CHRO

Written by Chinland Guardian
Published in Chin News

16 June 2015 — The Chin Human Rights Organization urged the government of Burma to take necessary action to provide humanitarian assistance to Chin victims of conflicts between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army.
In a statement released yesterday, the CHRO said that the authorities should cooperate with UN agencies and the international community to allow unhindered access to more than 350 Khumi Chin internally displaced persons in Paletwa Township, Chin State.

It said that they would be running out of food supplies before the end of this month. It added that the 350 IDPs – of whom 141 are children – urgently need food, medical care and medicine, additional latrines, and construction materials.

At the end of March, the Arakan Army attacked their village, Pyin So, where there is a Burma Army military outpost, forcing residents to flee, according to the CHRO.

Subsequently, the AA ordered the villagers to dig a grave and bury the body of Burma Army Captain Kyaw Htet Aung who was killed during the fighting.

And the AA forced another ten men to porter their loads for them to the border with Bangladesh.

Rachel Fleming, CHRO’s Advocacy Director, said “This is yet another case where ordinary civilians, this time Khumi Chin indigenous people, bear the brunt of armed conflict in Burma and suffer human rights violations. The long-standing pattern of abuses hasn’t stopped; in fact we see it escalating in the Paletwa area.”

In the lead-up to the outbreak of conflict, the CHRO also documented two cases of child soldier recruitment and one of forced recruitment by the Burma Army in the Paletwa area.

The CHRO called on the authorities of Burma to stop the pressure on IDPs to return to their village – reportedly contaminated with landmines – and respect their right to voluntary return in safety and dignity.

Fleming said: “The pressure from the authorities to return home violates the rights of the IDPs. Instead, the authorities should be consulting with them for long-term solutions, in accordance with the right to free, prior and informed consent.”

“Voluntary return in safety and dignity is a right, not an obligation. And in this case it would require humanitarian landmine clearance and security guarantees from the authorities.”

At least four clashes had taken place between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army since March this year.

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2322-authorities-urged-to-provide-humanitarian-aid-to-chin-conflict-victims

June 17, 2015

Written by KIC

Published in Karen State

Chin Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) take Shelter near the Kaladan River in Chin State (Photo: KMG)Chin Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) take Shelter near the Kaladan River in Chin State (Photo: KMG)
A human rights organisation has accused the Burma Army and an ethnic armed group of abuses and violations against civilians in Southern Chin State.

In its report, The Chin Human Rights Organization warned that recent fighting between the Arakan Army and the Burma Army was putting civilians at risk with both sides allegedly perpetrating human rights abuses.

The report, Armed Conflict in Paletwa, documented that at least 350 civilians displaced by the conflict, half of whom are children, were also trapped and urgently needed food and medical attention for malaria.

On the 28 March a patrol of 40 Arakan Army soldiers occupied the village of Pyin So after a fight with Burma Army soldiers, forcing some civilians to porter their supplies and detaining others.

Villagers reported being terrified of leaving their homes and at least one was reported as missing after going hunting in the local forest.

“This is yet another case where ordinary civilians, this time Khumi Chin indigenous people, bear the brunt of armed conflict in Burma and suffer human rights violations,” said Rachel Fleming, Advocacy Director at CHRO, “The long‐standing pattern of abuses hasn’t stopped. In fact we see it escalating in the Paletwa area.”

Chin State is Burma’s poorest State and Paletwa is one of Chin State’s poorest areas. In a 2011 report by the UN stated that 73 % of people live below the poverty line, compared with the national average of 25 %.

http://www.bnionline.net/news/karen-state/item/570-burma-and-arakan-armies-accused-of-violations-against-chin-civilians.html

By Mizzima
Tuesday, 16 June 2015

The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) today condemned both the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar Army for human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, in the context of recent outbreaks of conflict between the two sides in Paletwa, southern Chin State in a media release dated 15 June.

CHRO urged the authorities to cooperate with UN agencies and the international community to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to more than 350 Khumi Chin internally-displaced persons (IDPs), who will run out of food supplies before the end of this month.

CHRO’s briefing describes how the community of Khumi Chin indigenous people were forced to flee when their village of Pyin So,where there is a Myanmar Army military outpost, came under direct attack by the Arakan Army at the end of March.

Around 6pm on 28 March, about 40 armed soldiers from non-ceasefire ethnic armed group the Arakan Army approached the village. On their way to the village, they detained 8Khumi Chin men, two of whom managed to escape and were able to warn the villagers of the impending attack. The eight Myanmar Army soldiers stationed there left their outpost and took up positions around the village. Fighting broke out late that night, and again early the next morning, and Myanmar Army Captain Kyaw Htet Aung was killed. After the Arakan Army effectively seized control of the village, they ordered the Pyin So villagers to dig a grave and bury the body of the Captain. Another ten men were forcibly taken by the Arakan Army to porter their loads for them to the border with Bangladesh.

