College Lecturer Accused of Using Racial Slur against Chin Students

13 February 2012: A Chin student group at Pakokku College lodged a formal letter to the rector, accusing an assistant lecturer of Botany department of using racial remarks against Chin students in her class.

The Chin Literature and Culture Committee (CLCC) demanded on Thursday that an appropriate action be taken against Dr. Daw Khine Khine Myint over her denigrating racial comments during her lecture session between 1pm and 2pm on 2 February 2012.

“Dr. Khine Khine Myint insulted the destitute conditions of education, economy and social relationship of the Chin people in front of all the students in the class. She even used such words  as ‘dirty and rotten’ referring to the ethnic Chin,” said the complaint letter sent to the college authority.

The letter also stressed that the slur on the Chin students was not accidental but intentional as it was the second time the Burmese assistant lecturer has made such abusive comments in the class.

“This kind of racial discrimination will definitely have negative impacts on ethnic unity and undermine our mutual understanding as well as trust between students and teachers. Therefore, this issue must be dealt with seriously,” added the letter.

With Chin State being the only state having no secular college or university in the whole country of Burma, Chin students especially from villages in remote areas have got difficulties in going to further studies beyond the matriculation.

Burma has got 150 plus universities and colleges administered by various government ministries, according to sources.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang