Escaping from the Chin State of Burma
Zomi for Federalization and Democratization of Burma
Escaping from the Chin State of Burma
By Cheery Zahau
There are countries that face the problem of overpopulation. Planners
and decision-makers work hard to deal with it. - The Chin State in
Burma on the contrary is losing her population day after day.
It is estimated that there are 2 million ethnic Chins in Burma. The
term, Chin was popularly used since 1896 when the Chin Hills
Regulation was written under the British administration. The Chin
Hills became a part of Union of Burma in 1947 according to Panglong
Agreement under the leadership of General Aung San, father of Aung San
Su Kyi. The agreement signaled independence from British rule (1948).
There was no logical assumption that signing the Panglong Agreement
meant surrendering of the sovereignty of the Chin people to Burmese
colonialism as was claimed by Lian Uk, the elected MP of the 1990
general election in Burma. Though the Union achieved independence, the
hope of the Chin people to maintain their self-determination and to
build a democracy faded.
The report also said there are 1 lakh Chin refugees in India; with the
maximum number in the state of Mizoram. Out of this number, about 1000
refugees have applied to the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) in Delhi to get protection. Less than 500 Chins have
been recognised as political asylum seekers by UNHCR according to a
Chin refugee in Delhi.
The Chins are also entering ten other countries of South East Asia.
Some have left their land for Europe, Canada US, Mexico, Guam, Japan,
Korea in Asia and other countries. The people in Chin State have also
moved to Sagging, Rangoon, Mandalay divisions, Kaching, Arakan and
Shan states. The population of the Chins in these states is yet to be
surveyed. what are the push-factors that drive away the Chins from
their land?
Geographically, the Chin State is located in the western part of Burma
bordering Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur states of India. It’s a
beautiful mountainous region with orchids, rhododendrons, cherry
trees, blooming roses and wild animals. The people practice shifting
cultivation and agricultural land is not sufficient enough for the
region to sustain an independent economic system. At the same time the
demand for better standards of living have been increasing
dramatically. Moreover, there are no efforts towards to support and
develop the agricultural sector under the military regime, the State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC) that rules the Burma.
There is little by way of transport and communication, which hinders
opportunities and makes leading day-to-day lives extremely difficult.
This hardship makes the livelihood of the Chins miserable. Moreover
there are no proper markets for the home farm products like orange,
apple, grapes, avocado, pineapple and fresh vegetables such as garlic,
onion, mustards, tomato, soya bean, pulses, tobacco etc. The prices of
such products are very unstable all over Burma and this affect the
lives of the people in the Chin state. Who can speak against the
regime in the case? No one. Forming of labor or farmer associations
are banned and so their situation never changes.
The Chin state doesn’t have even a single university or college.
Besides, three to ten villages in the Chin state have to share one
school without regular teachers. So, many young people move outside of
the state or go the neighboring countries for their education. Some
travel to Europe and America running after the promise of a better
education. The worst part is that Chin youngsters can not study the
Chin language, cultural observances, traditional practices and
historical facts even in the Chin State. The SPDC only allows teaching
of Burmese language, culture, history and religious beliefs that are
beginning to have an impact in changing the behaviors, thoughts
processes and mindset of the young Chin people. The intention of the
SPDC is to make the Burmanization stronger while the Chins face ethnic
cleansing in their own land. Rights activists relate how human rights
violations continue to occurring all over Burma in different forms
such as forced labor, imprisonment, extortion, systematic violence
against women (particularly in ethnic areas), extra-judicial killings,
and detention in military camps, religious persecution, military
recruitment, looting, forced relocation and so on. The Chin state is
also not spared.
Chin people continue to flee to neighboring countries/states like
Mizoram (in India) to escape forced labor and religious persecution.
Christian religious leaders in the Chin State are often targeted with
persecution and imprisonment because of the influence they wield.
Religious leaders are warned not to talk about political freedom and
social justice. These leaders often are imprisoned to frighten the
civilians. It’s amply clear that the SPDC does not respect the
articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Many families in the Chin state have lost their land because of forced
relocation. The regime has relocated people without any compensation
while their properties have been looted. Those who protest or show
sympathies with armed groups of resistance are tortured or killed and
there is no trial.
I found how many Chin women shed tears silently because they are
sexually and mentally abused by Burmese soldiers. These women are
still the targets of the SPDC soldiers to be their wives, concubines
or pleasure-women. Soldiers are given money or awards if they can
father a child with a Chin woman.
What does this all mean? Isn’t it a nefarious design to blot out the
Chin nation or ethnicity. These offences by the military junta does
not only go against to the UDHR but are also totally against the
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW), which the regime ratified in 22nd July, 1997 and made a
reservation to article 29. The regime shrewdly did not ratify/sign to
optional protocol, which allows the CEDAW committees investigate grave
violations against women in all forms.
How can they continue with these atrocities? Does escaping then mean
surrender to these dictators? By fleeing from our lands aren’t we
adding to the power of the regime? If the people keep running away to
other places, what and where will be the next Chin State? Who will be
the people living in the Chin State in the coming generations? Or,
will it be a lonely national park? Whatsoever, my only feeling is that
the land is waiting for her people to return who will treat her with
care, love and sensitivity and thus sow the seeds for freedom,
democracy and self-determination.
Cheery Zahau, Coordinator, Womens League of Chinland, Aizawl, India,
Email: womenleagu...@yahoo.co.in; cheer...@yahoo.com
References
1. A Statement on the Chin People today-Lian Uk, October, 2005
2. Religion and Society-Hre Mang
3. The Chin Hills Regulation, 1896
4. The several reports of Chin Human Rights Organizations
5. Articles of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
6. Articles of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
7. The returnees and the refugees- migration from Burma by Subir
Bhaumik
8. Status of ratification ( as of 27 August 2003) by Amnesty
International-Asia
9. The Chin People: National Identity, Sovereignty and Federalism by
Lian Uk, Ethnic Nationalities Journal-February 2004.
10. The Mizoram Post-24th October 2005. P. 1
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