The primary school in the village was destroyed in the fighting, as well as the schoolteacher’s hostel and two other homes. The roofs were heavily damaged and the properties riddled with bullet holes. Both the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army have allegedly laid landmines around Pyin So village.

“This is yet another case where ordinary civilians, this time Khumi Chin indigenous people, bear the brunt of armed conflict in Myanmar and suffer human rights violations,” said Rachel Fleming, CHRO’s Advocacy Director. “The long-standing pattern of abuses hasn’t stopped; in fact we see it escalating in the Paletwa area.”

http://mizzima.com/news-domestic/chin-civilians-bear-brunt-conflict-paletwa-chin-state

Published: 16 June 2015    

Written by The Chinland Post

2012 kum ah Chin Ramkulh khuapi hi ka phan dih ngawt cang__Paletwa dah ti lo. Thlanglei Laitlang kan timi chung in Kanpetlet, Matupi le Mindat hna cu voi hnih cio ka rak phan cang hna. Chin ramkulh khualipi phak dih hi ka thinlung ah phundang ngaite in a um. Tlawn khawh dih hi hlawhtling pakhat ah ka ruah.

Asinain kum thum chung ah zeiti hmanh in tlawnnak lam a um lo. Tlawnti hawi zong ka ngei fawn lo. Nain a caan ka bawh zungzal. Cuti bantuk in ka bawhmi cu 2015 May thla zarhthumnak ah a hung tling taktak. Paletwa kal khawhnak lam aa hung taktak. Kum thum renglo ka hngahmi, Chin Ramkulh khuapi phak dih ka duhnak chunmang a hung tling taktak cang lai. May 18 ah hun i thawh ding in aa fiang. May 17 zan ah Sittwe tiang vanlawng Ticket, Sittwe in motor cit dingmi le tilawng (boat) hlanmi zong a tlamtling dih cang. Asinain, cu tlukpi in ka rak i ngaihmi cu kal lai ah cun zenh bantuk in ka thinlung ah ‘duk’ tiah a hung lut. Kaa fiang. A hlan i a dang Chin ramkulh khuapi ka tlawnmi le atutan Paletwa tlawn ding cu aa lo hrimhrim lo.

Rangoon kan i thawh in ruahnak khi aa phundang ngai cang. Ka U Ling nih kan thil timhmi ah “Life Jackets” a hun rawn colh. Zei ruang ah ti ka hun ruah tikah Paletwa kal cu phundang a rak si. Kaladan tiva chung ah suimilam paruk chung tilawng cit a hau. Anih (U Ling) nih Kaladan i tilawng mawngtu nih “Live Jackets” an i put lo kha a rak hngalh cia. Tiva pi in ti lioh thiam lo bu in ‘Live Jacket” i hruk lo cu kan rak mawh hrim lo. Asinain ka phak bal lonak Paletwa phak ding kaa ngaihnak cu a ka lung ah a tang peng rih ko. Zenh pah lak ah lung hna an ngam khunmi cu Paletwa phak hlan in dongtu, tlun-inn zong tawlrel piak chung dih a si caah hna a ngam khun. Cu hna ngamnak he Paletwa cu May 19 ah ka phan taktak.

May 21 cu Paletwa khua in khan 15 fai aa hlatnak khua pakhat ah kan kal. Tilawng (Boat) in suimilam 2 fai kan kal hnu ah khua pkhat ah kan i din. An khua luh hlan in kum 3–5 kar ngakchia tete zalongte in lente an i celh ka hei hmuh. An khua ka hei luh tikah inn le lo cu a khaan zong dan rih lomi an tam. Nutung hna nih an fale bawhkeuh hnuk dinh pah in an hei ihpi hna. Tar cheukhat aa hngilh zong an um. Nungak le tlangval cheukhat cu buk pawng ah dir in kanmah a kan zoh zong an um. Cheukhat inn a sa zong an um. Inn hmai ah rawl a chuang zong ka hei hmuh pah hna. Ngakchia cheukhat ca a zoh an um. Ngakchia hna cu a bubu in ca an zoh i an thinlung takte in ca an duh khi ka hei hngalh. An catang pawl ka vun hal hna tikah tangcheu le tangthum kar ngakchia an si.

