Radio Broadcasts in Three Chin Dialects Worldwide

Radio Broadcasts in Three Chin Dialects Worldwide

24 August 2011: At least five radio stations have made broadcast sessions in three Chin dialects across the globe, including Falam, Hakha and Tedim.

The stations involved Chin Radio Programme aired in Falam dialect from Naypyidaw, Burma, Radio Free Asia in Falam, Chin Radio Programme of Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) in Falam, 3CR Chin Radio Program in Hakha from Australia and AWR Chin in Tedim from USA.

AWR Chin of the Adventist World Radio, a mission radio arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, makes a daily broadcast session on the Christian gospel while the others mainly air a variety of programmes including political news, cultural entertainments and educational as well as literary issues.

David Thang, one of the Chin community leaders in Australia working tirelessly for the establishment of Chin Radio programme, said the aim is to promote and preserve their Chin language and help Chin youths to remember who they are and to be able to speak their own language even if they were born and grew up in a foreign country.

The Chin Radio in Burma re-united through its song request programme a long-lost daughter, Ms Siang Em and her parents early this year after a separation of more than 10 years.

The moves have been welcomed by Chin communities all over the world as an opportunity and way of protecting and promoting their own Chin dialects as Burma's military dictatorship has severely restricted and banned the publication and learning of ethnic languages in the country.

In an interview conducted by the Chin World Media, Mai Pansy Ta Mawi, of the Chin Radio programme in Naypyidaw, said of its history dating back to 1958 and that it has been made available for listening to in the morning and evening since May 2009.

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Van Biak Thang
vanbiakthang@chinlandguardian.com

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