Youth in Hakha, capital of Chin State, are opposing a shopping mall the government wants to build at the location of their football ground. “I think the shopping mall should be built in another place instead of on the football ground,” Salai Van Cing Thang, chairperson for the Chin Youth Organization (Hakha), told Khonumthung News. The youth leader said there are many other areas around Hakha where there’s free land. The government wants to build the mall on Ralmong football ground in Myo Thit ward. Salai Van Cing Thang told Khonumthung News they aren’t against building the shopping centre but…
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Members of the Chin National Front (CNF) said they will boycott the 72nd Chin National Day in Thangtlang town after the government denied the ceasefire group’s request to deliver a speech during the commemoration. Pu Ralnin, an officer for the CNF liaison office in Thangtlang, said his organization doesn’t ask to speak every year. The Chin National Day has only been possible following the success of the peace process between the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and the government, he said. “The government and EAOs are working together and moving forward during the peace process. We need to show our cooperation…
The government shut down internet access again in Rakhine and Chin states. Internet services in Rathaytaung, Buthitaung, Maungdaw, Myaebon townships in Rakhine State and Paletwa township in southern Chin State have been suspended by the communication ministry since February 3. A government employee from Paletwa town that wished to remain anonymous told Khonumthung News the shutdown will impact businesses. “I don’t know when they will allow internet access again, and I don’t know why they shut it down.” “This will hinder work in the office. Without the internet, money can’t be transferred or received…If it’s not a security issue, we…
Chin State parliament approved five Chin languages to be introduced into schools after meeting late last month. Initially, four ethnic languages were proposed said MP Van Thawng for Thangtlang township constituency-1. After more discussions, a fifth language was added. Languages, Laizo, Lai, Zo, Cho and Khumi will be taught this year in schools in Hakha, Thangtlang, Falam, Tedim, Tongzan and Paletwa townships. For the first time ever, course books will be created for these languages in government schools and students can pick what they want to study despite where they are residing, said Awng Liang, MP for Matupi township constituency-1.…
January 18th, 2020 – IPYG & IWPG Youth and Women Peace Development Workshop was held in Burundi’s capital city of Bujumbura, hosted by East African Community Youth Ambassador Platform/Burundi Chapter, Together we can/All for one vision. A total of 13 people from East African Community Youth Ambassador Platform/Burundi Chapter, Eglise de la Fraternité Chrétienne (EFC), Together we can/All for one vision, and Faith in Action Burundi/Community in Action attended the workshop under the theme of “Perceptional Development and Enlightenment about Burundi Women and Youth Ownership Workshop for Peace Agriculture Education.” The workshop was held to introduce IWPG (International Women’s Peace…
Company officials have sought support from village headman in Chin State’s Tedim Township in resuming the Mwe Tawng mining project, Khonumthung News has learned. The Yangon-based Myanmar Thiha Company is preparing to apply for an extraction license from the government for the Mwe Tawng project. It is located on the border between Chin State and Sagaing Region. There are nearly 20 villages around Mwe Tawng, which translates to “Snake Mountain.” Company officials came to meet village headmen from communities around the mining project area on January 28 in an attempt to get them on board with the initiative, locals said. …
The Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD) has warned the Arakan Army (AA) not to reference the Khumi people as an ethnic Rakhine sub-group. After releasing detained ethnic Khumi parliamentarian Hawi Tin on January 21, the AA published a statement declaring that the “Khumi ethnic tribe belongs to the Rakhine ethnic group.” The armed group also said that southern Chin State’s Paletwa Township—which Hawi Tin represents in the legislature—was once a land that belonged to their Rakhine ancestors. The CNLD has asked the AA to refrain from making such statements about the Khumi, who are also known as the Mro…
The public health department in the Chin State town of Rihkhawdar established a medical checkpoint at a bridge marking the border between India and Burma on Monday in response to the spread of coronavirus through the region. The checkpoint is located at the Rih-Zokhawthar bridge gate, at the No. 2 border trade zone/ “A team of officials from the government and three medics from the public health department have worked on it. The medical team does a medical check of those passing through. There are no restrictions. People are traveling as usual,” Rihkhawdar immigration officer Maung Maung told Khonumthung News.…
Teachers in the Chin State capital of Hakha have said that if the government does not reconsider its order to extend the academic year through March, they will “launch a strong movement” against it. On Sunday, nearly 100 teachers and students in Hakha protested the Ministry of Education order and changes to the examination schedule. “We are still waiting to see how the government will respond to us. If the situation does not change, we will launch a strong movement again,” primary school teacher Thein Zaw Win told Khonumthung News. Demonstrators demanded that the extension of the school year be…
An extension to the academic year by one month put forward by the Ministry of Education has been contested by teachers who say it is “overloading” them with work. The original order from the ministry stated that schools must be open until March 31, but it has been modified, with schools now required to be open through March 25. Students from Grade 4 and Grade 8 taking their final exams in the first days of March. Grade 10 students must take their exams between March 11 and March 20. Other students will be tested between March 23 and 25. March…