By Lalnun – The Chin Progressive Party (CPP) released a statement on Thursday responding to an earlier call by the Khumi National Party demanding that Paletwa Township be designated a new district with greater attention paid to its challenges, lest it “depart from Chin State.”
The CPP said that it stood against comments could cause disunity among the Chin people. The open letter by the Khumi (Khami) National Party released on January 28 warned the state’s chief minister not to ignore the problems in Paletwa.
“We must be united among our Chin people. I don’t want to see any kind of disunity among our Chin ethnic people,” CPP secretary Aik Saw Mya told Khonumthung News. “The opinion in the open letter is just the opinion of the Khumi National Party but it doesn’t reflect all Khumi people. Political parties must have their political ambitions. CPP opposes against any kind of activities or movements which cause disunity among Chin people. That’s is our standpoint,” he explained.
CPP pointed out in their own statement that Paletwa Township has been part of Chin State since 1947, and argued that it will remain that way.
The township is currently experiencing instability, due to clashes between the Arakan Army and the Burma Army, which have led to displacement and food shortages. Locals report that they have been told by members of the Arakan Army that the group aspires to one day bring Paletwa Township into Rakhine State, which it borders to the south. Khonumthung News could not verify these claims.