A police officer in Chin State’s Mindat District named U Aung Myint has filed a lawsuit against four leaders of the Matupi Women’s Organization (MWO) and the Matupi Youth Organization for organizing a demonstration to support to the protection of women and children in Matupi Town on June 24th. Khin Thluai, chairwoman of the MWO, told Khonumthung News that “We were called by a district police officer on June 25th, and were at his office from noon to 5pm. He said he had filed a case based on Article 18 as per his duty.”
Public demonstrations are very rare in Chin state compared to other states, so the Chief Minister of Chin State likes to avoid demonstrations, she added.
The demonstration for women and children’s protection wasn’t permitted by the Matupi Township authorities, so the leaders of the demonstration—MWO Chairwoman Pi Khin Thluai Parl; Mai Thang Zing; Salai Maung Han; and Salai Te Mang from the Matupi youth group—are now facing a lawsuit.
“Since they were just doing their duty under Article 18 actually I think the case will be withdraw soon, as the district and township police officers were very frank and polite,” said MWO’s Chairwoman Khin Thluai.
Meanwhile, a local woman said, “We were worried about our mothers and uncles as we did not know whether they were jailed. So we waited from noon until 5pm near the office— along with around 300 other people—until the four of them came out.”
The demonstration was organized because a soldier (personnel no. 371850) from the Burmese army’s 269th Light Infantry Battalion, which is based in Matupi Township’s Rizua Town, reportedly attempted to rape a Chin woman on June 10th.
