THE ASPIRATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIN PEOPLE
A Speech given by Dr. Dennis Shu Maung in Philippine Christian University's Auditorium on February 19, 2012.
Chin Lutthuh Hmaanchiet neh Ttavun
Introduction
Honorable Mr. President, Secretary and the Executive members of the 64th Chin National Day Celebration Committee, Philippines; honorable Executive Vice President of the Philippine Christian University, Dr. Greg De Lara; honorable Professor Antonio Valdez; honorable representatives of our indigenous ethnic friends from Kachin, Shan, Karen, Mon, Rakhaing, and Bamar, honorable representatives of Chin ethnic people from India and Bangladesh, distinguished guests, ladies and gentle men, good afternoon.
This is special privilege for me to present the Aspirations and Responsibilities of the Chin People today. I believed, this topic is quite relevant to present on this auspecious day. Honorable Fellow Chins, there might have been many aspirations the Chin people had but I will present three major aspirations today as: National Sovereignty, National Unity and National Identity. I will conclude my speech by proposing our responsibilities to realize our aspirations.
First and foremost, I would like to Present the birth of the Chin National Day. The CND actually is the product of Chin People General Assembly led by the first Chin Minister Wun Thu Maung (Kanpelet) held on 19-22 February 1948 in Falam, the administrative town and the general Headquarter of Chin Special Division. The Chin General Assembly was attended by 5000 people which ratio one representative for 60 Chins at that time. The General Assembly unanimously designated February 20 as Chin National Day. They enthusiastically accepted the ideology and principles of Democracy in which they strongly believe that self determination would be fully realized. Self determination is the heart and the life of our forefathers. It indeed is primary character of Democracy that enhanced self decision making power, rights, freedom, justice and equality. Now let me go to my topic.
The first Aspiration of the Chin People is National Sovereignty.
My fellow Chins: The Chin people from the beginning was indepent with natioanal sovereignty. We had our land and territory, our customes, cultures and belief. We had our own administration managed by the tribal chieftains. There was tribal wars and peace negotiations in their own way. All those experiences and practices have a solid and valid proof up till today. Unfortunately, the Chinland and the Chin nation fell into the British colonial empire in 1885 and the Land and the people were subjected to the British empire. The Chin territory at that time was considerably large from Northeast India across Northwest Burma down to Northeastern Bangladesh. As the Brish learnt the valor courage and determination of the Chin people, they applied divide and rule policy that the Chins today are divided into three locations. One fell under the Indian rule while the others fell under Burmese and Bangladesh rules. We all lost national sovereignty from that time on.
Particularly emphasizing the life of the Chin people in Myanmar, due to Panglong agreement in 1947, the Chins fell under the administration of Myanmar government. The agreement of Panlong was to grant Federal system with rights and freedom right after Myanmar Political Independent. It was obvious that the Chin forefathers were aspiring for National Sovereignty that they convened Chin General Assembly in Falam town right after the Independent of Myanmar. (Myanmar Independent was declared on 04 January 1948 and Chin General Assembly was conducted on February 19-22, 1948). It meant our forefathers were not late in claiming their wishful legal rights. This struggle will be going on until this right is fully realized and achieved. This aspiration of Chin National Sovereignty must be keeping alive forever.
The second Aspiration of the Chin People is National Unity.
My fellow Chins: The second aspiration of the Chin People is National Unity. Unity is extremely needed in nation building. Unity is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. Victory is essentially based on unity. Today the Chin people are living in different locations, practicing different cultures and customs, accepting different ideologies and embracing different faiths and denominations. These differences are the beauty of the Chin people. It makes us colorful decoration to live our lives beautifully. I am happy to say that regardless of these differences, we still belong to the same Chin people, Chin nation and Chin country. Our forefathers had left us very precious and valuable legacy of Chin National Unity in 1948 in Falam. They joined hands and discussed the common good of the whole Chin people and Chinland. Whatever divisive power among us would be condemned and eliminated. Let us build up Chin National Unity in every possible way.
The third Aspiration of the Chin People is National Identity.
My dear fellow Chins:
The third aspiration of the Chin people is National Identity. The Chin National Day actually is our Identity. As we all come together to celebrate the CND it is already signified that we are Chins. All nations all over the world have their own flora and fauna which represent their national identity. They have designated special day for national festivities. Fortunately or unfortunately, in some of theocratic countries in the world, their faith is becoming their national identity. They have national flags and emblems which signified that they belong to specific country and nation. They have emblem, symbols, culture, custom, music, language and national dress to indentify themselves. The Chin people do the same. Our emblem is hornbill. It signifies loyalty, honesty and faithfulness. The Chins are honest and trust worthy. Most of the Chin people embraced Christianity. Therefore Christian integrity could also become a part of our identity. Let us live our identity through our cultural practices, languages, musics and traditional dances. Let us give values to our identity. Be strong, be courageous, be kind, be wise, be honest, be righteous, be smart, be smile and stay safe.