Cu khua cu khua min an ngei rih lo. Ral ruang ah a zam i buk aa sermi an si. An khua taktak cu Pin Su (Pyin Shu) khua ti a si. Inndawng (62) an si i an khua inn dihlak in cun cuka hmun ahcun an rak i dor. An in dor caan thlakhat fai a si cang tiah a kan zultu Paletwa mino pakhat nih a ka chimh.

Paletwa mino in a kal kalpitu Pu Mang Ling nih khuabawi pa a auh i nan khua upa pawl ton an in duh hna tiah a va chimh. Upa tam deuh cu thingsam in rian an tuan tikah mi cu a va khawmh hna. Minutes 10 a rauh hnu ah khua upa minung paruk a hun chuahpi hna. An khuabawi pa nih lut hna sih a kan ti i ‘buk’ tang chung ahcun a kan hruai.
Thutnak hmunhma kan hun lak dih in an khuabawi le khua upa nih an kan zohning khi phundang ngai in ka thinglung ah a um. Lunghrinhnak le lung-aw tawmnak kan cung ah an ngei ti ka ruah. Cu ruang ah bia tluangte in kan ruah khawh hna nakhnga tihin bia ka vun thawk.

“Ral ruang ah thinphanhnak le khuasak tintuknak ah harnak he nan um kan hngalh. Kanmah cu …. kan si. Atu ahhin nanmah sinah chawva bawmhnak in kan ra lo. Asinain, himnak le duhdimte in khuasak khawhnak hi nanmah caah a biapi tuk. Cozah lei le a dang NGOs nih hi tluk nan thinphannak, harnak hi an in tuarpi hna lo. Cucaah atu nan harnak kong le nan dirhmun hngalh duh ah ka ra. Nan kong hi vawleicung nih hngalh in midang, khuadang bantuk in himnak le zalonnak tang ah nan um khawh nakhnga thawng thanh kan duh. Cucaah kan in halmi hna dikte in nan kan leh naklai kan nawl hna. Zei hmanh tih ding a um lo.”

March 29, 2015 zanlei suimilam 7:00 – 8:00 dengmang tiang AA timi Arakan Army le Kawlram Ralkap (KR) an khua ah an i kahning kong cu khuabawi Pu Aung Pi nih hitin a chim.

“Zanlei sml. 6:30 hlan deuh ah survorh ah tiva a kalmi upa pahnih cu khuachung ah baa ngai in an rak tli. Kan khua hi AA ralkap nih an kulh dih cang. Tiva ah an kan tlaih i kan luat. Pakhat cu an tlaih beh. Kan zaam cangka meithal in an kan kah i an kan nganh. Himnak caah pakhatkhat tuah a hau tiah a kan ti. Cu cangka in sianginn i a ummi Kawl ralkap nih an theih colh ve. Khuami dihlak cu Pyichaung tiva ah vaa thup dih uh an kan ti. Kawl ralkap cu kan khuachung ah kin an ciah (duty) dih in khuami tamdeuh Pyichuang tiva kan phak in meithal thawng kan theih colh.”

Khua upa Aung Be nih, “Khuami dihlak tar, ngakchia upa thlu loin zankhua dei tiva pawng ah cun kan riak. A thaizing khua kan kir tikah kan vok le kan ar tampi cu lamkam ah an ril ko. Sianginn kan zoh tikah a rawk dih ti awk in a um. Siang cachim an umnak pathum zong a rawk i inn pahnih zong a rawk. AA ralkap pawl cu an rak um rih. An kan auh i Kawl ralkap in a thimi Bogyi Ktaw Htin ruak cu vui an kan fial. Cun AA ralkap nih kan khuami (10) cu thil phorh ding ah an auh hna i Bangladesh ramri tiang an va thlah hna hnu, a thaizing March 31 ah khua an hung kir. Asinain khuami cu kan zam dih cang caah April thla zarhkhatnak lawng ah kan i tong than hna,” tiah kahnak a umtuning kong a kan chimh.

AA ralkap pawl an kir hnu in chanh ding ah Kawlram ralkap cu an khua hi March 30 zanleipi lawng ah an phan. Kahnak a chuah lio ah Kawlram ralkap cu pariat lawng an si i AA ralkap hi 40 renglo an si tiah khua upa nih a kan chimh.

“Kan khua pawng dihlak cu Kawl ralkap nih bomb an phum dih. Nan kal tikah ralringte in kal uh an kan ti. Thla hnih deng kahnak a um cang nain kan khua pawng ah bomb an phummi a um rih. Kawl ralkap zong a kiangkap ah an um rih. AA ralkap zong an rat than ahcun kahnak a chuak rih lai caah kan tih tuk. Atu tiang khua kir kan ngamh rih lo,” tiah thingphang nawn in Pu Aung Be nih a bia a hun peh.

