Civilians displaced by conflict in southern Chin State, who haven’t received any food rations since the military coup happened three weeks ago, are sleeping on the ground after their huts collapsed. “We want to build new shelters because we can’t return to our village. If the rain comes we have nowhere to hide,” said a resident from an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Sami town. “At this time, there aren’t any donors or organizations coming to help us. We don’t have a regular income living in the IDP camp so it’s really difficult.” One-hundred and sixty homes collapsed after…
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The military government is pressuring lower-ranking staff from Hahka University who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) to go back to work. The university has two-hundred and sixty staff and everyone took part in the CDM. But after facing pressure from authorities, ten have resumed their positions. While authorities have exerted pressure on lower-ranking employees to return to campus, the university’s professors and lecturers haven’t been bothered. After health workers across the country launched the CDM on February 3, several days after the Tatmadaw staged a coup, many government workers joined. In some departments, the senior staff has threatened junior…
The Tatmadaw has still detained the Chin State Chief Minister, some ministers and the speaker of Chin State parliament, while other ministers are under house arrest. Chin State Chief Minister Salai Lian Luai, Development Affairs Minister U Soe Htet, Minister for Immigration and Human Resource Development U Chi Phwe, Chin State Parliament Speaker U Zo Bwe and Vice Parliament Speaker U Take Htan are all being detained at the military camp in Haka Township. Minister for Social Affairs U Paung Lun Min Htan, Minister for Transport and Communication U Shwe Htee Oh, Minister for Forest U Mann Hin Dar and…
The military coup leadership offered two election candidates the vacant position of Chair of Chin State Administration Council, but both candidates firmly rejected the offer citing the invitation did not come from the official government. The vacancy arose from the recent death of the Chair of Chin State Administration Council U Terrance San Mawi Nikhuai, who received the post on February 3rd and died of heart disease on February 11th. U Htala Ha Ye competed in Haka Township Constituency-1 in the 2020 General Elections as an independent candidate was offered the post. He had retired as Director of Chin State Development…
At least 38 people were detained in Chin State after the Tatmadaw took the power of the country from the National League for Democracy government on February 1, according to Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO). “They haven’t been charged. They’re being detained without a reason,” Salai Sang Hnin Lian, from CHRO, told Khonumthung News. Efforts by CHRO to contact the detainees have been denied, he said. While four people were released on February 11. Many of the detainees are the staff of the state’s Election Commission (EC). The Tatmadaw arrested 21 EC employees, as well as the chief minister, parliamentary…
The total number of detainees including the Chin State Chief Minister has now reached 38 after the military coup on February 1st, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) Salai Sang Hnin Lian, head of the CHRO said: “In Chin State, the total of 38 persons are under arrest. The police have not filed any charges.We are trying to get in contact with the detainees, but we are denied any access.” The security forces released four out of detainees on February 11th. Most of 38 detainees are staffers from the election sub-commissions. The Tatmadaw detained 21 from State, District…
Leaders of the Chin National Front (CNF) requested temporary political asylum for their families last week from India’s Mizoram State government. “After the Burma army seized power, we’re preparing for our families in the event of a worse case scenario. During this political crisis anything can happen,” Salai Htet Ni, CNF spokesperson, told Khonumthung News. The ethnic armed organization asked for asylum for 50 families. If there is political instability non-military families might have to flee, the spokesperson said, and CNF is also making preparations for them. “As an armed organization, we have no other options but to do this.…
Members of the Election Commission (EC) from the nine townships in Chin State were arrested by the Burma Army on Wednesday, February 10. Lin Kyaw, the Chin State secretary for EC, told Khonumthung News that the arrests in the middle of the night were likely related to an ongoing investigation of the state voter’s list by the military government, which made unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud during the recent race before staging a coup a week and a half ago. Prior to seizing power, Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing demanded a recount of the November 8 election, claiming there were over…
The Burma Army ordered Chin parliamentarians to vacate government housing on Thursday, February 4, after stripping them of their titles. All the MPs, including Salai Lian Lwi, Chin State Chief Minister, Zo Bwe, speaker for Parliament and Soe Htet, minister of Municipal, Electricity and Industry, were being held at a hostel in the army’s camp in Hakha. While being detained by the Burma Army the ministers couldn’t contact anyone, including their families, Shwe Htee-O, minister of Transportation, told Khonumthung News. “They didn’t ask any questions or do anything bad to us. They gave us food.” Shwe Htee-O said he was…
The Burma Army ordered Chin parliamentarians to vacate government housing on Thursday, February 4, after stripping them of their titles. All the MPs, including Salai Lian Lwi, Chin State Chief Minister, Zo Bwe, speaker for Parliament and Soe Htet, minister of Municipal, Electricity and Industry, were being held at a hostel in the army’s camp in Hakha. While being detained by the Burma Army the ministers couldn’t contact anyone, including their families, Shwe Htee-O, minister of Transportation, told Khonumthung News. “They didn’t ask any questions or do anything bad to us. They gave us food.” Shwe Htee-O said he was…