Residents of southern Chin State are planning a demonstration against the proposed location of the Matupi District Office—eight miles from the town. “Our local people want the district office to be built downtown,” Tate Min, a Matupi elder, told Khonumthung. “Elders, the municipal community, civil society organizations, four ward administrators, respective department heads and two members of parliament proposed that the Chin State government build the district office downtown. But the state government rejected our proposal. That’s why we are going to demonstrate again.” A protest date has not been set, he added. The district office is set to be…
Author: Editor
The construction of a bridge across the Kaladan River in southern Chin State’s Paletwa Township has been stopped temporarily due to attacks in the area carried out by the Arakan Army (AA), according to government officials. AA forces reportedly ambushed a cargo ship carrying 300 tons of steel intended to be used for the bridge, while the ship was traveling from Sittwe, Rakhine State, to Paletwa on March 16. Chin State government spokesperson and municipal minister U Soe Htet told Khonumthung that this contributed to the decision to halt construction. “The steel frames were set on fire. We bought these…
Out of the 640 children under the age of five that died in 2018 in Chin State, Kanpetlet township recorded the highest numbers of child fatality cases. Fifty-five children died in the southern township last year. “Even though the number of child fatalities in Kanpetlet is less than in other areas based on its small population proportionally it’s very high.” said Doc Sharon Par. Child fatality refers to a death of a child under five caused by illness. In Chin State, many child fatalities are caused by respiratory illnesses. “The main illnesses that caused child fatality (in 2018) was pneumonia.…
After declaring it wouldn’t renew refugee cards for ethnic Chin refugees, the UNHCR recently announced it will renew cards until 2021. Last year, the UN agency was going to stop refugee protection for Chins in India and Malaysia, citing improvements in safety and security in Chin State. On March 14, the UNHCR announced Chin refugees still need international protection.Recently, UN officials met with Chin leaders at the UNHCR office in New Delhi. According to Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), the new refugee card will be issued soon. “They are preparing to issue new refugee cards for all those with cards…
India is financing the construction of a brand new two-lane highway to provide a safer transportation route from the Chin State border town, Rih, in Myanmar near India, to Tedim. Chin State government’s Municipal Minister U Soe Htet told Khonumthung News preparations have already started. “The whole project will be implemented with India’s assistance fund.” A ground survey is underway to determine what compensation needs to be paid to farmers. This will be a new road and it won’t connect with the old one, he said. The old road from Rih to Tedim will replace the old one that has…
At a recent investment fair intended to boost the economy of one of Myanmar’s most impoverished state, the government of Chin State closed lucrative deals with private companies for projects exceeding more than $54 US. Four memorandums of understanding (MoU) were signed with foreign and domestic companies at the Chin State Investment and Products Fair 2019 at the Myanmar Convention Center in Yangon on March 16. “I hope this will help to open up business opportunities and investment for Chin State in the future,” said Chin State Municipal Minister U Soe Htet. Located in western Myanmar next to Bangladesh and…
The Chin State government has confirmed that the Matupi District Office complex will be built near Hpanai Ngahlaing village, which is located about 8 miles away from Matupi town on the Hakha to Matupi highway road in southern Chin State. Out of five proposed areas, Chin State ministry for construction found the location at Hpanai Ngahlaing village in Matupi township offered the most suitable conditions. For example, a rating system to determine the best location gave Hpanai Ngahlaing 46 out of 50. Other proposed locations received much lower scores after they were rated. “There will be 26 buildings in the…
A local man was seriously injured on the Indian side of the country’s border with Burma after stepping on a landmine in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai District this week. The incident occurred on Monday in the ethnic Chakma autonomous council area. The victim was Biranda Kumar, from Bangdukbanga village. He has since undergone the amputation of one of his legs, one of his friends told Khonumthung. “He stepped on a landmine while traveling in the jungle. The landmine was not so strong—that’s why he only got injuries [and wasn’t killed]. His leg was cut off at the hospital,” B. John, a friend…
Citing deteriorating security in southern Chin State, representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on March 14 that the international community would still need to offer protections to ethnic Chin refugees. In June of last year, the UNHCR had announced that the social, political and security situation in Chin State had sufficiently improved and that refugees from the region would no longer be recognized as such. Those in Malaysia and India were told they could return to Burma or undergo individual interviews reevaluating their refugee status. The move was widely protested by members of the Chin…
The Chin State government has dedicated 61 percent of its entire budget to the construction of roads and bridges during the 2018-2019 financial year. According to the financial report, the state has a budget of nearly 100 billion kyat (US$65.24 million), with more than 60 percent of the funds allocated to projects implemented by the construction ministry. “Most of the budget is spent on road construction. Transportation on roads is not good in Chin State, so we have to spend [to make it better],” U Soe Htet, the state’s municipal minister, told Khonumthung, adding that funds from both the Union…