A Brief Account of Chin National Day and the Chin people
By Pu Lian Uk
Dear all:
Introduction: - The Chins people around the world are preparing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Chin National Day, which falls this year on Wednesday, February 20, 2008. Some Chins Communities might like to invite dignitary people and guests to the Chin National Day Celebration to observe what the Chin cultural life is like on their national day abroad. So we need to make them know about the Chins National Day celebration what it really means at least in brief.
In order that we can let them know such people who are interested on the Chin National Day and the Chin people, this message “A brief Account of the Chin National Day and the Chin People” is here posted to all the Chin communities around the world so that it could be reproduced any interested part. from it or all the whole message.
Celebrating the Chin National Day for the Chin communities anywhere else is the best way to teach our daughters and sons that they are Chins as they are the children of the Chin parents who care them most in the world. The reason is either parents or both are Chin descendants who have a very wide territory known as Chin State or Chinland or Chin country as their home land which no other people can claim legitimately as their homeland except we, the Chin people. However it is a constituent state of the Union of Burma.(UB). The Children can say they are Chins or if necessary they are to say Burma Chins as it is Burma Chinese or Burma Indians. But they cannot say Burmese or Burmans as Chins are not Burmese or Burmans in strict sense. If necessary they can say they are from Burma as the term Burma is the abbreviation of the Union of Burma in U N though we prefer to use here UB abbreviation.
This Chinland territory for us is so dear that we cannot get such a wide territory anywhere else in the world like what we have here where only Chin language and culture can prosper independently through its length and breadth.
This was what our Poet Pu Rokunga composed “Hi ai ram nuam zawk hi ramdang a um cuang lo e”=There is no country more enjoyable to live in than ours” in his song “Kan Zotlang Ram Nuam”. It was with this song that the 3rd Chin Rifles Battalion got first in playing this music in the Band groups’ competition of all Battalion Band groups of the whole armed forces in the UB in 1953. India also has Assam Rifles and Manipur Rifles like Chin Rifles in the UB.
All people of the world need friendship and support from other people of the world. In the same way, we, the Chins people also need the support and friendship of the people who should also know us and recognize us as a people with our own territory. So we need to seek friendship and support from other people of the world who also seek friendship and support from other people of the world.
Thus Chin National Day Celebration is in one way to make known about us and our existence as a people to the people around the world so that we can seek friendship and support to each other. So celebrating Chin National Day is not only to commemorate our historical event, but it is a way of seeking friendship and support from people who should have interest on us.
We must not forget our fore fathers in who create this national day in unity led by Pu Vum Tu Mawng and Pu Mang Tung Nung who cause to have this precious Chin National Day. Their spirits will be flying and hovering over us on the day we celebrate the Chin National Day and they will be with us in spirits so that the Chin people around the world are in unity against our common enemy, the Burmese military regime who are trying to destroy the Chin people and the Chin National Day in betraying the Chin people who saved the Union at its lowest difficult period when it was only one finger apart from total ruin in 1950s-60s.
It is a long message here, but it will certainly inspire all who read it.
==============================================
A Brief Account of Chin National Day and the Chin people
The emergence of the Chin National Day: - Chin National Day derived from the particular day February 20, 1948 on which a resolution was adopted to replace the hereditary ruling system of the Chieftainship or aristocracy in the Chin territory with the democratic election system of administration in majority consent of the Chieftains or aristocrats and their subjects at the conference held at Falam, attended by delegates of all parts of the Chin territory on Burma side.
February 20 was therefore made in the Union Parliament of the UB to be an official holiday as Chin National Day within the Chin territory by the Chin Affairs Council led by Pu Vum Tu Mawng as Minister and Pu Mang Tung Nung as Parliamentary Secretary of the Chin Affairs Ministry of the government of the Union of Burma (UB)
The Chin National Day has been thus observed since then every year in all the Chin societies everywhere even outside the Chin territory and the UB. It is known that the Prime Minister and the President of the UB usually sent facilitations to the Minister of the Chin Affairs on the occasions of Chin National Day during the early days of independence of the UB under Parliamentary democracy.
So the Chin Communities in the Greater Washington DC Area and the world around are now preparing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Chin National Day February 20, 2008. Washington DC Chin Community and some other communities will celebrate on February 16th on weekend in advance and others may celebrate on later days closed to it for the convenience of every one, as we are not to have day off from work as a holiday abroad like we have in our homeland.
Chin people in diasporas around the world: -The Chin population in the US including Greater Washington DC Area and around the world are mainly those who fled the mother homeland, the Union of Burma (UB) from the persecution of the Burmese military regime to Malaysia, India, Guam and US mainland and to other several countries. They are given resettlements as political refugees and asylees by the Government of the USA and also by other governments concern in great compassion. The Chin people everywhere around the world are so grateful to the government and the people of USA and to other governments and people concerned.
Thus they are now in diasporas all over the countries in North America, Europe, Australia, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Singapore and Bangladesh and still there are some whom we cannot tell their where about.
Position, size of Chin State and the population in the UB: -The population of the Chin people in the UB is estimated to be one and half millions of which half of the population be in the mainland Chin State which is located on the Northwest of the UB bordering North East India. It is not less than 14000 Square miles in area, a bit larger than Maryland plus Connecticut in US and larger than many independent sovereign countries in its definite clear-cut boundary. Half of their population is mainly in Magwe Division, Sagaing Division of Burma proper and in Arakan State though some are still scattering in other regions of the UB.
==
Back ground history of CND in brief: - The territory of the Chin people was ruled by the native Chieftains and landlords in many principalities before the British annexed it as an independent territory outside India and Burma to be a part of the British empire in 1895. The whole population in the territory was controlled together by the same native religion, the belief of which was very close to the belief in the Christianity. The native religion believes in life after death and every human being to have soul at death and those souls of the deaths to rest at a place known in several different names in different dialects of the Chin language like for example Mithikhua /Misikhua etc.
The similar faith they all have in their native religion also molded many similar affinities among them that makes people beyond their common frontier to see them as a people. They all accept that they have similar affinities in common today though they identified themselves in several names.
It is the closeness in their belief in native religion to the Christianity that all territories in which the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was applied in the British Empire converted in full to Christianity in a matter of one century now since the Christian missionaries from America and England came to the Chin country in the late 19th century AD. The territories in which the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was once enforced today are Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur Hills in India, Chin State, Naga Hills or Khamti District in Sagaing Division in the Union of Burma and the Chittagong Hills Tract of Bangladesh.
Today, they have transformed their native religion to Christianity. So 80% of the over whelming majority of the Chin population in the Chin State have all been now Christians to be the only Christian State in the 14 provinces of the UB. So is the Christian population not less than 80% in Nagaland and Mizoram respectively as the only two Christian States in India too. Thus they still have a common religion in Christianity as they did in the past in their native religion.
The British annexed India round about in 1760 and Burma in 1885. They discovered a vast territory outside India and Burma inhabited by a people known as Kuki/Naga from India and Chins from Burma. The British invaded the Chin territory since 1888 as the Chin rulers refused to allow them to construct land route that will connect British India and British Burma through the Chin territory.
The Chin rulers and the invading British military commanders concluded several agreements in peace talks that the ancient traditional hereditary ruling system of aristocracy would be allowed to retain and the Chieftains and landlords who ruled the many principalities would be recognized according to their usual ranks and usual areas in which they respectively ruled before the British arrival. That peace agreement was drafted and adopted as the law known as Chin Hills Regulations 1896. T he definitions of “Chins” was provided in the Chin Hills Regulations 1896 as Chins includes Lushais, Kukis, Nagas and Chins in the Chin Hills and Chins in the adjoining areas of the Chin Hills and any persons who practice Chins culture and language.
The British thus declared the Chin territory as a part of the British Empire and enforced the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 in all the Chin territory though it was added in pieces to Assam, Bengal and Burma provinces. Those provincial governors ruled Chins in those pieces of divided Chin territory under their respective provinces separately with the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 outside British India and British Burma till independence of India and Burma 1947/1948.
When British India and British Burma were to get Independence, the Chin territory on Burma side with the territories of Kachin and Shans which were together known as the territories of Burma Frontier Areas (BFA) was to be given to the UN Trusteeship by the British as it was no longer to rule them as colonies under the UN Charter Chapter 11, Article 73. The reason was this BFA was annexed by the British as independent territories outside India and Burma.
But because of the promise given by General Aung San that the BFA territories respectively should also be in self governing territories in the new Union to be formed in federal, the Chin territory that was occupied and annexed from the British Burma military front signed on February 12, 1947 an Agreement known as Panglong Agreement with the leader of the Burmese/Burman territory General Aung San and other leaders of the territories of Shan and Kachin to be all in self governing territories in the newly formed Union of Burma in federalism.
Since the hereditary ruling system in the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was abolished on February 20, 1948, the Chin State which was then known as Chin Hills needs to adopt a new law with which to rule.
So hereditary ruling system in the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was amended in a new law transferring many provisions from the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 to the new amended law and adopted it in the Union Parliament of the UB as Chin Special Division Act 1948.
Thus the Chieftains and their Councils were substituted with Circle Chairmen and Circle Councils. They were elected by the population in their respective Circle areas(Tlangkulh in some Chin dialetcs) according to the new Law, Chin Special Division Act 1948. It has been enforced in the CSD throughout the period under the parliamentary rule of the UB since 1948. The Circle Chairmen, in an administrative Subdivision/township became township advisory council to the civil service administrators under the Chin Affairs Minister.
The Chin Affairs Minister was the head of the Ministry of Chin affairs as a cabinet minister or a member of Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister of the UB. The Chin Ministry was an interim arrangement before the Chin people were ready to form their State Legislative Assembly and Government at their convenient timing.
