A Khumi organisation issued a statement calling for the release of 52 ethnic Khumi that it claims were kidnapped by the Arakan Army (AA) and used as human shields in Chin State. The Khumi Affairs Coordination Council (KACC) said the victims, all from Kangtlang, located in Paletwa township, were kidnapped in early February and taken to the Bangladeshi border. Two managed to escape and tell their harrowing tale to their community. AA used the villagers as human shields when the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) attacked with combat helicopters, said Saw Mya, coordinator of KACC. “The AA said that villagers volunteered to…
Author: Editor
An MP cautioned journalists from writing biased news, encouraging them to report objective articles based on the truth during a recent media conference in Hakhar town, in Chin State. Mang Hin Derl, Agriculture, Livestock and Forest minister for Chin State, said: “I’d like to request for journalists to report truthful, reliable and balanced news. Journalists need to report news in line with journalism ethics.” The Myanmar Media Council organized the Four-pillars discussion” Judiciary, Executive, Legislative and Media in the Hakhar city hall in Hakhar town. Salai Hung Tun Gei, the editor of Chin World Media, said Chin media outlets serve…
A Mizoram-based trade group wants to start monitoring trade between Myanmar and India after it says millions of Indian rupees in taxes are being lost every day from unlicensed merchants selling and buying goods on the border. The Importer and Exporter Code Holder Association of Mizoram says it will monitor illegal trading in Burma’s # 2 border trading camp located in Rihkhawdar town, in Chin state and India’s Mizoram State. “Trading between Rih and Zokhawthar amounts to millions of Indian Rupee every month but traders aren’t paying taxes on this. The Indian government is losing millions of rupees every month.…
A coalition of Chin civil society organizations issued a statement demanding for the Arakan Army (AA) to stop disturbing development projects promoting regional stability in Paletwa township, in southern Chin state, in an area where the Rakhine armed group is fighting with the Myanmar Army. The statement issued by the Chin CSOs Network said Chin and Rakhine ethnic groups have lived peacefully together in Paletwa region for many years. Chin people are patient and they understand the AA’s armed struggle but that the armed group’s latest actions are upsetting the peace. “AA forces are causing instability and it’s creating barriers…
After a month-long blockade on the trading route between Burma’s No. 2 border trading camp near Rih-Zokhawthar and India’s Mizoram State, the road will re-open on Thursday. The Champai Vehicles Association ended the import of products from Burma on March 26. The Champai Trade Union and Zokhawthar Transportation Team held discussions at the Champai circuit house on April 23 and both parties agreed to resume the transportation of good cross-border. The border blockade between Chin State and Mizoram has been making life difficult, traders said. “It’s difficult to get back the money that we lent in Mizoram. Now the road…
Burma’s Vice President Henry Van Thio is scheduled to visit Chin State this week to inspect the implementation of regional development projects, according to the state’s municipal minister U Soe Htet. The Vice President is expected to visit Kanpetlet, Mindat, Matupi, Hakha, and Thantlang townships during his five-day trip, with special attention given to construction and transportation projects. “He is coming to see regional development projects sponsored by both the state government and the Union government. He will give suggestions regarding regional development,” U Soe Htet told Khonumthung News. Campaigner U Thein Myint said that he is going to report…
The Union’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has committed to providing more than 1 billion kyat (US$653,950) for social programs in Chin State. Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye attended a ceremony transferring the assistance funds at the Hakha city hall in Chin State on April 20. The funds are designated to support pregnant women, children under two years old, people with disabilities, as well as volunteer housing and kindergartens throughout the state. “A new thing this year is that the Union government is providing assistance for disabled people. Chin State has the highest number of disabled people. The Union government has started to provide assistance for them this year including in Chin State. It’s a good news,” Chin State’s social minister Pau Lum Ming…
Thousands of people gathered in the southern Chin State town of Matupi on Thursday for the second protest in less than a month against plans by the state government to build the local district office eight miles outside of the town. Carrying placards and vinyl posters demanding that the government reverse its decision, nearly 3,500 protestors set out from the eight-road junction in Matupi at 9:30am and marched to the Hakha-Mindat Junction Road via General Aung San Road before returning to their starting point. The protestors say they are angry that the state government has ignored their demand to build…
A total of 224 prisoners were released from In-tai-lay in Kalay, Sagaing Region, on Wednesday as part of a presidential amnesty to mark the traditional Burmese New Year. All but 28 of the prisoners had been charged with drug-related offenses. Of the total, 179 were male prisoners and 45 were female. One of the men released was identified as a foreigner, and one woman was said to be in poor health. Four of the released male prisoners were between 75 and 80 years of age. Besides the 196 prisoners who had been charged under the Narcotics Act, there were 18…
The number of domestic and international visitors to Chin State’s heart-shaped Rih Lake rose noticeably during this year’s water festival, according to officials at the iconic site. While official figures were not available, the reason for the increased traffic seemed self-evident. “I think it’s mostly because the road to get here has greatly improved, making it easier for tourists to make the trip,” said Lalpeklawma, an official with the information and public relations department for Rihkhawdar, the town where most visitors to the lake spend the night. The annual water festival is one of the most popular times to see…