An independence monument erected in Hakha, Chin State, was criticized for exorbitant spending during the pandemic in one of the poorest states of Burma.
“It’s a waste of money,” Ko Hmong Noe, who leads the Tedim Youth Fellowship, told Khonumthung News. “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many people in Chin State, including health staff. I think it would be better to spend the money fighting the virus rather than building the monument. It will be beneficial for more people.”
Chin State Chief Minister Salai Lian Luai attended the unveiling this Monday, January 4, on the 73th Independence Day, in Khucilobo Park, in the Chin State capital.
The Chin State Municipal Department spent 61.6 million kyats ($47K) on the monument, which is 75 feet high and 14 feet in diameter.