Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political
Websites/Multiple Documents
Description:
Aims and objectives:
"The Chin forum was formed with aims and objectives of providing a common forum for all the Chin through which they could continuously strengthen the unity among themselves and also with all the other democratic forces of Burma and other nationalities. Furthermore, Chin Forum will carry out various tasks of research and documentation works for the betterment of entire Chin people under six working groups:..."
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
Chin Directory, Chin Songs, Zuk Album, e-books, Videos
Source/publisher:
Chin World Media
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
"The Official Website of the Chin National Front". Chin National Front, CNA, Government of Chinland, STATEMENTS, SPEECHES, ALLIANCES, UNPO, UN LINKS.
Source/publisher:
Chin National Front
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
more
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
more
Description:
"In mid-2012, with reforms taking hold in central Burma, war raging in the north, and a possible peace process in the east, little attention is being paid to Burma?s western regions, including the homelands of the indigenous peoples known as the Chins. A group of culturally similar, but linguistically diverse ethnic peoples associated with highland lifestyles (although many live in river valleys), the people who have been called "Chins" in Burma have historically lived in Chin State, Sagaing Division, and far northern Arakan. These areas of residence are known as Chinland, particularly in indigenous-rights contexts. Some of these people prefer to be called Zo, and regional/tribal/linguistic names are often used in addition to "Chin" or instead of "Chin." Some of them who live in other countries use "Burmese" to describe their origins, or are described that way by others. Total population estimates of the "Chin" people of Burma, including residents outside of Burma, come to around 1.5 million.
This update report is composed of interviews with people who identify themselves as Chin or Zo. The interviews took place in March-April 2012 in India: Delhi and Mizoram State (which borders Burma?s Chin State). The interviews contain information on the current situation within Chinland and on the conditions for refugees and migrants in India. Of particular interest are Chin opinions on what the benchmarks would be for safe return to their homeland. A range of responses to change in Burma are observable. Some Chin refugees have already returned, some have gone back to visit for the first time in decades, and the majority apparently do not trust Burma?s military/government and express a "wait and see" viewpoint..."
Source/publisher:
Project Maje
Date of publication:
2012-04-00
Date of entry/update:
2012-05-11
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
"These are Burma?s voices for change, extraordinary stories of people of Burma from all walks of life. Their experiences, struggles, fears, and successes. These are unheard stories of incredible spirit of resilience and courage, voices of hope and dreams that have emerged from decades of oppression. Help us spread these voices across the globe!"...Stories and voices from Karen, Karenni, Shan, Kachin, Chin, Rakhine, Mon, Palaung, Pa-O, Nagas and other ethnic minorities.
Source/publisher:
Burma Link
Date of entry/update:
2016-03-14
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Ethnic groups in Burma: general studies and articles, Kachin (economic, social, cultural, political), Karen (cultural, historical, political), Mon (cultural, political), Karenni (Kayah) - cultural, political, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Lahu (cultural, political), Nagas (cultural, political), Sub-national administrative areas - general, States and Regions (covering more than one State or Region)
Language:
English
more
Description:
News, Articles, Technology & Science, Health, poetry, Newsletter
Source/publisher:
Zomi Daily
Date of entry/update:
2012-08-19
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English/ Zomi
more
Description:
(New Generation) pan hanciamna...in Chin
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
more
Date of entry/update:
2010-12-14
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
more
Individual Documents
Sub-title:
Finding a partner is an essential part of human life, whether that person is a match on Tinder in Yangon or a childhood sweetheart from a neighbouring village in Chin State.
Description:
"Human forms of courtship can take many forms, from instant messaging on Facebook, flirtatious behavior in the office to cinema dates and weekend holidays with a partner. The purpose is to establish suitability for long-term, intimate relationships.
In the animal kingdom, patterns of courtship are equally as varied – from the nest-building skills of the brush turkey, to the eight-hour synchronised dance of the seahorse. These timeless rituals provided much of the energy, creativity and fun at this year’s Chin National Day celebrations, which were held at the All-Chin Society in North Dagon last week. The entertainment began with a dance from Khumi Chin performers, who originate from the western-most part of Myanmar. Wearing bright yellow and red dresses, the women’s ornateness complimented the men’s smart black trousers and white shirts.
