Originally the plot of land on which the cross was built was registered to be used for housing only. For the cross to be legal the land use registration of the plot has to be changed so that it is registered for religious use instead.

On 30th January the Chin State Parliament said that when it was received it would approve the application to change the land use registration for the land the cross is on.

According to the Chin Land Post Newspaper the Chin State minister U Kyaw Neing said that approval would be given to change the land use registration for the plot of land that Pu J. Biak Tin Sang erected the cross on and the surrounding three acres of land. He explained that as HCMF already had permission to use the land all they needed to do to make the cross legal was to apply to change the land use registration.

At the same time the parliament also decided to approve an application to build a Buddhist chedi on a lot close to the cross.

A Hakha resident said: “It is a positive outcome that the authorities cancelled the order to remove the Hakha Cross."

Chin state cabinet minister U Hung Ngai had previously issued an order to remove the Hakha Cross by 30th January.

Churches in Hakha cancelled a planned demonstration after the Chin State parliament withdrew its order to remove the cross.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI