The Chin State

Chin State is locates in Southeast Asia and lies between the longitude 92.15E, and in between the latitude 18N and 27.30N. Bangladesh is to its Southwest, Manipur State in India is to its Northwest, China to its North, Sagaing Division of Myanmar to its East and Arakan State is to its South. The size of Chin State is slightly smaller than Switzerland. Chin State is rich of natural flora and fauna. Chin state has a mild hot wet climate. Almost 90 % of Chin people are Christians. The population is estimated as half a million. Chin people are aboriginal inhabitants of Chinland for hundreds of years. Chin people are distinctive nationality with it own culture, religious, politics and literacy. After the British occupation of Burma under it empire in 1885, Chinland was also annexed under British Empire in 1895. As the leaders of Chin people agreed to take Independent together with Burmese leaders, Chin people joined Burmese leaders in January 1948 and accepted Independent from British Empire. Unfortunately Union of Burma has been misruled by successive Burmese Buddhist rulers and Chin State was most suppressed under Burmese dictatorial rule since Independent until today. That’s why we the Chin people know that we do not get Independent until today since the Chin people are discriminated and systematically enslave under Burmese rulers, worse than the British occupiers.

The name of Burma was changed into Myanmar by the current military government in 1993 in order to eclipse all ethnic groups into Myanmarization. Burma has 52 million populations in which 4 millions only are Christians, 4 millions Muslims, Hindu and others different religions from Buddhism. The majority are Buddhists. From 1962 until today, Burma has been ruled by military dictators and run the country without constitution and laws. Martial law is the only vehicle the military regime has to drive 52 millions for more than four decades. Even Buddhist monks tucked pistols under their armpits and lure Christian children in Chin State publicly to join Buddhism. Poverty is the tool for the military regime to recruit poor civilians and Christians to expand military power in the disguise. As Chin nationals are most discriminated under military regime in Myanmar, sixty thousands Chin refugees fled to neighboring India and 27000 Chin refugees are now in Malaysia. In order to get into Malaysia, most Chin individual refugee have to sell all their properties and even borrowed large amount of money to pay to agents who will take them into Malaysia. It is very dangerous to go to Malaysia by human smuggling agents. However since we could not apply passport under Myanmar military authority, there is no other choice than to use agents to come to Malaysia.

Military regime has no law in Myanmar but rule the country with order. Whatever the military officers order are all laws for civilians. In Chin state, we all depend upon slash and burn farming for survival. However the military regime ordered that no one Chin state could cut trees. In order to do farming, normal civilian has to bribe military officer to cut trees to make farm. Force human porter service is rampant in Chin state. As excessive porter services are rampant in Chin state, most Chin people could not concentrate on their farming and often resulted in big loss for harvesting. Women were raped and threatened also by soldiers if disclose to someone or lodge a report. The worst is the military persuaded many Chin poor families to convert into Buddhism by giving moneys which they actually confiscated from the Chin people.

On the current situation in Myanmar, the military regime went ahead with referendum on May 10, 2008 the devastating cyclone killed almost one hundred thousands Burmese on May 3, 2008. The referendum is totally unacceptable because according friends with we contacted there in Myanmar, the military gave vote-papers which are already ticked with a sign to indicate support to military rule in Myanmar. Soldiers were deployed in polling stations and voters were also demanded to put their names and addresses on the vote-sheet. However many Chin people vote “NO” to military referendum. The reason why we vote “NO” to this referendum is the constitution drafted by military regime gave 25% seats to military in parliament and the head state must be a military general. This drafted constitution defects democratic freedom but only given military permanent rule in Myanmar. Furthermore, the regime seek to rule the whole nation from central leadership which means all the states could not decide on their own for their own people.

The military authority is total dictator. Myanmar was once the most developed country up to 1960 after it got independent from Britain in 1948. However after the military seized power in 1962 and another military succeeded in 1988, Myanmar is now one of the poorest nation on earth. If you work for the whole day, you could get 3000 kyats ( US$ 3 ) but a single meal charge in a restaurant is 5000 kyats which your one day wages can not afford. The highest salaried person in Myanmar ( General Than Shwe ) pay is 150000 ( US$ 150. 00 ). A bag of rice in Myanmar costs 30000 while a police sergeant salary for a month is only 25000. It means all is settled from under the table. That’s why Myanmar is again champion of corruption in the world.