The differences in colour and patterning is a typical feature of traditional Chin clothing, and serves to accentuate the polarity between feminine and masculine. So too their movements differ, the men swaying from side to side mimicking the actions of the farmers, gathering crops from the land. The women play a supportive role, using hand gestures to wave to their menfolk.
The courtship process was much more explicit in the next performance, as the Kuki Chin group hit the stage – the girls in modern-looking black dresses and red-, green- and black-beaded necklaces, matching the men’s long sashes(“puandum”), worn across their shoulders..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-28
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Society and Culture, Burma/Myanmar - general studies
Language:
Local URL:
more
Summary:
"THE NORTHERN Chin State town of Thantlang has been chosen as the venue for inaugurating the 72nd Chin National Day on February 20, which is celebrated throughout the mountainous state bordering...
Sub-title:
Formerly banned by the military, Chin National Day has been proudly celebrated since a bilateral ceasefire was signed in 2012, but efforts to observe it this year in southern Chin State have been thwarted by armed conflict.
Description:
"THE NORTHERN Chin State town of Thantlang has been chosen as the venue for inaugurating the 72nd Chin National Day on February 20, which is celebrated throughout the mountainous state bordering India. Though the residents of Thantlang are likely excited to be hosting this year’s inaugural events, they were not originally supposed to play host.
That honour was meant to go to the town of Paletwa, in far southern Chin bordering Rakhine State, but the state government decreed last October that the events be shifted to Thantlang because of fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.
This happened the last time Chin National Day was supposed to be inaugurated in Paletwa, in 2017, and for the same reason. The venues for the last two years were Falam and Hakha.
After the Chin National Front and the Union government signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement in 2012, the venue for inaugurating the state-wide celebrations has been rotated to give each of the state’s nine main towns an opportunity to host..."
Source/publisher:
"Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-18
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin State, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Politics, Government and Governance - Burma/Myanmar - general studies
Language:
Local URL:
more
Description:
"Myanmar is building an airport in the far-flung mountainous Falam township of Chin state to bring more tourists to the region. the Department of Civil Aviation has said.
The authorities are using a state budget of 19.93 billion kyats (13.28 million U.S. dollars) for the first phase of the Surbung Airport project, according to the Department of Civil Aviation late on Monday.
Runways, terminals and navigation facilities are being built and 58.3 percent of the airport construction work are said to have been completed.
The airport runway extends 1,800 meters in length and 30 meters in width.
It is hard for people to move within the state due to the lack of reliable transport infrastructure and in the monsoon season, landslide and floods make it almost impossible to travel.
Chin state, having nine townships, remains one of the least developed in Myanmar due to a lack of proper transport and infrastructure..."
Source/publisher:
"Xinhua" (China)
Date of entry/update:
2019-11-26
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin State, Sustainable/alternative development in and for Burma, Urban development, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political
Language:
Local URL:
more
Description:
" This History Thread is a brief sketch of the #MilitaryHistory of the mountain homeland of people known as #Chin in Burma/Myanmar. Some, particularly #Zomi of northern #ChinState prefer their local ethnic name. Terms used in this thread include historic designations.
Cultural identity transcending current borders relates peoples of NE India (including Mizoram, some of Manipur), certain Bangladesh highlanders and peoples of Myanmar/Burma’s Chin State plus some in Sagaing Div. and N. Rakhine St. Their region is often called Zoland or Zoram.
People who would become known as Zomi or as Chin migrated south, settled Chindwin valleys, then uplands pre-1000 AD. Mountains were protective fortress but also fragmentation factor. Clans often raided each other, particularly in 1500s-1600s, pushing some groups west or south..."
