Citing concerns about corruption and graft, representatives of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) have petitioned the central government to reconsider the status of a checkpoint in northern Shan State that was reopened on January 16. The Nam Oon Gate, located between Lashio and Hsenwi townships, was closed down during the tenure of the Thein Sein government because locals claimed they had been threatened by checkpoints guards and forced to pay bribes. According to Sai Wan Leng Kham, an MP from the SNLD representing Lashio Township, 40 of the party’s MPs had signed the petition against the reopening of the checkpoint, and had submitted a letter to the union government on January 16. “As we are the representatives of the people, we have to listen to their collective voice,” he told Shan Herald on Tuesday. “People are against this checkpoint, and we agree with them.” He explained: “This gate will create more problems rather than solving them. There will...
Comments
Post a Comment