This temporary arrangement showed that the Affairs of the Chin State and its people were under the Burmese Prime Minister. The reason was he could appoint any one as the Minister of Chin Affairs out of the 14 Members of Parliament elected from the electoral constituencies of the Chin Special Division. That means that anyone who followed the Prime Minster best was to be the Minister of the Chin Ministry.
In the Chin Ministry were the Minister of the Chin Affairs as the head of the Ministry and a Parliamentary Secretary and a Chairman of the Chin Affairs Council. The three of them were elected by the Chin Affairs Council elected by the people of the Chin State as Members of Parliament of the UB. The Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary and Chairman of Chin Affairs Council were included in the 14 MPs.
But the Circle Area Chairman ruling system, which was in democratic elected system, has been abolished by the Burmese military regime and Chin Special Division Act 1948 is used only in civil suits in the Chin State now and no further amendment has been made to update it. Chin Hills Regulation 1896 also is still used in civil suits in the Naga Hills or Khamti District of Sagaing Division in the UB with no amendment to update it since its last amendment in 1927.
====
The lost of human dignity under the Burmese military regime repressive rule: The timing for the Chin territory to have the Legislative Assembly and government of its own as a State was decided in the Parliament of the UB in 1962. But General Ne Win over threw the Constitutional government in that moment as he was against the Union of Burma to be in federalism and established rigid unitary form of constitution in one party dictatorship system which the Burmese military today is still holding high.
The whole program to amend the Union constitution in federalism in 1962 was totally stopped. Picking up the parliament decision, the territories of Chin, Arakan and Mon were given the name “State” only in name in the fake constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma 1974 along with other previous four States . T ht 1974 Socialist constitution has been also abolished during the pro democratic up rising of the whole country in 1988 by the ruling Burmese military government.
The Burmese military regime is now launching ethnic cleansing program in many ways on the Chin State and in the Naga Hills with no proper law in dictatorship to oppress the Chin population causing them all sort of problems and sufferings.
The Chin people are fighting against the Burmese military dictatorship in nonviolent means along with other democratic forces of the UB for democracy and self determination in which the Chin people can have self rule within their territory as a constituent state of the federal Union and shared rule in common cause and common interest with other constituent states of the federal Union of Burma.
The non-violent means is the strategy of the leaders of the democratic forces of the Union of Burma in National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma(NCUB) and The National Council of the Union of Burma(NCGUB) though it might not be the best way to fight against this brutal Burmese military regime. It might rather be adopted as the last possible strategy due to not enough international material support. The UN cannot give effective support to the cause due to some veto power nations in the UNSC.
The non violent strategy is effective to some extent as it could make the brutal Burmese military unable to adopt the constitution of the Union of Burma to make the constitution of the country in rigid Unitary form in one party system as the military regime has planned. It can put it at bay making it fail to establish its military regime as a legal constitutional government.
But restoration of democracy and self determination to all the constituent territories or to remove the fascist regime from power so far is in failure showing that non violent strategy is not effective enough to rmove or change such brutal and inhuman regime. The regime increases its repressive oppression more in launching ethnic cleansing program and genocide causing more suffering especially on the minority non-Burman indigenous people. They are treating them like animals letting them live and die like animals and insects devoid of human dignity under this brutal and cruel regime.
The ability of fully armed Chin soldiers in ceaseless supply of arms and ammunitions: In the earlier days of the UB independence, 1950s-60s, the constitutional government of the UB was in control of only six miles perimeter of the Union territory only to be known as Rangoon government. The reason was the rest of the country beyond Rangoon was under the control of the multi insurgencies as many battalions of the Union government armed forces went under ground against the constitutional government. It was therefore mainly the six Chin battalions who fought against the multi-insurgencies in strict loyalty to the constitution of the Union which has amendment provisions and secession rights under the Panglong agreement which the Chin leaders signed with the territories of the Burmese, Kachins and Shans to form a federal Union all of which to be in self governing territories.
The Chin people, born strong as fighters on the mountainous and hilly topography landscape, are by nature good fighters. So only the Six Chin Battalions formed of only Chin soldiers and Chin commanders in victory cleared out all the multi insurgencies that controlled all over the UB much earlier than what the Union government expected in a short period. They lost one of their commanders in the battle ground as a martyr of the Union like General Sung San and his cabinets and one of the Chin soldiers was awarded the highest military gallantry medal of the Union known as Aung San Thuri-ya alive though it was usually given in post mortem equivalent to Victoria Cross (VC) in UK and the Congressional Medal of Honor in US.
In stead of promoting the Chin commanders and the Chin soldiers in victory to higher ranks and better living, the Union government in alarming to see the fighting ability of the six Chin Battalions all dismantled the Chin battalions transferring the Chin soldiers to other newly formed multinational armed forces and their commanders all being stopped further promotion from Colonel rank or some Chin commanders being transferred to civil service or being forced to retire. Under this military regime the Chins especially Christians are no longer promoted to the rank higher than Captain or Major rank in blatant religious and racial discrimination. No Chins except those who are kidnapped only join the Burmese military by force now.