Source/publisher:
"Project Maje"
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-02
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
Local URL:
more
Description:
"This History Thread is about refugee diaspora of people from #Chin State Burma/Myanmar. Their ethnicity often identified as “Chin.” Some, particularly #Zomi of northern #ChinState prefer local ethnic name. Intl refugee agencies mostly use “Chin” & sometimes “Zo” designations. Chin State is one of the most isolated, economically marginalized regions of Burma/Myanmar. Borders India and Bangladesh. Cultural identity transcending current borders relates to ethnic groups in NE India, Bangladesh hills; also some peoples of Sagaing Div. and N. Rakhine St.
Armed resistance to Burma/Myanmar military rule sporadic in Chin St. but increasing Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) occupation since early 1990s. Refugees fled forced labor, persecution of Christians. Their escape routes aren’t always directly across 1 border. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs/Western_Front.htm …."
Source/publisher:
"Project Maje"
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-02
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin State, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Refugees from Burma: general reports
Language:
Local URL:
more
Description:
"Myanmar?s Christian-majority Chin State is the poorest state in the country, with a poverty rate of 73%. A history of political violence following the 1988 uprising and subsequent armed rebellion between the government and the Chin National Army (CNA) has severely disrupted economic growth, contributing to widespread poverty in the area.
Years of conflict have prevented efficient government institutions from developing. The conflict disrupted the economic growth of Chin communities, and led to violations of their basic human rights. As a result, international funds and organisations were restricted in practice from the roles that could have bolstered civil society. As a consequence of weak and poorly funded government institutions, civil society organisations (CSOs) have assumed a great deal of responsibility for social welfare services and social protection of vulnerable groups in Chin State. Consequently, church-related CSOs have assumed a great amount of responsibility for social protection. These organisations are mainly connected to the churches—the majority to the Baptist Church—but also some to the Roman Catholic Church and a number of minor denominations. Many such CSOs link to ethnic armed groups directly or indirectly. This environment is strongest in Chin State, where the Baptist Church is predominant.
As my research on the ground has shown, Chin State?s churches have grown crucially intertwined with the processes of peacebuilding. Churches have grown to become a common platform for legal and financial information. Seminars, workshops, and training are basic initiatives of the church on a regular basis. Moreover, the church drives local participation on particular projects such as social services, economic development, and cultural development, which are significant to the democratic political transformation in Myanmar. For instance, the church usually organises public consultations in order to lobby the government in decision making processes..."
Source/publisher:
"New Mandala"
Date of publication:
2017-12-20
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-21
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Local URL:
more
Description:
A starry frost will come
dropping on the pools
and I?ll be astray
on unsheltered heights -
- Seamus Heaney, "Sweeney Astray".....
Contents:
Introduction...
Mining...
Logging...
Biodiversity...
Forest Products...
Agriculture...
Ecotourism
Roads...
Energy...
Water Supplies and Recycling...
Watershed...
Climate Change...
Background reading with links to articles.
Source/publisher:
Project Maje
Date of publication:
2017-02-28
Date of entry/update:
2017-04-22
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Violation of environmental and human rights, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political
Language:
English
Local URL:
more
Description:
Introduction: "Last
summer,
I
met
a
young
Chin
exile
who
came
back
from
Australia
to
Yangon.
He
said
he
returns
home
once
a
year
to
do
development
in
his
village
in
Tedim
Township
in
northern
Chin
State.
According
to
this
young
man,
although
he
experienced
challenges
in
Malaysia
as
an
exile
before
he
reached
the
safe
third
country,
he
has
now
graduated
in
Australia
and
got
a
good
job.
So
he
wants
to
help
his
native
villagers
for
their
livelihood
security.
Thus,
he
set
up
a
women
group
of
weavers
in
five
villages
nearby
his
village
to
resume
traditional
textile
weaving.
He
initiated
financial
support
to
buy
them
10
wooden
frame
looms
and
all
the
required
materials
for
weaving.
He
added
?We
Chin
people
exiles
today
are
now
escape
from
poverty
and
I
am
planning
to
do
development
program
in
my
region
to
end
the
poverty.”
He
continued,
?Currently,
vision
of
many
exile
Chin
people
today
is
supporting
any
kind
of
development
in
their
native
villages
individually
or
collectively.”
