More than 1,000 people participated in a march in the Sagaing Region town of Kalay on Monday supporting calls to amend Burma’s military-drafted 2008 Constitution. Those present—including National League for Democracy (NLD) party members, 88 Generation leaders, civil society representatives and other members of the public—walked from Shwe Bontha Pagoda to a statue of late independence icon Gen Aung San. According to U Ba Min, the chairperson of the ruling NLD in Kalay District, the charter must be changed in order to “build a secure and developed nation with a better future.” “It’s a good time to amend the 2008…
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Enforcing a rule that ethnic groups must remain in the Union goes against the Panglong Agreement, said Pu Zin Cung, the chairman for the Chin National Front (CNF). Ethnic groups worked with the central government to form the Union of Burma after the Panglong Conference in 1947 and the right to secede was included, the chairman said during the 71st Chin National Day. “Bamar (Burmese), Shan, Kachin and Chin signed the Union agreement knowing they had these rights. Now, no-one can block these original rights to be able to secede.” The peace process faced a deadlock in the second round…
To build a genuine democratic federal union that will allow self-determination for ethnic people, U Lal Thuan Thang,Chin Affairs Minister for Sagaing region, called for the amendment of Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution. People’s participation was vital for achieving this, the minister said during a speech at the 71st Chin National Day in Kalay. “We have to cooperate to amend the 2008 constitution for political equality and building a modern democratic federal union for the future for all ethnic people.” Attempts to amend it in parliament by the ruling NLD party, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, are…
NLD Party Headquarters instructed U Aung Than, vice-chairman of Chin State Parliament, to resign from his post. U Zobawi, parliament chairman for Chin State, confirmed the information with Khonumthung News but said there weren’t more details at press time. Dr Hmu Thang, MP for Thangtlang township constituency, said Zobawi discussed it in a recent state-level parliamentarian meeting. “We are so surprised to hear about it. U Aung Thang didn’t attend the meeting because he took leave,” Hmu Thang said. According to various sources close to the NLD, it’s unclear why the party told U Aung Than to resign, causing speculation…
The Hakha-based Community Care for Emergency Response and Rehabilitation (CCERR) has announced it will provide assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Paletwa Township who have fled clashes between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army (AA). Funds have been collected through private donations, CCERR representatives said, adding that they will continue to solicit contributions from religious organizations, civil society organizations and individuals throughout Chin State. All the aid will be transferred in March. “We have a responsibility to help our ethnic brothers and sisters as much as we can. When they face troubles, we must help them. Currently, we…
A secretary in the Chin National Front (CNF) has said that intensified fighting between the Burmese military and the Arakan Army (AA) could be resolved through engagement with the government-led peace process. As armed conflict continues in southern Chin State’s Paletwa Township, the CNF’s Secretary (3) Pu Htet Nee cited the CNF’s path in signing the controversial Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) as an example for the AA. The CNF is one of 10 ethnic armed organizations to sign the accord with the government and army. “Clashes should be resolved on the grounds of the NCA. The CNF is walking on…
India has deployed members of its security forces to its border with Burma due to intensifying clashes between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army (AA) in Chin State’s Paletwa Township. Mizoram media has reported that two columns of Indian soldiers left their base camp on February 17 to secure the border with Paletwa, as well as to prevent troops from entering India and to assist displaced people. They are stationed in southern Mizoram’s Laung Talai. While refugees have not recently crossed the border at Laung Talai, more than 300 people have fled to Mizoram since early 2018 due to…
The ethnic Chin people are the rightful owners of the land and natural resources in Chin State, the Chin Land Affairs Network (CLAN) declared in a meeting on amendments to Burma’s Vacant, Fallow and Virgin (VFV) land law in Kalay, Sagaing Region, last week. CLAN held discussions on the law’s impact on the people from February 12-13 and then released a statement after the meeting. “Only Chin people have the right to manage Chin lands. Regarding the allocation of natural resources with the Union, they need the agreement of Chin people before they use these resources,” CLAN’s Mang Zakup told…
Eight villages in Chin State’s Paletwa Township have suffered damage due to clashes between the Burmese military and the Arakan Army (AA), local sources say. Fighting occurred near Kha Moung Wa village in late January, with the Burma Army reportedly attacking the AA through the use of helicopter gunships; shells landed in the village. According to one resident, all of the people in Kha Moung Wa fled. “We fled because of the air attack. Bombs landed in our village. All of the houses have already collapsed, so we cannot live in our village,” a villager from Kha Moung Wa told…
Copper statues of the first ethnic Chin university graduates were unveiled by Chin State chief minister Salai Lian Luai this week. The statues were placed in Falam to encourage a new generation of Chin youth to take interest in their own history and to continue their education, representatives from the Global Falam Youth Organization (GFYO) said. The statues depict Pu Siah Luai, the first Chin graduate from Rangoon University in 1938, and Pi Hlawn Kip Thuai, the first Chin female graduate of Rangoon University 22 years later. “Our message is that education is so important and our youth need to…