Nuamte in lente aa celhmi Pinsu khua ngakchia rual hnaAtu lio Pin Su (Pyin Shu) khuami an i dornak hi an khua in meng 20 fai aa hlatnak Laungtin khuataw ah a si. “Buk sak lio ah amahte in aa sa kho lomi tar le nu inn hna cu Laungtin khua mino nih an sakpi hna,” tiah Pu Aung Pi nih a chim.

“March 29 in kan zam dih hna, kan khua ning in. Kan zamnak khua le hmunhma zong aa khat lo. Cheukhat chungkhar cu an i thenthek dih. Kan umnak thawngpang duhsahte in kan in hlat hnu ah khuami dihlak in tonnak kan ngei than. Atu kan umnak Laungtin khuataw ahhin April 27 ah damte in kan i hmu kho dih hna,” tiah Ya-yaka chungtel Pu Maung San nih a chim.

Asinain atu bantuk in chungkhar tlingte in an i ton than lio ah chungkhar tling lo inndawng pakhat an rak um. March 29 zan ah AA nih mipa pakhat an tlaih i nihin tiang a konglam an hngal ti lo. “A thi maw a nung, khoika a phak ti kan hngal lo,” tiah khuabawi pa nih a ka chimh. A tlau mipa a min cu Pu Ling Maing ti a si. “Mi felte a si i kan khua ah kan bochan taktakmi a si,” tiah a ti.

An i dornak bu cu pakhat hnu pakhat in kan hei zohpiak hna. Vampang zong thathi in an chuang kho lo. Cheukhat cu a cungkhuh khuhnak tapalin (Palastic) tiang in an ngei lo. Innhmai ah rawl an chuang cio khi ka hmuh. Bel thitha ngei an tlawm caah inn nga ah belkhat tiah a changchang in rawl an chuang.

Vampang zong aa chong lomi inn pakhat ka hei hmuh. Kum 25 fai a simi nu nih a fa hnuk a dinh pah in kum 5 ngakchia nu a pom pah rih khi ka hei hmuh. An pawng ah tarnu nih a thutpi hna. Cucu biaruah ka duhmi a tlaumi Pu Ling Maing i nupi cu a si.

Ngaihchiatnak mithmai a cuan ka hmuh tikah zeitin ka chawnh lai ti ka hngal lo. Na fale an dam maw? Kum zeizatdah an si, nang tah na dam tha maw ka hei ti. “Kan tha ko. Ka fa upa nu hi kum 5 a tling lai. Hnuk a dingmi nu hi thla 13 a si cang a ka ti.” Mah hi na pi maw a si ka ti i “ka nu a si, kum 68 a si cang. Amah le ka fa pahnih he tiah khua kan sa. Khuami nih ei-awk tete an kan pek i cutin kan nung” a ka ti. An pa sining kong ka hal hlan ah fa hna na pawi maw ka ti. “Pawi, thlali a si cang,” a vun ka ti i a mitthli tla deng in a um tikah ka hnarnoruh a hun ka tam. Sau nawn biahal loin kaa din i thazaang ka hun la. An pa kong biahal ding zeitin ka tuah lai ti khua ka ruat.

Pu Ling Maing nupi min hi Pi Koe Li ti a si. An pa zong nule pa le chungkhar a ngei lomi a si. Amah zong chungkhar ngei loin a nu he khuasami an si. An pa hi lothawh thingphur lei ah a thawng ngaimi a si caah an khua ah a nung kho ngaimi an si.

An pa kong hal cu kaa harh deuh rih. Nan khua ah nan inn zeidah a lawh, ei awk hna nan ngei pah maw ka ti. “Kan inn cu a rawk pah cang, hi hnu kum khat cun remh a hau cang. Nizan ah upa nih kan khua an va feh i ei awk kan ngeimi le kan vok zong an rak um ti lo an ka ti. Ka fa sianginn kai a cu cang. Lo zong tukum cu kan tuah kho ti lai lo. Zeitin ka fale he kan nung lai ti ka ruah ah ka mitthli a luang tawn,” tiah tah aw he thir nawn in a ka leh.

Nan pa sining kong ka theih i ka ngaihchia tuk ve. In halning law zeitin, a kong hngalh ka duh ko ka ti ahkhin a hnap hrawh pah in a tah aw a hung chuak. A lu aa chit i, ‘ka hal, ka hal’ a ka ti.