In
this
paper,
I
will
elaborate
Chin
people
today
should
keep
migrating
out
to
escape
from
the
multiple
hardships
in
their
native
land
so
that
not
only
for
their
better
life
but
also
they
are
able
to
support
the
remaining
family
by
remittance
and
do
development
in
their
region
as
well.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015.
Kyin Lam Man
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-27
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Chin State, International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS) 23-26 July, 2015
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
185.95 KB
more
Description:
Abstract: "Chin
State
is
situated
in
the
Western
sector
of
the
Republic
of
the
Union
of
Myanmar,
the
13,
907
square
miles
Chin
State
is
home
to
Chins.
In
Myanmar,
they
predominantly
inhabit
Chin
State,
which
is
located
in
the
Northwest
of
the
country,
the
bordering
Bangladesh
to
the
west
and
India
to
the
north.
The
Chin
State
is
divided
into
two
divisions.
Northern
and
Southern
During
the
British
Colonial
period,
the
Chin
State
was
under.
A
Socio-‐economic
study
of
Falam
Township
was
carried
out
in
2014.
A
structured
questionnaire
was
used
to
collect
information.
A
northern
sample
of
30
households
in
6
villages
was
selected.
A
house
to
house
visit
was
made
by
2
interviewers.
There
are
many
collections
of
the
historical
and
socio-‐cultural
evidences
of
the
villages.
Out
of
these
villages,
the
name
of
the
village,
Parthe,
is
explained
briefly
in
this paper.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015.
Khin Saw New
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-20
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Chin State, Chin (Zo), International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS) 23-26 July, 2015
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
176.17 KB
more
Description:
"In
2012,
amidst
the
communal
violence
between
Royingha
and
Rakhine,
a
Chin
bride
father
at
Paletwa
in
southern
part
of
Chin
state
in
Myanmar
asked
twenty
lakhs
in
kyat
(approximately
equivalent
to
200
US$)
to
the
groom
for
the
bride
price
which
made
the
public
shocking
record
that
a
normal
price
range
around
5-6
lakhs
(approximately
equivalent
to
500-‐600US$).
On
the
other
hand,
the
other
bride?s
father
asked
five
thousands
kyats
for
the
bride
price
to
the
groom
in
May
2013.
These
two
cases
have
shocked
near
and
far
Chin
members
in
Paletwa.
Some
Chin
young
women
are
even
competing
for
their
bride
price.
Many
Chin
nationalists
have
then
attained
concern
for
this
circumstance
as
an
additional
ethnic
politics
issue
from
the
state?s
hegemony
nation
state
building
process.
Yet,
not
only
the
geographical
location
of
Paletwa
but
its
socio-economic
setting
also
much
interwoven
with
Rakhine
since
in
the
historical
time
(see
also
in
Kyin
Lam
Mang
2014;
CHKC
2012;
Brown
1960).
Many
shop
owners
in
Paletwa
municipal
market
have
informed
me
in
2013
(May-‐July)
how
much
they
are
affected
from
the
communal
violence
happening
in
Rakhine
where
the
flow
of
major
basic
goods
and
medicines
are
imported
from
Rakhine
is
limited.
In
Paletwa,
half
of
the
residence
belongs
to
Rakhine
ethnic
nationalities
with
a
hundred
Muslim
populations.
The
trading
disadvantage
categorized
as;
the
Muslim
on
the
top,
the
Chin
in
middle
and
the
Rakhine
on
t
he
bottom
due
to
their
socio-‐economic
networks
in
Sittwe
and
Kyautdaw
in
Rakhine
state.
That
is,
for
example,
a
trading
associated
in
Rakhine
state
have
much
facilitating
for
Rakhine
in
Paletwa
while
many
Muslim
and
the
Chin
do
not
much
deserve
to
have
such
network.
The
Chin
missionary
or
nationalists
have
claims
that
Paletwa
is
in
need
of
?taking
care”
otherwise
their
fellows
are
under
the
economic
?trapping”
of
the
Rakhine.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015.
