By Dr. Val Thang Matu

The whole Burmese territory had been occupied by Great British in 1885 except Chinland.  Northern Chinland was fallen under the British army in 1893, and Southern Chinland or the whole Chinland had been occupied in 1927, when my native town Matupi, now the second capital of the so-called Chin state was burned up by Col-Burne, of the British army.  It means the whole now Burmese territory was fallen under the British colony in 1927.

Against the British government movements was starting from 1920, created by University Students of Burma.  After, the second world war, according to “Teheran’s accord of peace bond” signing by Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of England), Starling (President of Soviet Russia) and F. Roosevelt (President of USA), in which was bearing that all colonial countries will be given independence.  In 1946 the Burmese Independent Movement group sent a group of representatives under the leader of General Aung San, the son of U Pha (Chin ethnic) to England to demand the Independence of Burma.  

Burma was given Independence on Jan. 4, 1948.  But because of the political unrest in the country, the whole Burman land was occupied by the opposition army groups in 1949.  But in the last fighting, Chin army group fought against the opposition army and rescued the Burman land.  In that fighting, Captain Thai Coeng (Tait Chun, Matupi-Chin ethnic) from Chin battalion was awarded (Victory Cross Medal/ Aung San Victory Medal) the Medal of Hero.

I do not want to say Chins to be the hero of Burma, but Chins has been dutiful and faithful to the country.  Burma is not the country of a monopolistic ethnic group as a Burma country, but the country of multiple – ethnic groups those who have been living in Burma since the beginning of the history of Burma.  It is a clear evidence in our country back-ground history is that, “when we looked back the heads of the past governments of Burma from 1946, the first Chancellor of Burma was Dr. Ba Maw (Mun ethnic), the father of Independence of Burma was General Aung San (Chin ethnic), the first President was U Ba Oo (Burman), the next Presidentwas Maan Win Maung (Karen ethnic) and the another one Prime minister was U Ba Swe (Byeik).  Burman leaders, now, do not want to expose what is the truth, but they do see all leaders were as Burmans and they always try to mix up all ethnic groups people into one nation.  It is against the natural law.  No ethnic does accept that dogma and that is alone we Burmese people have a big conflict among us.

Chin National Front (CNF/A) was founded to keep and to preserve the dignity of Chins, our Chin National Identity and Literature, Culture, Customary of Chin on one hand because there is a bad history we have in Burma, “that is, we lost one ethnic group, namely “PYU”.  No “PYU” is identified now on the face of this Earth planet.  And the other hands, we say the Human Right, Birth Right, Fundamental Right and Democracy Rights which are “Equality, Fraternity, and Justice” among all ethnic groups.  We always focus to living together and sharing responsibilities equally of our people and our country in the future.

We all should to respect the result of 1990 election and we should not ignore the fates of the prisoners now being suffering and the jails in Burma.

God bless Norway, and all of you.  Thank you. 

Note: 

This short note is referring from Dr. Val Thang Matu’s presentation on “Chin people’s view on Burma’sDemocratic Movements” during “BRADP’s well-wishers dinner party” held on July9, 2007 at Tananger, Norway.

Dr. Val Thang (the 1^st former General Secretary of CNF/A, founding officer of CNF, and founding member and officer of Chin National Council, is currently residing in USA). He presented about “Chin people’s view on Burma’s Democratic movements and the role of Chin people in Democratic movements”.

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