Peace events that commemorate citizen-led peacebuilding efforts for a decade are organized in 89 locations across 59 countries in May. On May 25, 5,000 participants were gathered at the Peace Gate of Seoul Olympic Park in South Korea, and other thousands of individuals around the world, including Thailand, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroo and etc, are expected to join the events until the end of this month. Officially named “HWPL’s 10th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace and the Peace Walk”, the global events are held by an international NGO named Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light…
Author: Editor
After shutting down phone services in Matupi following the reinstatement of martial law, the military regime resumed services in the township hard hit by the recent cyclone in southern Chin State on 20 May. “We have been using the MPT service for the last three days and sometimes we can also use the MEC service, but it was stopped yesterday,” a local told Khonumthung News, wishing to remain anonymous for security reasons. After fighting escalated between the military and Chin resistance groups in Chin State, the ‘four cuts’ strategy was implemented to thwart communications between resistance fighters in Chin State.…
On Sunday, regime soldiers abducted medical staff at a private hospital in Hakha and 20 people in the town on the same night. “They raided Agape Hospital at midnight and detained a doctor and nurses,” said a man living in the Chin State capital on condition of anonymity. “I think they want to exchange them for regime officials who were arrested by a resistance group.” The soldiers took Dr Sicilia and nurses Henny, Sianlun, Hniang Sung and J Mawi to the Hakha Myoma Police Station. In April, the military arrested two doctors and another hospital staff member and exchanged them…
Cyclone Mocha damaged nearly 2,000 homes in Chin State, which was already devastated by the regime’s offensives against resistance forces. Many civilians who lost their homes in the storm are in urgent need of materials to rebuild their roofs and houses, as well as food and medicine. Travelling at speeds of 50 to 70 mph per hour, 1,774 houses in 8 of the state’s 9 townships were damaged with the worst destruction occurring in Matupi, Paletwa and Mindat, all in the south. “All the buildings in our headquarters were destroyed by Cyclone Mocha. There is nothing left,” said an officer…
Last week, at least 11 regime fighters were reportedly killed during battles between Chin armed groups fighting against Burma’s military regime in Hakha Township, in northern Chin State. After a Light Infantry Division (LID) 77 from Gangaw Township in Magway Division reportedly suffered many casualties on its way to Chin State, a column of 70 soldiers from Hakha was dispatched to assist it. The two columns, which together numbered about 120 men, were ambushed in the jungle between the villages of Zokhua and Sap Tha, before reaching the Chin State capital. Salai Htet Ni, the spokesperson of Chin National Front…
Mocha wreaked havoc in Chin State destroying many houses and buildings, including the Chin National Front’s headquarters, as 50-70 mph winds passed through the north and south in the evening of 14 May. With phone lines cut and connectivity already disconnected in many parts of the state by the military regime it’ll be a while before the full extent of the destruction caused by the cyclone in Hakha, Tedim, Tungzan, Falam Mindat, Paletwa and Matupi townships is known. The Matupi Chinland Defence Force (CDF) reported that some buildings at their headquarters were damaged by the storm and soldiers were forced…
Fierce fighting between Chin resistance and regime troops has forced thousands to flee their villages and seek refuge in Hakha Township in northern Chin State, where they are desperately in need of humanitarian assistance. “Currently, there are 2,171 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Hakha town. I think more than 9,000 IDPs are living in camps in the remote villages of Hakha Township,” Kay Pyar, a volunteer helping them, told Khonumthung News. The volunteer explained that the Burma army is sending troops into remote areas in search of resistance forces and civilians are fleeing, with some people hiding in the jungle.…
A regime airship bombed the Senthang Chinland Defence Force (CDF) central executive committee office in Hakha Township. According to the resistance group, the Mi-35 first attacked Khuapi village in northern Chin State at around 6 pm on 8 May before attacking the office. In the process, Salai Siang Cung Hnin, CDF associate general secretary, and Salai Duh Lian Hmung, the company commander, were killed. Later that evening, the helicopter attacked Phaipha and Surkhua villages. “This is a cowardly and cruel action against the civilians of Chin State,” said a statement from CDF, promising to continue to work with its other…
Regime airstrikes have already killed 33 people (23 civilians, including children) this year in Chin State, according to data collected by the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO). “They are deliberately attacking civilian targets whom they consider to be supporters of the revolution. They recognise that the people have supported the resistance groups attacking the Burma army and see the people as their enemy,” Salai Mang Hare Lian, project manager for CHRO, told Khonumthung News. In the first four months of 2023, he said, the junta flew up to 160 airstrikes in the state and dropped over 300 bombs. Nearly 80…
The Burma army has blocked the road from Kalay to Thaing Ngin and Tedim and isn’t allowing buses or trucks to pass the checkpoint at 9-mile at certain times, delaying travel from Kalay to the Indian border. “Soldiers often close the 9-mile checkpoint during the day. Sometimes they open the road again in the afternoon. When the checkpoint is closed, the buses have to take a different route,” said a bus driver travelling from Kalay in Sagaing Region to Rikhawdar on condition of anonymity. With the fastest route now closed some of the time, travellers wanting to get to Rikhawdar…