The Chin people fighting ability under the British: The Chin guerilla forces trained and armed by the British during WWII could repelled the Japanese troops that attempted to pass through the Chin territory to invade India from Burma front. Had the Japanese entered into the Ganges and Brahmaputra flat plain of the Indian territory, it would not be easy for the British India Provincial government and the Allied forces to fight back in the flat plain without losing many lives and wealth even if they could repel the invading Japanese army from India.
The Chin guerilla forces as the Western Chin Levy therefore saved them many lives and wealth for which the British Governor of British Burma expressed his gratitude to the Chin people that India and the Allied nations owed debt of gratitude to the Chin people for that contribution they made to the Indian provincial government and the allied nations. We hope that the people of India and their government and all the allied nations could pay heed to day to the war remarked written by a British governor then. (Economic life of the Central Chin Tribes by HNC Stevenson)
A British soldier Surgeon Major Lee Quisne also was awarded Victoria Cross (VC) at a battle of the invading British forces fighting against the Chin resistant forces that fought very fiercely against the invading British armed forces in May 1888 at Siallum fort in the Chin territory. The fort is now marked as a historical monument spot to be visited by interested people.
The disarmed Chin people: The Chin people and the Burmese people mutually recognize each other traditionally as two distinct people much different in cultures and languages. More over, the territories they inhabit are different as the high land above 600-10,000 ft above sea level where as the Burmese territory is mostly flat land below 500 ft above sea level. So the situation in the two territories is much different apart. The Burmese therefore know nothing about the highland condition to where they have never been due to difficult communications as it is not a familiar way of of life for the plain people.
The Burmese military regime seized the Chin territory with the force of arms against the will of the Chin people in 1962 at the time the constitutional government was over thrown. Thus it totally has stopped the Chin territory to form their own State Legislative Assembly and the State government for the State internal affairs since then.
All governmental departments in the Chin State have been under the control of the Burmese military officials by force to dictate with no proper laws and suppressed the Chin people in lawlessness against humanity. They stopped thus teaching Chin language in all the schools of the Chin territory, which is blatantly a cultural genocide. They neglect building infrastructure like transport motor road and electricity in the Chin territory leaving the Chin state as a barren land with no transport communication, no airport, no train and no motor road and no electricity. They are deprived of all radios and TV services to run their cultural and educational programs in full time announcing in their various dialects of the Chin language.
Those not worthy of mentioning few miles even not all weather road of muddy and dusty roads and some feeble electricity in some few towns are all un useable by the public as they are mainly for the convenience of the civil and military operation to better control the Chin civil population. It is ruled as an enemy territory of foreign land to destroy their whole existence as a people.
The Chin people are now fighting on front line along with other democratic forces of the UB against this fascism to restore democracy and self determination in the whole Union. All democratic forces and the Chin people have felt now that non violent means of fighting is not effective to fight such brutal and inhuman regime of the Burmese military fascism. The worst for the Chin people has been that they have been disarmed of every thing. First of all they have been disarmed of political power as they have been blocked to form Chin State Legislative assembly and Chin State government of their own to do their state home work.
They have been disarmed of infrastructures like all sort of transport communications and electricity without which no meaningful progress could be made in a country, The persecution on religious, racial and political ground has been unabated as the majority of the Burmese population is Buddhism and the Chin territory is in total Christianity. So it is so horrible to tolerate the severe repressiveness against humanity except to seek freedom at risk as a retreat to fight back from abroad is the only option and alternative or to die in long sufferings as it is the disarmed human nature at the gun point of the enemy with full arms.
We know that there had been many political movements that formed exiled governments to fight back the occupying enemies that had occupied their homelands during WWII. The democratic forces of the Union could form legitimate government with the elected members of Parliament in exile to fight back this Burmese military regime effectively if the democratic friendly governments who support the cause of democracy give enough support to the democratic cause of the Union of Burma.
So being there is nothing the Chin people can do disarmed now, the Chin National Day also is ordered and forced to change it to Chin State Day though the state only in name was given on January 4 1974. Many Chin people in intolerable of this racial, religion and political persecution and oppression of the Burmese military regime fled their home land in great risks as the only choice and options in thousands as refugees to several countries Malaysia, India and several other countries. We have nothing to celebrate today under the rule of this Burmese military fascist regime .
But we cannot forget to celebrate the day February 20, as the Chin National Day wherever we are for it was the achievement of our fore fathers that made the dawning of the fresh new days of democracy to the Chin people 60 years ago on February 20, 1948.
We therefore need the support and help of the governments and people of the world around in our struggle to fight against this brutal and restore democracy and self determinations in all the territories that constitute the Union of Burma. We are now temporarily in diasporas before we liberate our country and return reclaiming our mother land as its pride citizens.
May the Chin people achieve democratic self-determination the earliest possible! And
May the Chinland, its people and the Chin National Day live long!! Lnk.
By Pu Lian Uk
Dear all:
Introduction: - The Chins people around the world are preparing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Chin National Day, which falls this year on Wednesday, February 20, 2008. Some Chins Communities might like to invite dignitary people and guests to the Chin National Day Celebration to observe what the Chin cultural life is like on their national day abroad. So we need to make them know about the Chins National Day celebration what it really means at least in brief.
In order that we can let them know such people who are interested on the Chin National Day and the Chin people, this message “A brief Account of the Chin National Day and the Chin People” is here posted to all the Chin communities around the world so that it could be reproduced any interested part. from it or all the whole message.
Celebrating the Chin National Day for the Chin communities anywhere else is the best way to teach our daughters and sons that they are Chins as they are the children of the Chin parents who care them most in the world. The reason is either parents or both are Chin descendants who have a very wide territory known as Chin State or Chinland or Chin country as their home land which no other people can claim legitimately as their homeland except we, the Chin people. However it is a constituent state of the Union of Burma.(UB). The Children can say they are Chins or if necessary they are to say Burma Chins as it is Burma Chinese or Burma Indians. But they cannot say Burmese or Burmans as Chins are not Burmese or Burmans in strict sense. If necessary they can say they are from Burma as the term Burma is the abbreviation of the Union of Burma in U N though we prefer to use here UB abbreviation.
This Chinland territory for us is so dear that we cannot get such a wide territory anywhere else in the world like what we have here where only Chin language and culture can prosper independently through its length and breadth.
This was what our Poet Pu Rokunga composed “Hi ai ram nuam zawk hi ramdang a um cuang lo e”=There is no country more enjoyable to live in than ours” in his song “Kan Zotlang Ram Nuam”. It was with this song that the 3rd Chin Rifles Battalion got first in playing this music in the Band groups’ competition of all Battalion Band groups of the whole armed forces in the UB in 1953. India also has Assam Rifles and Manipur Rifles like Chin Rifles in the UB.
All people of the world need friendship and support from other people of the world. In the same way, we, the Chins people also need the support and friendship of the people who should also know us and recognize us as a people with our own territory. So we need to seek friendship and support from other people of the world who also seek friendship and support from other people of the world.
Thus Chin National Day Celebration is in one way to make known about us and our existence as a people to the people around the world so that we can seek friendship and support to each other. So celebrating Chin National Day is not only to commemorate our historical event, but it is a way of seeking friendship and support from people who should have interest on us.
We must not forget our fore fathers in who create this national day in unity led by Pu Vum Tu Mawng and Pu Mang Tung Nung who cause to have this precious Chin National Day. Their spirits will be flying and hovering over us on the day we celebrate the Chin National Day and they will be with us in spirits so that the Chin people around the world are in unity against our common enemy, the Burmese military regime who are trying to destroy the Chin people and the Chin National Day in betraying the Chin people who saved the Union at its lowest difficult period when it was only one finger apart from total ruin in 1950s-60s.
It is a long message here, but it will certainly inspire all who read it.
==============================================
A Brief Account of Chin National Day and the Chin people
The emergence of the Chin National Day: - Chin National Day derived from the particular day February 20, 1948 on which a resolution was adopted to replace the hereditary ruling system of the Chieftainship or aristocracy in the Chin territory with the democratic election system of administration in majority consent of the Chieftains or aristocrats and their subjects at the conference held at Falam, attended by delegates of all parts of the Chin territory on Burma side.
February 20 was therefore made in the Union Parliament of the UB to be an official holiday as Chin National Day within the Chin territory by the Chin Affairs Council led by Pu Vum Tu Mawng as Minister and Pu Mang Tung Nung as Parliamentary Secretary of the Chin Affairs Ministry of the government of the Union of Burma (UB)
The Chin National Day has been thus observed since then every year in all the Chin societies everywhere even outside the Chin territory and the UB. It is known that the Prime Minister and the President of the UB usually sent facilitations to the Minister of the Chin Affairs on the occasions of Chin National Day during the early days of independence of the UB under Parliamentary democracy.
So the Chin Communities in the Greater Washington DC Area and the world around are now preparing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Chin National Day February 20, 2008. Washington DC Chin Community and some other communities will celebrate on February 16th on weekend in advance and others may celebrate on later days closed to it for the convenience of every one, as we are not to have day off from work as a holiday abroad like we have in our homeland.
Chin people in diasporas around the world: -The Chin population in the US including Greater Washington DC Area and around the world are mainly those who fled the mother homeland, the Union of Burma (UB) from the persecution of the Burmese military regime to Malaysia, India, Guam and US mainland and to other several countries. They are given resettlements as political refugees and asylees by the Government of the USA and also by other governments concern in great compassion. The Chin people everywhere around the world are so grateful to the government and the people of USA and to other governments and people concerned.
Thus they are now in diasporas all over the countries in North America, Europe, Australia, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Singapore and Bangladesh and still there are some whom we cannot tell their where about.
Position, size of Chin State and the population in the UB: -The population of the Chin people in the UB is estimated to be one and half millions of which half of the population be in the mainland Chin State which is located on the Northwest of the UB bordering North East India. It is not less than 14000 Square miles in area, a bit larger than Maryland plus Connecticut in US and larger than many independent sovereign countries in its definite clear-cut boundary. Half of their population is mainly in Magwe Division, Sagaing Division of Burma proper and in Arakan State though some are still scattering in other regions of the UB.
==
Back ground history of CND in brief: - The territory of the Chin people was ruled by the native Chieftains and landlords in many principalities before the British annexed it as an independent territory outside India and Burma to be a part of the British empire in 1895. The whole population in the territory was controlled together by the same native religion, the belief of which was very close to the belief in the Christianity. The native religion believes in life after death and every human being to have soul at death and those souls of the deaths to rest at a place known in several different names in different dialects of the Chin language like for example Mithikhua /Misikhua etc.
The similar faith they all have in their native religion also molded many similar affinities among them that makes people beyond their common frontier to see them as a people. They all accept that they have similar affinities in common today though they identified themselves in several names.
It is the closeness in their belief in native religion to the Christianity that all territories in which the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was applied in the British Empire converted in full to Christianity in a matter of one century now since the Christian missionaries from America and England came to the Chin country in the late 19th century AD. The territories in which the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was once enforced today are Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur Hills in India, Chin State, Naga Hills or Khamti District in Sagaing Division in the Union of Burma and the Chittagong Hills Tract of Bangladesh.
Today, they have transformed their native religion to Christianity. So 80% of the over whelming majority of the Chin population in the Chin State have all been now Christians to be the only Christian State in the 14 provinces of the UB. So is the Christian population not less than 80% in Nagaland and Mizoram respectively as the only two Christian States in India too. Thus they still have a common religion in Christianity as they did in the past in their native religion.
The British annexed India round about in 1760 and Burma in 1885. They discovered a vast territory outside India and Burma inhabited by a people known as Kuki/Naga from India and Chins from Burma. The British invaded the Chin territory since 1888 as the Chin rulers refused to allow them to construct land route that will connect British India and British Burma through the Chin territory.
The Chin rulers and the invading British military commanders concluded several agreements in peace talks that the ancient traditional hereditary ruling system of aristocracy would be allowed to retain and the Chieftains and landlords who ruled the many principalities would be recognized according to their usual ranks and usual areas in which they respectively ruled before the British arrival. That peace agreement was drafted and adopted as the law known as Chin Hills Regulations 1896. T he definitions of “Chins” was provided in the Chin Hills Regulations 1896 as Chins includes Lushais, Kukis, Nagas and Chins in the Chin Hills and Chins in the adjoining areas of the Chin Hills and any persons who practice Chins culture and language.
The British thus declared the Chin territory as a part of the British Empire and enforced the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 in all the Chin territory though it was added in pieces to Assam, Bengal and Burma provinces. Those provincial governors ruled Chins in those pieces of divided Chin territory under their respective provinces separately with the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 outside British India and British Burma till independence of India and Burma 1947/1948.
When British India and British Burma were to get Independence, the Chin territory on Burma side with the territories of Kachin and Shans which were together known as the territories of Burma Frontier Areas (BFA) was to be given to the UN Trusteeship by the British as it was no longer to rule them as colonies under the UN Charter Chapter 11, Article 73. The reason was this BFA was annexed by the British as independent territories outside India and Burma.
But because of the promise given by General Aung San that the BFA territories respectively should also be in self governing territories in the new Union to be formed in federal, the Chin territory that was occupied and annexed from the British Burma military front signed on February 12, 1947 an Agreement known as Panglong Agreement with the leader of the Burmese/Burman territory General Aung San and other leaders of the territories of Shan and Kachin to be all in self governing territories in the newly formed Union of Burma in federalism.
Since the hereditary ruling system in the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was abolished on February 20, 1948, the Chin State which was then known as Chin Hills needs to adopt a new law with which to rule.
So hereditary ruling system in the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 was amended in a new law transferring many provisions from the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 to the new amended law and adopted it in the Union Parliament of the UB as Chin Special Division Act 1948.
Thus the Chieftains and their Councils were substituted with Circle Chairmen and Circle Councils. They were elected by the population in their respective Circle areas(Tlangkulh in some Chin dialetcs) according to the new Law, Chin Special Division Act 1948. It has been enforced in the CSD throughout the period under the parliamentary rule of the UB since 1948. The Circle Chairmen, in an administrative Subdivision/township became township advisory council to the civil service administrators under the Chin Affairs Minister.
The Chin Affairs Minister was the head of the Ministry of Chin affairs as a cabinet minister or a member of Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister of the UB. The Chin Ministry was an interim arrangement before the Chin people were ready to form their State Legislative Assembly and Government at their convenient timing.
This temporary arrangement showed that the Affairs of the Chin State and its people were under the Burmese Prime Minister. The reason was he could appoint any one as the Minister of Chin Affairs out of the 14 Members of Parliament elected from the electoral constituencies of the Chin Special Division. That means that anyone who followed the Prime Minster best was to be the Minister of the Chin Ministry.
In the Chin Ministry were the Minister of the Chin Affairs as the head of the Ministry and a Parliamentary Secretary and a Chairman of the Chin Affairs Council. The three of them were elected by the Chin Affairs Council elected by the people of the Chin State as Members of Parliament of the UB. The Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary and Chairman of Chin Affairs Council were included in the 14 MPs.
But the Circle Area Chairman ruling system, which was in democratic elected system, has been abolished by the Burmese military regime and Chin Special Division Act 1948 is used only in civil suits in the Chin State now and no further amendment has been made to update it. Chin Hills Regulation 1896 also is still used in civil suits in the Naga Hills or Khamti District of Sagaing Division in the UB with no amendment to update it since its last amendment in 1927.
====
The lost of human dignity under the Burmese military regime repressive rule: The timing for the Chin territory to have the Legislative Assembly and government of its own as a State was decided in the Parliament of the UB in 1962. But General Ne Win over threw the Constitutional government in that moment as he was against the Union of Burma to be in federalism and established rigid unitary form of constitution in one party dictatorship system which the Burmese military today is still holding high.
The whole program to amend the Union constitution in federalism in 1962 was totally stopped. Picking up the parliament decision, the territories of Chin, Arakan and Mon were given the name “State” only in name in the fake constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma 1974 along with other previous four States . T ht 1974 Socialist constitution has been also abolished during the pro democratic up rising of the whole country in 1988 by the ruling Burmese military government.
The Burmese military regime is now launching ethnic cleansing program in many ways on the Chin State and in the Naga Hills with no proper law in dictatorship to oppress the Chin population causing them all sort of problems and sufferings.
The Chin people are fighting against the Burmese military dictatorship in nonviolent means along with other democratic forces of the UB for democracy and self determination in which the Chin people can have self rule within their territory as a constituent state of the federal Union and shared rule in common cause and common interest with other constituent states of the federal Union of Burma.
The non-violent means is the strategy of the leaders of the democratic forces of the Union of Burma in National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma(NCUB) and The National Council of the Union of Burma(NCGUB) though it might not be the best way to fight against this brutal Burmese military regime. It might rather be adopted as the last possible strategy due to not enough international material support. The UN cannot give effective support to the cause due to some veto power nations in the UNSC.
The non violent strategy is effective to some extent as it could make the brutal Burmese military unable to adopt the constitution of the Union of Burma to make the constitution of the country in rigid Unitary form in one party system as the military regime has planned. It can put it at bay making it fail to establish its military regime as a legal constitutional government.
But restoration of democracy and self determination to all the constituent territories or to remove the fascist regime from power so far is in failure showing that non violent strategy is not effective enough to rmove or change such brutal and inhuman regime. The regime increases its repressive oppression more in launching ethnic cleansing program and genocide causing more suffering especially on the minority non-Burman indigenous people. They are treating them like animals letting them live and die like animals and insects devoid of human dignity under this brutal and cruel regime.
The ability of fully armed Chin soldiers in ceaseless supply of arms and ammunitions: In the earlier days of the UB independence, 1950s-60s, the constitutional government of the UB was in control of only six miles perimeter of the Union territory only to be known as Rangoon government. The reason was the rest of the country beyond Rangoon was under the control of the multi insurgencies as many battalions of the Union government armed forces went under ground against the constitutional government. It was therefore mainly the six Chin battalions who fought against the multi-insurgencies in strict loyalty to the constitution of the Union which has amendment provisions and secession rights under the Panglong agreement which the Chin leaders signed with the territories of the Burmese, Kachins and Shans to form a federal Union all of which to be in self governing territories.
The Chin people, born strong as fighters on the mountainous and hilly topography landscape, are by nature good fighters. So only the Six Chin Battalions formed of only Chin soldiers and Chin commanders in victory cleared out all the multi insurgencies that controlled all over the UB much earlier than what the Union government expected in a short period. They lost one of their commanders in the battle ground as a martyr of the Union like General Sung San and his cabinets and one of the Chin soldiers was awarded the highest military gallantry medal of the Union known as Aung San Thuri-ya alive though it was usually given in post mortem equivalent to Victoria Cross (VC) in UK and the Congressional Medal of Honor in US.
In stead of promoting the Chin commanders and the Chin soldiers in victory to higher ranks and better living, the Union government in alarming to see the fighting ability of the six Chin Battalions all dismantled the Chin battalions transferring the Chin soldiers to other newly formed multinational armed forces and their commanders all being stopped further promotion from Colonel rank or some Chin commanders being transferred to civil service or being forced to retire. Under this military regime the Chins especially Christians are no longer promoted to the rank higher than Captain or Major rank in blatant religious and racial discrimination. No Chins except those who are kidnapped only join the Burmese military by force now.
The Chin people fighting ability under the British: The Chin guerilla forces trained and armed by the British during WWII could repelled the Japanese troops that attempted to pass through the Chin territory to invade India from Burma front. Had the Japanese entered into the Ganges and Brahmaputra flat plain of the Indian territory, it would not be easy for the British India Provincial government and the Allied forces to fight back in the flat plain without losing many lives and wealth even if they could repel the invading Japanese army from India.
The Chin guerilla forces as the Western Chin Levy therefore saved them many lives and wealth for which the British Governor of British Burma expressed his gratitude to the Chin people that India and the Allied nations owed debt of gratitude to the Chin people for that contribution they made to the Indian provincial government and the allied nations. We hope that the people of India and their government and all the allied nations could pay heed to day to the war remarked written by a British governor then. (Economic life of the Central Chin Tribes by HNC Stevenson)
A British soldier Surgeon Major Lee Quisne also was awarded Victoria Cross (VC) at a battle of the invading British forces fighting against the Chin resistant forces that fought very fiercely against the invading British armed forces in May 1888 at Siallum fort in the Chin territory. The fort is now marked as a historical monument spot to be visited by interested people.
The disarmed Chin people: The Chin people and the Burmese people mutually recognize each other traditionally as two distinct people much different in cultures and languages. More over, the territories they inhabit are different as the high land above 600-10,000 ft above sea level where as the Burmese territory is mostly flat land below 500 ft above sea level. So the situation in the two territories is much different apart. The Burmese therefore know nothing about the highland condition to where they have never been due to difficult communications as it is not a familiar way of of life for the plain people.
The Burmese military regime seized the Chin territory with the force of arms against the will of the Chin people in 1962 at the time the constitutional government was over thrown. Thus it totally has stopped the Chin territory to form their own State Legislative Assembly and the State government for the State internal affairs since then.
All governmental departments in the Chin State have been under the control of the Burmese military officials by force to dictate with no proper laws and suppressed the Chin people in lawlessness against humanity. They stopped thus teaching Chin language in all the schools of the Chin territory, which is blatantly a cultural genocide. They neglect building infrastructure like transport motor road and electricity in the Chin territory leaving the Chin state as a barren land with no transport communication, no airport, no train and no motor road and no electricity. They are deprived of all radios and TV services to run their cultural and educational programs in full time announcing in their various dialects of the Chin language.
Those not worthy of mentioning few miles even not all weather road of muddy and dusty roads and some feeble electricity in some few towns are all un useable by the public as they are mainly for the convenience of the civil and military operation to better control the Chin civil population. It is ruled as an enemy territory of foreign land to destroy their whole existence as a people.
The Chin people are now fighting on front line along with other democratic forces of the UB against this fascism to restore democracy and self determination in the whole Union. All democratic forces and the Chin people have felt now that non violent means of fighting is not effective to fight such brutal and inhuman regime of the Burmese military fascism. The worst for the Chin people has been that they have been disarmed of every thing. First of all they have been disarmed of political power as they have been blocked to form Chin State Legislative assembly and Chin State government of their own to do their state home work.
They have been disarmed of infrastructures like all sort of transport communications and electricity without which no meaningful progress could be made in a country, The persecution on religious, racial and political ground has been unabated as the majority of the Burmese population is Buddhism and the Chin territory is in total Christianity. So it is so horrible to tolerate the severe repressiveness against humanity except to seek freedom at risk as a retreat to fight back from abroad is the only option and alternative or to die in long sufferings as it is the disarmed human nature at the gun point of the enemy with full arms.
We know that there had been many political movements that formed exiled governments to fight back the occupying enemies that had occupied their homelands during WWII. The democratic forces of the Union could form legitimate government with the elected members of Parliament in exile to fight back this Burmese military regime effectively if the democratic friendly governments who support the cause of democracy give enough support to the democratic cause of the Union of Burma.
So being there is nothing the Chin people can do disarmed now, the Chin National Day also is ordered and forced to change it to Chin State Day though the state only in name was given on January 4 1974. Many Chin people in intolerable of this racial, religion and political persecution and oppression of the Burmese military regime fled their home land in great risks as the only choice and options in thousands as refugees to several countries Malaysia, India and several other countries. We have nothing to celebrate today under the rule of this Burmese military fascist regime .
But we cannot forget to celebrate the day February 20, as the Chin National Day wherever we are for it was the achievement of our fore fathers that made the dawning of the fresh new days of democracy to the Chin people 60 years ago on February 20, 1948.
We therefore need the support and help of the governments and people of the world around in our struggle to fight against this brutal and restore democracy and self determinations in all the territories that constitute the Union of Burma. We are now temporarily in diasporas before we liberate our country and return reclaiming our mother land as its pride citizens.
May the Chin people achieve democratic self-determination the earliest possible! And
May the Chinland, its people and the Chin National Day live long!! Lnk.
0 comments