Flora Bawi Nei Mawi
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-07-29
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-19
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Rakhine (Arakanese) - cultural, political, Rohingya (cultural, political etc.), International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS) 23-26 July, 2015
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.38 MB
more
Description:
Conclusion: "For
the
Vanzang
community
network,
the
formation
of
VGM
plays
crucial
role
in
connecting
with
all
Vanzang
oversea
people
virtually
in
one
place
and
solidarity
with
the
villagers
abounds
afterwards.
This
reinforced
cohesive
relationships
among
themselves
through
virtual
group
resulted
in
the
birth
of
various
different
projects
in
the
home
community.
It
is
found
that
one
key
person
stands
out
as
mobilizer
for
the
villagers
to
the
oversea
migrants.
For
the
villagers,
their
main
mobilizing
strategy
is
to
pinpoint
the
shared
struggles
and
experiences
in
the
community
life.
As
it
is
seen
above,
for
basic
infrastructure
development,
the
community
raise
the
issues
in
such
a
way
that
the
possibility
of
a
new
improvement
clearly
demonstrated
in
the
understanding
of
the
overseas
migrants.
And
all
the
issues
raised
are
central
to
the
welfare
of
the
community
life.
Most
of
the
development
issues
are
raised
by
the
villagers
basing
on
the
needs
of
the
community.
The
migrants
are
the
sponsors
for
community
development
programs
implemented.
In
this
community
network,
both
the
committee
and
the
members
are
agent
and
initiator
of
development.
Though
some
ideas
may
originate
from
the village or rom
overseas,
some
are
transported
from
networking
to
other
community,
like
neighboring
villages.
In
most
cases,
community
projects
help
share
the
remittance
to
the
non-‐receiving
families.
In
the
remittance
initiated
community
projects,
the
poorer
segment
of
the
community
are
not
marginalized
but
centered
or
equal
beneficiaries
of
the
development.
It
is
the
community
projects
that
are
reaching
equally
its
members.
The
distribution
of
remittance
through
community
development
is
effective
to
harness
remittance
for
social
and
economic
development
in
the
rural
regions
where
the
gove
rnment
is
not
responsive
to
its
overall
development.
It
is
noticed
that
several
projects
were
carried
out
without
formal
leadership
system.
It
was
a
loose
network
without
any
rule
or
regulations,
but
function
effectively
under
this
structure.
Later
on,
this
necessitates
the
formation
of
Vanzang
Global
Development
Group
in
2008
for
coordinating
community
projects
and
mobilizing
all
Vanzang
people
from
Myanmar
and
abroad
is
the
important
development
of
the
community
network.
Community
network
helps
to
exchange
information
and
mobilize
more
effectively
for
the
cause
of
Vanzang
people.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015.
Cung Lian Hu
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-08-26
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-19
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf
Size:
264.09 KB
more
Description:
Conclusion: "To conclude the article, chin state has
diverse
and multiple dialects, language, norms, traditions
and
religions,
and
is
eager to
set up own identity based on its context.
Especially,
from
a
small tribe to a
big tribe group, they want
to get their own identity and self-administration according to the history
of myths
and traditional practices. It means that every tribe group has the
same rights and the same
opportunities
in
its
life.
For instance, every tribe group
has
its
own customary law
and
traditional
land use authority. Moreover, the rights are
leading them to establish federal system in their own
destination,
ensuring, respecting and protecting minority rights. Therefore, most of
the
ethnic
political parties believe that Federalism is the best way to ensure and protect their own identity and
own people in Myanmar. In fact, ethnic political parties play officially in the democratic system of
Myanmar,
demanding federal administration in
the
political agenda. For instance,
by
looking at the
Chin ethnic political parties, they
have the same vision,
that is
to initiate
the federal state and ensure
the rights of Chin people in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, ethnic armed
groups
have been
opposing the
political system of Myanmar because the junta administration and democratic p
ractice of Myanmar
is not ensuring
the political rights of ethnic people and indigenous p
eople in term of social, cultural,
traditional and administration. Mostly,
Myanmar democratic transition has been a
favor to the
majority Burmese people, discrimination
toward
ethnic people in different levels
of constitution and
bureaucratic system, mainly dominated by central government as well. In fact, the minorities feel
that they have to retain their language, their religion, their custom and
be
granted
to be full
members of the state. Especially, Chin political parties
have been
strongly standing on ?We are co-founders of the U
nion of
Myanmar,
also called the union of Burma”.
I assume that if there is no
federal
system in Myanmar, the rights of ethnic groups
will be neglected and the civil war
will not
end. In fact, the ethnic people and ethnic arm groups will fight to retain them in political agenda of
Myanmar.
However, the ethnic minorities of
Myanmar need to
tolerate the fact
that inclusion is the
best way to establish the union state rather than separation from the union state. Majority
of them
also need to recognize the philosophy
of federalism and protect the rights of ethnic people,
indigenous people and their ways of life. It means that the Union of Myanmar is found together with
multi-nationality..."
Salai Vanni Bawi
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-07
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Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Marja‐Leena
Heikkil ä‐Horn
Source/publisher:
International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-26 July 2015
Date of publication:
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update:
2015-08-07
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Christianity, Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS) 23-26 July, 2015
Language:
English
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CHAPTER I. The Application of Economic Theory to Chin Culture ...
CHAPTER II. The Social Background ...
CHAPTER III. Agriculture ...
CHAPTER IV. Animal Husbandry ...
CHAPTER V. Hunting and Fishing...
CHAPTER VI. Forest Products ...
CHAPTER VII. Land Tenure ...
CHAPTER VIII. Trade and Wage-earning ...
CHAPTER IX. The Economics of the Household ...
CHAPTER X. The Economics of Social Obligations ...
CHAPTER XI. The Economics of Justice ...
CHAPTER XII. The Economics of Religious Ritual ...
CHAPTER XIII. Wealth, Poverty, and Debt ...
CHAPTER XIV. Conclusion ...
GLOSSARY ...
INDEX.
H. N. C. STEVENSON, F.R.A.I., Burma Frontier Service
Source/publisher:
Government of Burma
Date of publication:
1943-03-01
Date of entry/update:
2013-07-21
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Anthropological literature on economic and political systems and groups, Economy of Chin State, Customary laws - general
Language:
English
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June and October 2011..."Solidarites International (SI) started its intervention in Kanpetlet Township, Southern Chin State in March, 2011.
After conducting two rapid assessments in the two townships of Mindat and Kanpetlet in September and December
2010, SI launched a food security intervention in Kanpetlet Township, with the support of WFP and CIAA1. SI
started its intervention with a blanket food distribution funded by WFP in 67 villages, targeting 10,000 people,
around 1900 HH. The beneficiaries? selection was based on the rodent infestation level: most of the selected
villages had been severely affected by rodent infestation, and the majority of the villages had lost at least 75 % of
their crops. In each selected village, all the villagers, except the government employees, received 10 kg of rice per
month, for 2 months.
In parallel, SI launched a food security project funded by CIAA. The specific objective of this project was to improve
the access to food and to restore the production capacities of the communities affected by the rodent infestation.
The project activities included corn and paddy seeds distribution, Food for Work (FFW) for rodent control and rat
trap distributions. This project targeted 58 villages, for a total of 8800 beneficiaries.
Within the framework of this project, one of the expected results was to monitor the food security situation in the
targeted area, in order to better understand the main constraints faced in terms of access to food, and thus to
better address the needs.
SI conducted 2 food security surveillance surveys during 2011 project implementation period: the first assessment
was done in June 2011 and the second assessment end of September/ beginning of October 2011.The rationale
behind conducting those 2 surveys at that time was to collect data both towards the beginning and the end of the
lean season in the area. The present report shows a comparison between the main findings of those 2 food security
surveillance surveys..."
Source/publisher:
Solidarites International (SI)
Date of publication:
2011-09-30
Date of entry/update:
2012-02-17
[field_licence]
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English
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"This book contains the most comprehensive analysis of the people mostly known as Chin, Khyeng, Kuki, Lushai, and Plains Chin. It analyses the effect of imposing several names to these people. The author, Dr. Vumson chooses "Zo" as the common name because most of them call themselves by this name. The readers will find how the Zo people migrated from Western China—Tibet to the valley of the Chindwin and Irrawaddy and then to the Kale —Kabaw—Myittha Valleys and why they migrated to the rugged hill areas they occupy now.