An pa kong cu hitin a ka chimh:
“Kan pa hi zanlei fatin thingthei a va bawh tawn. Sa zong hi a kap ngai. Zanlei 5 pm in aa thawh tawn i zan 7:30 ahhin a rak tin tawn. Mah ni (March 29) zan zong cu kan khua pawng i a va bawh tawnmi thingthei bawh ah aa thawh. Khuami nih zam a hau an kan ti tikah kan pa kong ka tuak manh ti lo. Ka fale ka nu he zeitin kan him lai ti lawng hi ka ruat. Nithum tiang ah a tlau lai ti ka ruat lo. Asinain aho paoh an phak dih tik in kan pa lawng khuami in a bau ti ka hngalh tikah pakhatkhat a cangcang ti ka zumh. Cucun kan pa kong hi kan khuami upa paoh ka hal dih hna. Aho hmanh nih a umnak an ka let kho lo.”

“Thingthei a bawhnak hmun hi AA ralkap pawl khua an ratnak hmun a si. Cun thing a at mi pathum zong an tlaih hna. Cucaah ttumi meithal he ram a vaimi Pu Ling Maing hi Rahkine ralkap nih an tlaih i pakhat khat an tuahmi a si lai, tiah khuami nih kan zumh dih” tiin Pi Koe Li sin a ka zultu Pu Maung San nih a ka chim.

A peh i, “AA nih kahnak a dih hnu in ralbawi Kyaw Htin le ralkap sawhsawh pakhat a thi tiah thawng an thanh. A thi taktakmi kan hmuhmi le kan hngalhmi cu ralbawi Kyaw Htin lawng a si. Cucaah AA nih an thanhmi hi atu Pu Ling Maing hi a si lai ti kan zumh,” tiah a ti.

“Thla hnih a rau cang. Kan pa cu a lawi ti lo. A nun rih paoh ahcun a kan hlam lai i kan sin a ra hrim lai. Nihin tiang a kan hlam ti lomi cu ruahchanhnak a um ti lo. Ka ruahchan ngam ti lo. Kan pa hi a thi cang ko. Ka fale le ka nu he nungdamte in kan um khawh dingtu hi ka tuak cang. Kan pa kong ka tuak ahcun ka fale ka zang an fak tuk. Tuak lo in hmailei caah i timhtu hi kaa zuam ko cang,” tiah Pi Koe Li nih a angki in a mitthli aa hnawh pah in a ka chimh. CHRO lei in bawmhnak an kuatmi te ka pek i a fa hnuk dinh le a dang pompah a si caah a nu ka hei pek. A nu cu holh ruang ah bia kan i ruah kho lo nain a mithmai ah ngaihchiatnak a rak ngeih ve ka hmuh. Ka lu a ka muai pah khin a nu nih ka putmi laksawng cu hlan.

Khuabawi pawl nih, “UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF le a dangdang nih a kan veh. Kan kong an ka hal nain aho hmanh nih bawmhnak an kan pe lo. Chin ramkulh cozah nih phaisa sing 40 le Khumi mino nih bawmhnak halpiakmi, biaknak lei cheukhat in bawmhnak in kan nung rih. Ni linh lak a si tikah kan eimi, dinmi zong a tha lo. Minung 30 fai cu chungthlik an tuar. A dang pahnih cu Paletwa sizung an phan,” tiah a ka ti.

Bawmhnak hi Kawlram ralkap lei in tapalin, eidin tlawmpal le coka hmandingmi nam le herhhai sing 20 fai an bawmh ve hna. An i dornak Laungtin khuataw ah cun sianginn zong cu sak an thawk i rua in an kulh pah cang.

“Sianginn kai a za cang lai. Kan khua kir ding kan ngamh lo. Kan sianginn a rawk dih. Chin ramkulh cozah sin ah hmanthlak he tuahpiak ding in kan ti nain lehnak a um lo. Atu kan umnak ah aho nih kan fale ca a chimh hna lai kan ruah ah ka ngaih a chia. Kan si khawhnak lam in kan fale sianginn an kai khawh nakding cu kan i zuam lai,” tiah khuabawi pa nih sianginn kong he pehtlai in a ka chimh.

Cozah le ralkap lei nih nan khua ah kir uh. Nan kir lo ahcun nan khua min kan hrawh lai. Cu ohsuh (village tract) min in kan in hlawt hna lai tiah thihphaihnak zong an ton chih tikah a kaakip in Pin Su khuami an lungre a theih khi ka hmuh. Inn 62 si i minung 356 caah an hmuhmi bawmhnak hi a za hrimhrim lo. Sanpioh in caansau pi an nung cang nain, an din-ei mi vitamin a chambau tikah an ngandamnak caah lungre thei a si.

Lungre theih le ngaihchiat chimpit in an um lio ah cozah lei in hramhram in kir an fial hna. Nan khua cazin an hrawh lai an ti rih. Khua ka ruahmi cu, ‘Cozah hi mizapi a kan bawmtu, tha a kan petu maw an si, a kan thihphaihtu dah’ ti hi a si. ‘Pin Su khuami an harnak kong ah cozah a rian cu himte in an um khawhnak, a hna ngamnak caah bawmh le thazaang pek hi a si hnga lo maw. Ralkap cozah si loin thimmi cozah nih ziah zawnruahnak tlawmte lawng a ngeih ti khi ka tuak tikah ka lung a hra hrim lo. Cozah tha, mizapi cozah taktak kan ser kho rih lo hi ta,” ka ti.

Nuhrin covo mit in zoh ahcun aho minung paoh humhimnak, duhdimte in nun khuasaknak hi kan ngei. Pin Su khuami cu an ngei lo. Cu a ngei lomi bawmh lo le chanh lo cu nuhrin covo a buarmi cozah le minung kan si ko hnga lo maw.

Minung cu man asiloah limhang (dignity) he a ummi kan si. Cu minung man cu aho paoh nih tlingte in kan ngeih khawh nakding ah tihphannak, launak, din-ei caah lungre theihnak in kan luat a herh. Cuti a luat lomi bawmhding cu aho paoh tuanvo a si. A bik in cozah nih tuanvo a ngei.

Bawmh a herhmi minung, kan hmaikaa in a ummi bawmh lo hi nuhrin covo buar a si. Khrihfa sining he zong aa ralkahmi a si. Cucu Pin Su khuami nih nihin tiang an tinco khawh rih lomi covo cu a si.

“Chaklei Laitlang lei in kan sining thawngpang a kan hal hmasatu hi nangmah na si. Aho hmanh nih zei nan lawh ti hal kan tong rih lo,” tiah an khuabawi nih lawmhnak le mithmai panh in a ka chimh. A khuami caah zeihmanh bawmhnak ka pek khawh hna lo caah kei zong ka ngaih a chia. Amah dirhmun ah kaa umter tikah ka hnakruh a ka tam.
Zeikhom a si ah Pathian nih an umpi hna lai. Himnak tlamtling nan ngei lai ti ka zumh ti lawng khi ka thazang pek khawhmi a si.

Bia kan i ruah tikah an lung a dam ngai ka hmuh. Kir lai a za cang. Zeitin ka chawnh hna lai ti ka hngal lo. An khuami upa 8 nih kan tilawng pawng tiang an rak ka thlah. Cu ahcun CHRO nih kuatmi bawmhnak tangka cu ka ap hna. “Nan kong vawleipi nih an theih ding tuhi keimah ka ti khawhmi a si. Pathian nih lam in hruai hna seh. Kan tlawngthan te hna lai,” tiah bia ka chim ta hnu ah tilawng in Rangoon lei kir cu kaa zal.

Kanmah bantuk in Pin Su khuami nih himte in khuasa kho hna seh. Minung nunnak ah a sung lawi bikmi cu duhdimte in khuasak khawh le chungkhar tlingte in tlonlenti khawh hi a si. Pin Su khuami zong a rauh hlan ah cu bantuk cu an co te lai tiah zumhnak ka ngei i saduh zong ka that.

Pehtlai Thawng Relchap;http://www.thechinlpost.com/index.php/hmuhning/hmuhning-biazai-theihtleih/capar/599-ral-ruang-ah-laikhua-a-tiomi-harnak-an-tong-cozah-cung-ah-an-lung-a-tling-lo

http://www.thechinlpost.com/index.php/hmuhning/hmuhning-biazai-theihtleih/capar/627-himte-in-khuasak-khawh-hi-a-va-sunglawi-hringhran-dah-paletwa-tlawnnak

By MELANIE KEYTE 15 June 2015  

A small and isolated community in Chin State have suffered human rights abuses and been forced to flee their homes due to recent outbreaks of fighting in the state’s south, the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) has reported.

“This is yet another case where ordinary civilians, this time Khumi Chin indigenous people, bear the brunt of armed conflict in Burma and suffer human rights violations,” said CHRO’s Advocacy Director Rachel Fleming in a statement on 15 June.

The village of Pyin So, one-and-a-half hours’ boat ride to the town of Paletwa, is home to 62 households of ethnic Khumi people. The area is one of the poorest in Burma and, CHRO says, is heavily militarised, with 20 Burmese army positions in Paletwa Township alone.

The CHRO paper says that more than 350 people have abandoned their homes due to abuses such as the recruitment of minors, arbitrary detention, physical abuse, forced labour, abduction and the use of landmines.

