A woman staff member working at the Victoria (Khonumthung/Natmataung) National Park in Chin State’s Kanpalet Township alleged that women staff members were getting only half the amount of salary as their male counterparts. In August 2014, Khonumthung National Park in-charge U Tin Mya Soe attempted to take action against his seven staff members and pay only half their salaries, but because of this rumour he changed his mind and paid full salary to the four male staff members. However, the rest of the three female staff members were not paid their salary in full until today, though government has required all their salaries to be paid in full.
“As the women staff did not protest what they were getting, unlike male staff, the women only received half their salary. They are being discriminated against as they are women,” she told Khonumthung News.
The women who are getting only half their salaries are Daw Ge Mang (UDC), Daw Oma Sein (Store-4), and Daw Tam Ki Mang (LDC).
U Tin Mya Soe was posted at Namataung National Park under the Directorate of Environment and Wildlife Protection in 2010, and sine he has good rapport with higher authorities he can do whatever he wants, a local said.
U Tin Mya Soe told his staff members that he does not care even if they report him to higher authorities as they’re all on his side.
Although local staff and Chin people have reported U Tin Mya Soe to the Director, no action has been taken. Now he is being sent to China under a government sponsored program in September.
Natmataung (Khonumthung/Victoria) National Park covers 13,397 acres in Mindat Township, 29,530 acres in Kanpalet Township, and 12,800 acres in Matupi Township. The total area of the part is 275.5 square miles.
