CHRO Wraps Up Lobby Trip in Washington D.C
December 17, 2006- Washington DC : Delegations of Chin Human Rights Organization were in the capital last week meeting with various non-governmental organizations and the US government officials. Their mission: to promote awareness and to advocate for protection and assistance of Chin refugees in Asia .
Amy Alexander and Salai Ngun Cung Lian, both Legal Consultants with the Chin Human Rights Organization, held a series of meetings with various refugee advocacy groups and the State Department. Part of their mission is to express their thanks to groups such as the Refugee Council of USA, which played an instrumental role in lobbying the US government to waive the Chin refugees from ‘material support’ bar. Their mission was also to give updates on the status of the Chin refugees in Malaysia , New Delhi and Mizoram of India.
Amy Alexander is an American lawyer who has spent more than a year in Thailand , Malaysia and India working with Chin Human Rights Organization on refugee issues. In its latest report, Chin People of Burma: A Struggle for Survival, CHRO says Chin refugees now living in countries such as Malaysia and India are without protection and face lack of access to basic health care and education.
During a meeting with the Refugee Council USA Resettlement Committee, Salai Ngun Cung Lian presented an overview of CHRO’s work and experience of working on refugee issues. He says the organization is now working for protection as well as humanitarian assistance to Chin refugees in Asia .
The delegations also met with and some groups of Chin community and Churches in national capital area to give updates on the situation of Chin refugees and to bridge better cooperation.
The CHRO was formed in 1995 by a group of Chin activists to promote and protect the rights of Chin people. It monitors and documents the human rights situations in Chin State and among refugees in other countries. One of its focuses in recent years has been to promote protection for Chin refugees.
Salai Elaisa Vahnie
Chinland Guardian