The proud and brave Zo people were colonialized, though they resisted with all their might. Then Japan invaded their country, exposing them to modern industrial warfare and dislocating their social and political behaviour. When the colonial rule ended they were divided into three countries hopelessly outnumbered by Indians and Burmans. The book analyses how they struggle to survive and retain their distinctive identity.
It is most interesting to see how the same people develope themselves in two forms of societies, one under socialism and the other under free enterprise." [from the cover of the hard copy edition]...N.B. MANY (MOST?) OF THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC ENDNOTES ARE REPLACED BY ". SINCE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS ALPHABETICAL, ONE CAN LOOK UP ANY NAME FOLLOWED BY ". THESE ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED IN A FUTURE VERSION, BUT IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE TIME. -- OBL LIBRARIAN.
Vumson
Source/publisher:
Vumson via N.T. Thawnga, Aizawl, India
Date of publication:
1985-11-30
Date of entry/update:
2011-10-24
[field_licence]
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Individual Documents
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A Study in Religion, Politics and Ethnic Identity in Burma..."Chinram was once an independent land ruled by
local chieftains and following traditional Chin
religion. This world was abruptly transformed in
the early twentieth century, however, by British
annexation and the arrival of Christian missionaries.
As the Chin became increasingly related to
Burmese independence movements, they began to
articulate their own Christian traditions of democracy
and assert a burgeoning self-awareness of
their own national identity. In short, Christianity
provided the Chin people with a means of
preserving their national identity in the midst of
multi-racial and multi-religious environments.
Written by an exiled Secretary General
of the Chin National League for Democracy, this is
the first in-depth study on Chin nationalism and
Christianity. Not only does it provide a clear
analysis of the close relationship between religion,
ethnicity and nationalism but also the volume
contains valuable data on the Chin and their role
in the history of Burma."
Lian H. Sakhong
Source/publisher:
Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS)
Date of publication:
2002-11-30
Date of entry/update:
2010-04-15
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
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English
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Breathtaking vistas of Chin State contrast starkly with the hardships of life in this often-ignored corner of Burma...
"The Chin people I met during my visit to this northwestern part of Burma take great pride in the natural attractions of their land—a place of dense forests and deep gorges, where exotic flowers cover steep mountains, which often lie enveloped in cool, refreshing mists.
Children in Chin State are the most vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. (Photo: KO YUYA)
But the natural beauty belies the hardships of life in this isolated highland, where ordinary people face privations that are severe even by the standards of a country ranked among the world?s most impoverished.
Much of the suffering here is not, however, merely a matter of poverty. Besides the struggle to find food and earn a living, many must also contend with various human rights abuses committed by the Burmese junta..."
Ko Yuya
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" Vol. 18, No. 1
Date of publication:
2009-12-31
Date of entry/update:
2010-02-28
[field_licence]
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Executive Summary"
"Since late 2007, the people of Chin State have been struggling with massive food shortages and hunger after the vast bamboo forests that cover the mountainous landscape of Chin State began to flower and die- a process that occurs twice every century. Already struggling for their survival due to decades of severe economic repression and human rights abuses, this natural disaster has left the Chin people on the edge of survival.
This report is a follow-up to CHRO?s July 2008 report, ?Critical Point: Food Scarcity and Hunger in Burma?s Chin State,? which first brought worldwide attention to the dire humanitarian conditions facing the Chin people. This report provides an update on the current conditions in Chin State, the effects of the food crisis, and responses taken to assist people in the affected areas of Chin State.
The bamboo of Chin State began to flower in late 2006. Attracted to the fruit produced by the bamboo, the flowering process triggered an explosion in the rat population. After exhausting the fruit supply, the rats turned on people?s crops and food supplies, causing massive food shortages for local villagers dependent on farming for their livelihood and subsistence. In 2008, CHRO estimated that as many as 200 villages were affected by severe food shortages associated with the bamboo flowering, and no less than 100,000 people, or 20 percent of the entire population of Chin State, were in need of immediate food aid. CHRO now believes those figures are much higher.