Pointing to the Burmese army and the Arakan Army (AA) as the primary perpetrators of human rights violations, CHRO has called on the international community to act.

“Without international scrutiny, such abuses go unheeded,” Fleming said, speaking to DVB on Monday.

“In order to ensure human rights abuses cease altogether, impunity must end. Such abuses should be properly investigated by an independent, impartial body and perpetrators must be held to account in open civilian court,” she said.

Detailed in the CHRO report are accounts of the ill-treatment villagers have suffered since fighting erupted between ethnic armed groups, including the AA and the Arakan Liberation Party (the armed faction of which is the Arakan Liberation Army), and government forces, commonly known as the Tatmadaw.

Schoolboys Nay Lah Htun and Win Naing, aged 15 and 17 respectively, told CHRO that a Tatmadaw officer had attempted to forcibly conscript them, along with their 21-year-old friend Eing Gar Aung, into the Burmese army. The officer reportedly told the youngsters that he would teach them to drive a car and use a computer, skills which would earn the boys a well-paid job outside the village. When it became apparent that they had been tricked, the three young men tried to run away, but were chased down by the officer and ransoms were demanded from their families. The two minors were later released, but the 21-year-old is still missing.

Khumi people also reported abuse from the AA, with eight men relating to CHRO an incident where they had been detained, then physically abused, by members of the ethnic armed organisation as punishment for supposedly permitting the Tatmadaw to stay in the village. All of the men managed to escape uninjured after fighting broke out with government troops.

Since late May, over 350 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have fled Pyin So, seeking refuge in the village of Laung Tin where they now face shortages of food and medicine, according to the NGO.

“The IDPs had to cross two densely forested mountain ranges on foot, via jungle trails,” Fleming said. “[They] urgently need food provisions, as their supplies will run out by the end of this month. They also need medical care, medicines and construction materials.”

CHRO’s brief also addresses mounting pressure facing the displaced community, of whom 141 are minors, with authorities urging them to go back to their village despite all the dangers which remain there. Local Tatmadaw commanders, ministers from the Chin State government and township officials have reportedly told the Khumi to return to their homes or else face expulsion from their lands.

Fleming said these kind of threats violate the rights of the IDPs, and that their welfare is the primary responsibility of the state.

“We believe that the Burma army and the authorities, including the Chin State government, are more concerned about their reputation than about protecting the rights of the IDPs. The IDPs in Paletwa are a clear reminder that conflict is still going on in Chin State, which is embarrassing to the Burma army and the Chin State government,” she said.

A bilateral ceasefire was signed between the Chin National Front and the government in 2012, however, conflict between the AA and the Tatmadaw continues in the state’s south.

http://www.dvb.no/news/caught-in-the-crossfire-chin-myanmar-burma/52528

Sunday, 14 June 2015 06:35 Written by  Chinland Guardian
Published in Chin News

13 June 2015 — The government of Chin State gave orders for department employees to plant saplings on Mount Rung today.
Civil servants from all government departments and soldiers from the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion No. 266 based on Mount Rung planted about 1,000 young trees around 7am.

A government employee, who speaks on condition of anonymity, told the Chinland Guardian: “The government administration department called our office and asked us for a list of employees who would participate in the tree-planting activity.”

“They didn’t say that action would be taken if an employee didn’t turn up. But it was not voluntary but compulsory. In a way, it was an indirect way of forcible act.”

Hundreds of government employees turned up this morning on Mount Rung overlooking Hakha, getting involved in a window dressing programme, a rainy season all-department tree-planting ceremony.

A government source said that the programme was held across the country on the same day.

“This has been going on for years now but we have not seen any real progress. The main reason is that there is no maintenance programme and that it is purely symbolic,” said the Hakha government employee.

During his official visit to Chin State in February this year, President Thein Sein said that no government employees would be forced to provide ‘labour contribution’ on Saturday, Sunday and holidays officially designated by the Union government.

Salai Thang, a Hakha resident, said: “What the authorities said and did are different. What is written on the document and what has actually been implemented are almost all the time opposite. Now, they will start talking about planting trees to make our land green. But they are the ones who destroy our forests.”

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2321-govt-order-employees-to-plant-saplings-in-hakha

Tuesday, 19 May 2015 08:33 Written by Thawng Zel Thang ([email protected])
Published in Chin News

18 May 2015 — Hundreds of Chin villagers displaced by conflicts between the Burma Army and Arakan Army have been ordered to return to their homes.

The tactical operations commander of the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion No. 289 gave the order that the victims should get back to their villages by 23 May, according to the Khumi Media Group.

A villager, who wants to remain anonymous, told the KMG: “We are told to go back home as soon as possible. Of course, we want to go home but we don’t feel safe going home. We didn’t come here just because we wanted to.”

The villager said that they had to start going back to their villages from 18 May according to the order.

A community leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We are shocked to learn that they have to return home immediately. How are they going to live as we know it is not safe?”

“The authorities must ensure security first and tell villagers to go home with necessary support in place. We don’t know why they gave an order like this while people are very worried and in trouble.”

In a meeting held in Rangoon last week, the Chin Family Political Parties expressed their grave concern over conflict victims stranded in Paletwa Township, Chin State and in Arakan State, indicating that necessary action had to be taken.

Since March this year, there have been skirmishes between soldiers from the Arakan Army and Burma Army in parts of Chin and Arakan States, forcing villagers to flee into hiding.

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2306-chin-conflict-victims-ordered-to-return-to-villages

Friday, 08 May 2015 12:48 Written by Chinland Guardian
Published in Chin News

08 May 2015 — The Chin Peace and Tranquility Committee held a meeting with the Chin State government and the Chin National Front to re-examine if both parties were abiding by their agreements.

Citing a collection of incidents that were seen as violating the agreements, the CPTC, a ceasefire monitoring group, told the two parties that they had not acted according to what had been agreed.

The CPTC’s report, documented between 2013 and 2015, revealed that the State government had violated the agreement ten times and the CNF on four occasions.

It included the CNF holding public consultations outside Chin State in Kalay and Tamu towns, Sagaing Region, and talking about politics to Chin university students.

And the committee also highlighted that Burma Army Light Infantry Battalions No. 266, No. 274 and No. 344 had entered areas occupied by the CNF on several occasions without their knowledge, extorted money from locals and committed rapes.

Representatives of the State government told the CPTC that it was not their job to document rapes but the Chin State police force’s although the two parties welcomed the meeting admitting their mistakes.

It was the first time the CPTC had organized such a meeting since the signing of the ceasefire agreements between the CNF and both the State and Union governments in 2012.

The meeting held on 28 April in Hakha was attended by a six-member delegation led by Minister Colonel Zaw Min Oo, minister of Security and Border Affairs, seven CNF members led by Khua Uk Lian, two observers and three CPTC members, according to the Chinland Post.

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2299-chin-peace-group-reviews-govt-cnf-agreement-implemention

Wednesday, 06 May 2015 17:31 Written by Chinland Guardian
Published in Chin News

06 May 2015 — Strong winds and heavy rains forced dozens of Chin villagers displaced by conflicts to move out from their temporary shelters along the Kaladan river into nearby places.

Steven, a Khumi youth group leader, said that it was dangerous for them to stay on the shores as bad weather hit the area, and that most of them had moved to nearby villages including Lohtin since last Saturday.

In an attempt to facilitate flows of relief assistance to the victims, community leaders formed two emergency relief committees, one in Pyin-so village and the other in Rangoon, according to the Khumi Media Group.

“Some are staying at village houses while others build new shelters in and near the villages,” said Steven.

More than an estimated 400 villagers have been taking shelter after fleeing fighting beetween the Burma Army and Arakan Army since March.

Meanwhile, the authorities in Arakan State said that at least 20 people detained on suspicion of having connections with the Arakan Army were to face interrogation by the police.

According to the Irrawaddy news, they could be charged under the Unlawful Association Act.

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2296-chin-conflict-victims-move-shelter-owing-to-bad-weather

Friday, 01 May 2015 13:05 Written by Thawng Zel Thang ([email protected])
Published in Chin News

01 May 2015 — The Technological Christian Fellowship is planning to resume construction of the church building which had been banned by the authorities and villagers in Tayawaddy, Sagaing Region.

Salai Van Thawng Thang, a TCF leader, said in the Chinland Today news that they would try to talk with village administrators, Buddhist monks and local residents.

He added that they would also meet with the head of the Government Technological College.

“As far as we can, we would like to follow what the villagers want. We believe there will be no problems this time,” Thang said.

The plan is the TCF’s attempt to implement the agreement made in June last year by a group of Chin university students in Kalay.

In 2008, construction materials, including pillars, wood planks and bricks, piled inside the compound of the planned church building were taken away and destroyed by Tayawaddy villagers.

Following the issue, Christian students faced difficulties in renting a place to stay in the village and were threatened for holding worship services at their makeshift tent.

“We are not planning to evangelize the locals. The building will also be used for students who are in a difficult situation during their studies,” Thang said.

He added that if they were still denied clearance to proceed with their planned construction, they would not just sit tight, adding: “We will take to the streets if necessary.”

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2293-chin-students-to-resume-banned-church-construction

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