Author: John Smith Thang 

  Here, I would like not to talk much about inside Matupi, because we don’t have much chance or almost nothing regarding on political, social and religious activities.  Since, almost all activities are impossible to organize due to various restrictions on freedom movement in Burma.  Therefore, allow me to exclude it.

In exile, most Matu/Matupi people presents in India, Thailand, Malaysia, US, and Norway, etc.  In decades, some of Matu/Matupi people able to travel far to developed countries, since we are on the right track of global/international policies on humanitarian and protection, which are advancing in this 21^st century.  This is one of the points to measure the inter relationship development in Matu region and Matu/Matupi reaching abroad.   In the mean time, we also have increased in number of educated people who graduated from abroad as high as doctorate degrees (PhD) and master degrees (M.A level) in line with international standards, including increased in numbers of theology graduated from India and other countries, at least in quantity, which also can read as achieving in earning degrees even though most of them will not be recognized as secular degrees from majority government.  At the same time, many Matu/Matupi graduated students inside Burma are also increasing in recent years, whatever reason to be count on; it’s all benefits for all of Matu/Matupi.  I am quite sure that Matu/Matupi are somewhere in some level of points.  We do also have some capacities, which are undeniable in this 21^st century by simply seeing above facts.

The immediate and tremendous development of Matu/Matupi civil society in western Burma (Chin territory), neighbor chin brothers are becoming unfavorable on us, and mounted jealousy, strongly criticize and try to pulling Matu/Matupi into part of their “Cho” or other group.  At the same time Hakha try to influence Matu/Matupi people by their Hakha dialect, taking advantage on missing official language in Burma.  They try to mislead the world as “Hakha dialect” is “Chin language”.

Nevertheless, existing of the Matu/Matupi cannot be removing after being granted as township “Matupi Myo Ne” in 1949, which is legitimate in national arena.  Followed up by clearly and completely existing of Matu/Matupi culture & literature in now a day, with self-indigenous rights and strength of Matu/Matupi, shows what we have to be proud for to be being who we are.

In this unfair political climate of Chin or Burma, that is quite sure that nobody will aware of Matu/Matupi affair unless we describe by self.  What Matu people deserve to earned has been denied by various Chin brothers and the military regime.  Therefore we have to work for our self and for our own future.  What we must work for its by raising up political positions of Matu people, expanding development and humanitarian assistance programs for Matu people those who remained at home land as well as who are being taken refugee status in Delhi, Mizoram, Thailand, Malaysia, and other countries.  Therefore, I am humbly asking anyone of you, who has possibility to contribute any valuable things for them from where you are, to step forward act as soon as possible the noble work.

If Matu people fully aware of what other Chin tribes’ strategic moves and plans are, (systematically laying mega plan and strategic move to hold their future role in Burma’s politic), should Matu left out on its?  One good example is that, Hakha which is clever by taking benefit on CNF as their own political party.  By using CNF name in dishonest manner, involves themselves in political engagement with other ethnics in national level and bullying to international communities. They control all key positions in CNF; unlawfully and probably shared some minor positions to their partner Matu/Matupi people after the origin CNF was collapsed.  It is likely to deduct other Chin tribes to share key positions within CNF in which they newly formed.  From Matu/Matupi people, we can see after Benjamin Turing is missing or expelled from CNF.  The current Matu/Matupi people in CNF are showing just in quantities which are as much as 50% at least in paper names.  Unfortunately, most of them are lower rank soldiers, which perform the hardest work in frontier line.  Most of them know nothing much how to play politic (i.e., drawing strategic plans and preparing fair policies).   As a result, Matupi soldiers were being thrown or expelled from CNF.  In the mean time some of Matu/Matupi soldiers left CNF, for their own desire and unknown reasons.

In the other hands, partner Hakha may not care much about Matu people leaving CNF, since they have gained some new group. It’s very painful for Matu/Matupi people which they had sacrificed lives and all their possession to give birth the Chin political forces and later named CNF.  Dr. Val Thang from Matupi, who is one of them, founded CNF, later left the group due to being life threatened by his own created fellow members.

Now days, it’s more and more clear to see that Matu/Matupi people are empty handed, suffering, and totally wasted for what they have sowed with high expectation on CNF.

We could say that CNF ethnic armed group is one of the important groups which engaged in political activities in the name of Chin, it has a good capacity at the beginning while it was newly formed.  Even though CNF is established by Matu/Matupi senior people (i.e., Dr. Pu Val Thang (General Secretary), Pu Thlung Loi( Defense) decease, Pu Aung Dun (Information), Pu Cang Peng and other etc.,) after 1988, during the great uprising movement in Burma.  Now it’s likely to disappear all the names of Matu/Matupi from CNF.

