Ar-yon-Oo Group, a local group formed with Thet people in Maungdaw, held a meeting on 15 January to explain the 21st Century Panglong Conference to the Thet people.
The meeting was held at Ma Gyee Gone Village under 4-Mile Ward in Maungdaw.
“We explained necessary information about the 21st Century Panglong Conference and the Hluttaw (Parliament). We also talked about the path, which is being carried out by the existing government,” said U Hla Tun Kyaw, a Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) representative from the Arakan National Party (ANP) in Maungdaw.
With the purpose of developing the Thet people, the participants also discussed issues on exposing the Thet people’s literature and culture and preserving the population, which only amount to over 5,000 people, according to Ko Zaw Win, who attended the meeting.
Township and village representatives presented the difficulties they are currently facing during the meeting.
Two elders and four youths from each village were selected at the meeting to establish the Thet Youth Network in order to take part in the role of the Thet people at the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Conference and engage with other civil society organisations from the Arakan State. Thet Youth Conference is slated after the Thingyan Water Festival in this April.
Over 100 participants were seen in attendance including four representatives from Mrauk U Township, two representatives from Sittwe Township, four representatives from Rathedaung Township, four representatives from Buthidaung Township, and five representatives from each Thet village in Maungdaw Township.
Translated by Thida Linn
