Mizzima
The junta General Administrator of Hakha Township has banned public gatherings in churches and ordered all shops to shut in Myothit Ward, in Chin State’s Hakha City.
The order, made on the evening of 22 April, will run until 20 June.
The order was announced on speakers in Myothit Ward and in letters distributed to shops, churches, market stalls and residents.
“The restriction limiting gatherings to no more than five people effectively prohibits gatherings for worship in churches, as even many families exceed this number. This indirect ban on worship is happening because it means that no more than five people can gather in. a church”, said a Hakha resident.
This will negatively affect the population, the vast majority of whom are Christian and every week attend one of the cities many churches that are usually full of people every Sunday.
The restrictions were brought in after the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) attacked a convoy of junta ministers, in Myothit Ward at 9:00 am on 12 April. Six junta personnel, including the Minister of Economic and Social Affairs were injured in the attack, according to a junta statement which also claimed that shops and churches had provided cover for the attack.
There are over 100 diverse shops in Myothit Ward, offering various goods including furniture, clothing, and food.
