School teachers forced to attend Sunday meeting in Hakha

07 September 2013: School teachers in Hakha, Chin State have been forced to turn up at a ceremony tomorrow where an important official of the higher authority is arriving in the capital.

A source from Hakha said the State government officials ordered school teachers, most of them being Christian, to sign a document saying that they would come to a meeting in the morning of Sunday.

A Hakha reporter, who asks to be identified as Salai L, told Chinland Guardian that the school teachers were forcibly asked to attend the meeting at 9am, with some kind of threat if they don’t turn up.

“The teachers are threatened that a one-day wage would be deducted from their salary if they don’t participate in the official ceremony,” added the Chin reporter.

It is estimated that there are about 200 school teachers, who are Christian in Hakha, the capital of Chin State.

When asked who is coming to Hakha, the teachers said they were not informed of details about the government official arriving in the capital.

A resident whose uncle is a school teacher said: “My uncle does not know who is coming. But he has got to go to the meeting tomorrow, which is Sunday. I will be taking him to the meeting.”

“As a Christian, we are not happy thinking that we will not be able to participate in the worship service,” added the local Hakha.

In Chin State, school students and teachers have no choice but to go to school on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays as a substitute of a Buddhist day of observance, which falls during the weekdays.#