The Responsibilities of the Chin People.
My fellow Chins, our responsibilities today are
1. Political will... Let us maintain the political will of our forefathers and affirm that we are the Chin people. Let us work for Chin National Sovereignty. It may be impossible for some of us but there is a way if there is a will. Let us remember the incarceration of the Chin sovereign territory under British rule. What about today?. Incarceration of our sovereign territory is still here. Let us raise our will to regain our sovereignty. As we have heard about the formation of Chin Supreme Council, let us encourage each other to work for the common good of the whole Chin people with a very strong will so that national sovereignty, self determination, rights, freedom, justice and equality would be prevailed and would be truly realized.
2. National Unity in Diversity
The Chin people are rich in culture, tradition, religious faith, and language. We need to proud of our differences. Our differences are the beauty of our people and our land. What we need is how to locate all these differences into the most beautiful reality. We need to recognize our differences and respect to each other. All these belong to the same Chin. Do not be too bias on your own color but share it to the whole Chin. We are responsible to build unity in diversity. Unity is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. We can read in thenBible says: "a house divided against itself cannot stand, every kingdom divided against itself is brought into ruin, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" Matt. 12:25.
3. Social and Spiritual Transformation or Attitudinal and Behavioral Change. As the Chins are scattered all over the world and experiencing different ways of life and cultures, our attitude is deteriorating. Some became arrogant, some are cunning, some are glutton, some are proud, some are ignorance. Some are breathing the air through the nose of other people and blew big air. This people may lost the Chin identity. They don't want to be called Chin. I don't understand why? Most of us are drunkards. Some of us are cheating. It is not mean to say that all the Chins are loosing good attitudes and behavior. Most of us are still very good. Let us eradicate the causes of social evils. Let us reexamine the attitude of our forefathers. Our forefathers were honest, sincere, kind and righteous. They were courageous. Let us change our mind and go back to bear excellence moral life of our forefathers. Let us be wise in self development that affects our family and community life. Let us prioritize education. Try to send your children to schools and to Church schools. Another issue is spiritual life. The Chins are very religious. We worship God in every possible way in everywhere. The Chin and the living God cannot be separated. The Chins are the people of God. If God comes down to select His people today, the Chins will be selected as His people because we love God too much and worship Him. We love God as we love drinking. Let us drink God not alcohol. Unfortunately, the Chins are separated because of the Christian faith. It is because most of the Chins are too bias in their denominations. Instead of uniting in the name of Jesus Christ we are separating. This bias destroys social relationship of the Chins today. We need to be together regardless of our denomination. We need to transform our spiritual life. We may need Supreme Chin Christian Church to get the whole Chin together for spiritual and social renewal. We also need Guidance Counselor Office in every Church both inside and outside of the country to attend to problems of the family and of community.
4. Economic Development. I think the Chins have sufficient resources. We have natural resources and human resources. The only problem is territorial dispute. This dispute has been century old in the history. The Chins had Leido ral. They used to fight and enslaved people in the history. This kind of evil domination and evil practice should be abolished and reorganize all territories into one Chinland. Let us understand that the whole Chinland belongs to the whole Chin people. We have Bawipa tlang (royal mountain ranges), and Bawinu va (royal rivers). We have flora and fauna that enough for the Chin people. We have vast area in Paletwa that can accommodate International air field and Kuladan River that could be able to turn into golden harbour. We have agricultural fertile areas to produce food, we have vast pasture to raise mythuns and other animals. We have teak wood and other valuable trees. We have big rivers like Lemro, Bawinu, Manipura (run), Myitha (letsa), we have water falls like Bungtla in Matu region, we have lakes like Rih lake in Falam. We need to preserve our eco system. We need to prohibit and stop cutting trees, and burning, we need to stop eligal hunting, and ilegal fishing etc..What else do we need?. What we need after all is to unite each other into one accord and build our economy.
Lets all rise up and raise our voice: Slogan
Chin Amyotha mia silong nyinyut yee...................doh ayee//
Chin Amyotha mia lutlat yee..................................doh ayee//
Chin pyine phoinhphyu tottet yee...........................doh ayee//
Democracy ukchok yee...........................................aungyahme//
Thank you and May the good Lord bless all of you. Happy Chin National Day.
