Five farmers were arrested on May 13 at East Pyinsuhpawng police checkpoint in Mindat town for bringing machetes and they have been charged under a local law which forbids bringing any weapon in Mindat Municipal Area, Chin World Media reported.

Mindat District police chief U Ye Lwin Oo said we have already warned them not to bring machete. Even if they want to bring it, they should have hidden it somewhere outside the town and take it unnoticed on their way to firm. In this way people will not get alarmed. When someone bringing machete, bow and hunting gun walk in town, people feel unsafe and scared for their life. We had already conducted awareness trainings in terms of this issue. Action will be taken against those five persons in accordance with court decision.

“Prior to the official legislation of this local law, Mindat Township Police Department launched awareness trainings for nearly one year. Then, Mindat Township Administration Department officially announced the law in line with the legal advice of Chin State’s Chief Justice Department,” U Ye Lwin said.

Leader of Mindat Civil Society Salai Mang Om said machete is a necessary tool for farming. Bringing it to firm being punishable by law is an abuse of the local law and an intentional act of hurting people.

“Bringing machete for firming is not a crime. Action should only be taken against someone if he uses it for committing a certain crime. Should we enact by-law anew out of existing local law? Or should we rewrite procedures? Here is a question--Aren’t the police keen enough to distinguish whether someone carrying machete is a farmer of a criminal? To arrest someone who bring machete for farming is an impudent act,” Salai Mang Om argued.

For the prevalence of the rule of law, peace and stability, Mindat Administration Department officially announced local law on 3rd February 2019, which for the first time in Mindat society forbids people to bring machete, bow and hunting gun within the Municipal Area.