A Chin preacher, an American citizen has been evicted from Chin state, Burma by the local authorities on 10 September. The United Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) authorities were involved directly in the eviction.
“The party leaders seem to be involved in this as a resolution was passed by the USDP at a meeting on Chin pastors to monitor their activities. The USDP suspected that Chin parties were being supported by Chin pastors, as a result of which, Chin parties won in the 2010 Burmese general elections in Than Tlang township,” said a member of the USDP from Than Tlang Town.
The USDP authorities passed a resolution to monitor Chin Christian leaders’ activities. The party held its first meeting after the Burmese general elections in Hakha, the capital of Chin state.
Mr. Tial Lian Thang was evicted from Than Tlang town when he was preaching in the first week of this month. He had a legal social visa from Burmese immigration and visited Than Tlang town.
“The order came from the state USDP level after a report on the pastor’s activities by the township authorities to the state authorities,” said a relative of Tial Lian Thang.
Tial Lian Thang visited his native place from USA with a legal Burmese visa and he has been in Than Tlang for more than a month. He was banned from preaching and staying on by the local authorities.
“He just preached from the Bible. He did not discuss any political issue while preaching,” said a Church leader from Than Tlang.
The local Christian Church leaders say that they are disappointed at the authorities’ behaviour forcing the Chin preacher to leave. Khonumthung news
Mr. Tial Lian Thang left on 10 September from Than Tlang and then departed from Hakha to Rangoon on 12 September.