Concerning about CNF’s policies, up to now, it’s not really favor by majority of Chin public since which is not fair any longer for Chin public. The reasons are CNF is controlling by a handful group Hakha and Htanlang as their own houses, as well as showing up their attitudes worsen than dictator rulers of Burmese military regime.  Compare to CNF, the policy of CNC is much better and fairer.  Even though CNC is not really recognized by majority of Chin-ethnic groups but we can say that CNC is one of the most appropriate for Matu/Matupi people to engage in future politic if they provide enough room for every different tribes and ethnics in its organization. But to be honest, it has not enough capacity and very weak to organize the Chin people even among those who are in exile, even though possessing a good policy.

Recently, CNF declared themselves as conducting Chin National Conference, surely which is party based, organized by themselves without having any representatives from multi chin ethnics.   The so called CNLD and ZNC, have openly announced that they have included enough Chin representatives in that Chin National Conference though there was only handful who were the same men from their small den. This conference will continue pretend to point out as to be based for Chin state constitution. They made a draft of state constitution and declared that which is only for state base. On the other hands, neglected Kuki, Lushai and Asho form Chin constitution. The question is why should not we continue the process as before procedure, as well as district or township base representatives? Here is nothing related with parties MPP, ZNC, CNLD.  So it is illogic, bias and not a genuine process in norm of federal democratic system based (That constitution is much more worsen than 2008 constitution of the current military regime).

Why there is no room for township based ethnics’ representatives? This simply indicated that the action had to be connected through it’s still remain some of individual selfishs’ interest, so they will continue their selfish work. The problem are Matu/Matupi people and the rest minorities ethnics do have nothing role to be participate on ethnics’ role in the future.   Mara, Hakha and their dirty allies tactfully trick upon CNF concerning on Matu/Matupi members and other ethnics.  That Mara people could somehow taken an advantage only in “Matupi Myo Ne” with their unfair system, but democratically they are not majority in “Matupi Myo Ne” and never ever represent themselves as Chin by themselves alone.

Even in exile, Matu/Matupi group is largest community among Southern Chin.  Matu/Matupi has capacity to play a leading role in “Matupi Myo Ne” because Matu/Matupi has administration office in their territory, and majority ethnics group, as well as better capacity within Matupi Township itself.  Logicaly, Matu/Matupi has the possibility to take leadership role from Southern part of Chin state if needed.

So it will be one of the biggest mistakes if the Chin National Conference is ever recognized and approved to go on the process.  It will also be the beginning of failure or loosing of CNF Matu/Matupi members and Matu/Matupi’s future in term of political support to CNF. And it will be the beginning of deteriorating Matu/Matupi politic in this century.  Mean while, it’s not only painful for CNF Matu/Matupi members, but also its affected to all Matu/Matupi people and the rest of innocent Chin ethnics and the people who would like to see justice and fair system in this civilized world.

To be honest, if I must say the truth, CNF Matu/Matupi members have not enough quality regarding on ideology and strategic plans.  Moreover they are stubborn enough not to take the right necessary advise from Matu/Matupi’s educators and seniors people even though they encounter greatly in need.  Therefore it is time, to realize and start working together, and extend cooperation among our Matu as well as all different ethnics in Chin and the whole nationals’ ethnics from Burma.  We should start drawing a proper strategic plans and methods.   Meanwhile, all exile Matu/Matupi people, including CNF members should support by different means of financial and knowledge to those who work for Matu/Matupi’s future politic and establishing fair system among different ethnics from Burma.

It’s time to reunite without any personal concern, without family concern, without tribes concern (Cing and Dom, etc.,).  It’s much needed in full scale support from Matu/Matupi from US, Norway, Malaysia, Thailand and India, etc.   The next important things is Matu/Matupi educators’ support are much needed.  They need to play in the main role for the future of Matu/Matupi’s healthy political existence. Therefore, let us not make mistakes again and again.

This article is contributed not for my personal popularity, but because all of we all are needed to know and remind.  At the same time, I feel as my people’s future is miserable.  Still we need a lot of people to work for Matu/Matupi people. Still we are one of the least and lowest development standard in Burma and the world.  This article is written as a part of commitment and humanitarian work as a human being.  Not because of you want it, but because of you are in need.

Note:
(1) This author was the lecturer of Chiangmai University (Thailand), and the president of “Matupi Students Union”.
(2) The article was written after a couple of month visited to Mizoram (during May – June 2006).
(3) The article is only for internal circulation.
(4) If required, the article can be translated into Matu, Burmese and Mizo.
(5) Here the author used “Matu/Matupi”; it’s referred to particular Matu and also refers upto “Matupi Myo Ne”.

(6) This articles is quoted from the speech which was deliver by MSU president during Human Rights campaign tour

Filed under: 2 Burma News, 5 MSU News, 7 Opinions |