalawmpuia has been asked to sign not to continue printing of Hakha Post at the District office in Hakha by District Administrator and Township Administrator on 30 September.
The Editor, Lalawmpuia said that Chin state government has ordered Hakha Post, through the district administrator, not to publish before getting official registration, if not they will take legal action.
In fact, The Hakha Post is applying to get official registration at the Township, District and State level. They have made arrangements to register in Yangon soon.
Meanwhile, other print medias have not been ordered to stop publication by the state government, though they are not yet registered by the Ministry of Information. So that The Hakha Post Editor asked the district administrator about this and he said that he doesn’t know the reason, as the order was from the higher authorities.
U. Sing Tam, secretary of Hakha township Printing & Publishing, has asked Hakha Post to report to him whether it has official registration or not on 22 September and it had to inform by 26 September. Then the Hakha Post informed him that they have not yet got official registration, and after that the order came to stop publication.
Currently, there are 20 Chin print media in Chin state, of these Khonumthung News, Chin World Media and The Chin Land Post are registered under the Ministry of Information.