The Military Council’s Department of Religious Affairs has threatened action against all unregistered religious buildings in Paletwa Township in southern Chin State.
In late August, the government’s General Administration Department (GAD) instructed ward and village leaders to report any such buildings or new constructions in the township.
However, a Christian pastor stated that there was no illegal construction in Paletwa.
“I heard that the GAD office already issued the directive in Paletwa…We need official permission from them before commencing construction of a new religious building. Currently, there are no such constructions underway, and I haven’t seen examples of the authorities enforcing this here.”
Locals have criticized the ruling regime for attempting to control the construction of extensions and new places of worship in an area where Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims all reside. More than 80 percent of Chin State’s population is Christian.
According to the Chin Human Rights Organisation, 95 churches and religious buildings have been damaged by shelling and other airstrikes in the state since the military coup over two and a half years ago.