All shops were shut down in Teddim town of northern Chin state, Burma by local people to protest the decision of the Chin state assembly of not dividing the district level administration for Teddim, Ton Zang township and Cikha sub-township.
An extraordinary Chin state Hluttaw assembly motion was passed which canceled by 11/ 5 votes the Township representative motion of establishing a district administration in the first week of June in Hakha, the capital of the state.
The assembly allows Falam district as a district for Teddim, Ton Zang Township, Cikha sub-township and Falam Township. A district also was formed for Hakha and Than Tlang Township separately as Hakha district.
Mr. Thangpi, from Teddim township told Khonumthung that the demonstration was against the government not allowing districts although geographically and population wise it is suitable.
“Teddim Township is suitable for a district because the Indo-Burma trade point office is being set up in the towns on the border of Burma such as Tamu of Sagaing division, Tachilate and Myawaddy on the Thai-Burma border, which are districts. But we were not given a district, and we are disappointed at the assembly decision,” said Mr. Thangpi.
Chin traditional cloths were hung in front of homes by the local people of Teddim as a sign of protest.
“Welcome with sorrow,” posters were hung and pasted in every corner of the town by local people when Mr. Hung Ngai, Chief Minister of Chin state visited Teddim town on June 8 afternoon.
Two districts were formed by the Burmese government earlier as Mindat in the south and Falam in the north of Chin State.
Mr. Thangpi said they had proposed a separate district for Teddim town. It is not fair as 40 miles away Hakha and Falam were given district status respectively.
Demonstrations will continue demanding separate districts from Chin state authorities.