A Chin youth who was released by the Arakan Army (AA) said the ethnic armed organization (EAO) accused him of writing negative stories about the group in the press. “They accused me of disturbing their operations. They said I worked for a Khumi media group and that I was connected with the Burma Army,” Salai Aung Soe told Khonumthung News. AA soldiers arrested him and three other Chin youth near Nga Tharai village in Kyauktaw Township on July 29. The youth were traveling to Paletwa town in southern Chin State from Kyauktaw town. AA released the other youth on August…
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The Khumi Affairs Coordination Committee (KACC) commended the release of a Chin youth prisoner by the Arakan Army (AA) this Tuesday, December 15. “We waited so long for his release…We’re very happy for him and his family,” Salai Pai Nan, KACC’s coordinator, told Khonumthung News. After holding Salai Aung Soe for just over four months in a secret location, AA released the youth to two members from his family and a village leader. The ethnic armed organization (EAO) arrested him and three other Chin youth near Nga Tharai village in Kyauktaw Township on July 29. The youth were traveling to…
The Chin State Election Commission (EC) reported that all candidates who competed in the recent race submitted their expense reports on deadline. Because of the conflict in Paletwa Township, electoral candidates in this region had to take photos of their reports and send by Viber phone messaging, according to the Matupi District EC. Min Aung Shein, EC secretary for the district, told Khonumthung News despite the obstacles they faced, everyone got it on time. “We printed them out, checked their expenses for the election campaign and everything is fine.” According to Burma’s election law, a candidate can spend up to…
While national measures limiting social activities bring out changes of daily routine due to the pandemic, efforts to understand spiritually about life facing diseases and related social changes are underway across religion. On December 14, 560 representatives from 31 religions in 80 countries including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism and Sikhism joined in an online gathering named “HWPL End-of-year Religious Leaders’ Gathering: United Hopes & Prayers for a Brighter 2021” to express words of consolation to humanity and reaffirm inter-religious commitment to and dialogue for peace. 11 religious leaders representing different religions prayed for wisdom and solution to the…
A Chin youth abducted by the Arakan Army (AA) in Burma’s southern Chin State was eventually released after being detained for several months. The ethnic armed organization (EAO) released Salai Aung Soe this Tuesday, December 15, at about 2 p.m., after detaining the youth at a secret location for four months and sixteen days. His brother-in-law, Ko Ram Hnin, told Khonumthung News that Salai Aung Soe’s health is good. AA contacted the family about two days ago to pick him up in Kandywa village, he said. Two members of the family and the head of their village went to get…
The chairperson for the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Thantlang Township has submitted a letter of resignation, according to the party’s chair for Chin State. In addition to serving as his party’s chair for the township, Pu C. Za Cung was elected as a Lower House parliamentarian for Thantlang in the November 8 general election. A copy of a letter appearing to have been signed by Pu C. Za Cung, has been circulating on social media alleging corruption during the recent election. The letter said that six companies and their leaders supported the politician in return for business concessions…
Current vice president Henry Van Thio’s financial reports indicate he spent more than 7 million kyats (US$5,194) on his re-election campaign this year. On November 8, Henry Van Thio ran for an Upper House parliamentary seat in Chin State’s Constituency 10 in Thantlang Township, representing the National League for Democracy (NLD). Henry Van Thio won the seat, beating Sheng Lian Hmung of the Union Solidarity and Development Party and Van Mun Lian of the Chin National League for Democracy. According to Cho Khaing Oo, secretary of the Hakha District Election Commission, Henry Van Thio spent 7,146,890 kyats on his campaign…
While most electoral candidates throughout Chin State have submitted election expense reports to respective election commission offices, those in Paletwa Township have been unable to submit them on time due to difficulties associated with the ongoing conflict in the region. Some 37 candidates ran for election on November 8 in Matupi District, Chin State, with 28 having already submitted the necessary post-electoral documentation. “We still need reports from nine electoral candidates,” Min Aung Shein, secretary of the Matupi District Election Commission told Khonumthung News, noting that seven were from Paletwa and two were from Matupi. “They cannot send it due…
The government needs to take action against a company for failing to finish a water distribution project it was commissioned to complete in Chin State’s capital, Hakha, said a parliamentarian for Matupi Township. Awng Liang, an MP from Chin National League for Democracy, told Khonumthung News that locals are paying the price after the company withdrew from the project before completion. The fact that a minister and another high-ranking official resigned from their post after the fiasco is of little consequence, explained the MP. “The government needs to resolve this issue…the chief minister said that he’s transparent and accountable..we don’t…
“Sudan, situated in Northeast Africa is a country of immense diversity that fascinates and intrigues most of its visitors from anthropologists and archeologists to historians and average travelers. Sudan gained independence on 1st January 1956, since then the country has experienced alternating forms of democratic and authoritarian government. Sudan’s period of conflict (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) stands as one of the longest in Africa’s post-independence history. Continued conflict between the Khartoum-based Government and opposition forces in Sudan’s regions have oftentimes resulted in grave socio-political divides across the country, exacerbated by the struggle over natural resources.” <UNDP in Sudan> Interview of the…