Religious discrimination is still very much in vogue in Chin State. The Chin National Party (CNP) has pointed out that the central government has been discriminating against Christians.
Mr. Ceu Bik Thawng, Secretary of CNP told Khonumthung that the project for the construction of the pagoda was passed by the Chin state assembly recently. The pagoda is to be built in Hakha, the capital of Chin state. Instances of demolition of the Christian cross have been ignored and no action taken by the authorities.
Mr. Thawng has been discussing this issue with local people in Chin state to get to the root of the problem of religious discrimination by the government and resolve it. The local Chin Christians have to face religious persecution and they comprise 90 percent of the population of the state.
“Local people are disappointed because of the religious persecution by the central government. They want to voice this issue, so I am discussing it with local people on how to solve it,” said Mr. Thawng.
Discussions will be on with local people of Hakha, Falam and Teddim town of Chin state.
The cross in Mual Bem village, Teddim Township in northern Chin state was demolished with a bulldozer by the local authorities led by Mr. Hau Khan Nang, an administrator of Mual Bem village on 11 April 2012.
Again, earlier, a cross in Rung Mountain near Hakha, the capital of Chin state was demolished on February 2012.
Soldiers of the Burmese Army also disrupted a Christian conference in Sabawngte village, Matupi Township near the Indo-Burma border and threatened Pu Van Cin, a Member of Parliament from the Ethnic National Development Party elected from Chin State Parliament in Burma’s November 2010 elections at gunpoint on 10 March.
Although the armed resistance group of the Chin National Front signed a preliminary ceasefire agreement with the Chin State government in January this year, but persecution of Christians and disruption of conferences continue in the state. Khonumthung news