Magwe authorities behind Yesagyo Chin pastor’s court case

26 March 2014: Rev. Zun Hlei Sum has been sued under the official instruction of the Magwe Region government, the Yesagyo Township Court heard yesterday.

Zaw Naing Lin, a town municipal administration officer who testified as one of the four witnesses, told the court that the Magwe Region authorities have issued an order to them to take the Chin Christian pastor to court.

He said that the authorities took this legal action because Buddhist monks and residents in Yesagyo town had submitted a signed petition against Sum, who is accused of constructing a religious building.

The Chin pastor said to the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) today: “When I said I wanted to see the official document issued by the Magwe authorities, I was told that they didn’t have it with them. So, they were not able to present it to me.”

He indicated that the Yesagyo town authorities were initially the mastermind behind the petition signed by 57 Buddhist monks and 487 residents.

“I learned from confirmed sources that the first trigger for this action was the Yesagyo authorities themselves, who motivated the petitioners,” added the Chin pastor.

Zaw Naing Lin told Rev. Zum Hlei Sum that the reason why permission to continue his construction was refused was owing to local disapproval as shown in the petition letter.

Today, Soe Tun, a town municipal administration committee member, will testify as the last of the witnesses; the three others, Zaw Naing Lin; Hla Tun, a ward administrator; and Phu Win, Chairman of the town municipal administration office, all testified yesterday.

The trial continues.#