Since CHRO first reported on the crisis, food shortages spread to seven townships in Chin State as well as parts of Sagaing Division. Up to 82 percent of the farmland has been destroyed in certain affected regions of Chin State. In several villages, each and every household is in need of immediate food aid. The consequences of the food crisis are also more apparent now. Over 54 people are known to have died due to the effects of extreme malnourishment and famine-related disease; children comprise the majority of recorded deaths. As access to affected regions is limited, this number is likely to be an underestimate. Disease and malnourishment is widespread, particularly among women, children, and the elderly. Children with little ability to concentrate on studies due to hunger have been forced to drop out of school in order to help their families forage for food: school enrollment rates are down 50 to 60 percent from last year. Several thousand Chin have fled their villages to search for food elsewhere. More than 4,000 have already arrived to the India and Thailand border.
Villagers are now struggling with hunger and severe malnutrition due to food shortages in Chin State. Children are particularly at risk of malnourishment. (? CHRO, 2007)
Up to 82 percent of the farmland has been destroyed in certain affected regions of Chin State. (? CHRO, 2009) The situation has been made more acute by the ruling military regime?s utter neglect of the suffering, compounded by policies and practices of abuse and repression against Chin civilians. As thousands struggle with hunger, starvation, and disease, the SPDC continues practices of forced labor, extorting excessive amounts of money from villagers, confiscating people?s land and property, in addition to other severe human rights abuses. Such actions have strained the Chin people?s ability to cope with the impacts of the natural disaster.
Since the food shortages were first reported by CHRO, efforts have been made to respond to the food crisis. After initially dismissing the situation in Chin State, the WFP conducted a follow-up investigation and eventually acknowledged the existence of food shortages in Chin State. During a recent mission to the area, WFP reported ?food consumption *to be+
worse than any other region visited by the Mission.? WFP and their coordinating partners initiated relief programs in early 2009 that continue to be implemented in various affected areas of Chin State. Chin community-based groups in India have also organized relief teams to deliver food aid to remote villages in Chin State. These teams are responsible for delivering over 30,000 kilograms of rice to 54 villages in six townships from May to July 2009 alone.
Despite concerted efforts from multiply fronts to assist the affected population, Burma?s military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), continues to do nothing to respond to the food crisis in Chin State. Rather, the SPDC has exacerbated the crisis through sustained human rights abuses and economic repression, further undermining the livelihoods and food security of the Chin people. Forced labor, extortion, and confiscations of land and property continue unabated within the affected areas. SPDC has denied repeated requests for food aid, even as it reports a rice surplus. Local authorities have banned villagers from receiving foreign aid, threatening reprisals against anyone who accepts foreign aid.
Government neglect and continued abuse; inadequately supported relief efforts; and pervasive hunger and food shortages have the potential for catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The effects of the bamboo flowering and rat infestation are expected to last three to five years. During the last bamboo cycle, half a century ago, 10,000 to 15,000 people reportedly died due to the associated effects of hunger and disease in neighboring Mizoram State. The people of Chin State today struggling with the same natural disaster have the added burden of military repression, abuse, and neglect. They are on the edge of survival now; but their struggle is far from over."
Source/publisher:
Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO)
Date of publication:
2009-09-24
Date of entry/update:
2009-09-18
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Food Security in Burma/Myanmar - web searches, specialised groups, reports and statistics, Right to food: reports of violations in Burma, Discrimination against the Chin (Zo) -- websites and reports, Food Security in Chin State
Language:
English
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2.38 MB
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "The military regime of Burma has been consistent in their inability and unwillingness to protect and provide for the people of Burma. Burma?s human rights record provides testimony of decades of widespread violations and abuses perpetrated largely at the hands of Burma?s military rulers and their agents against the Burmese people. Dissent is regularly silenced and opponents brutalized. In a country once known as the ?rice-bowl of Asia,” Burma is now one of the poorest countries of Asia due to steady economic deterioration driven by the regime?s mismanagement. Many in Burma live without access to proper schools, healthcare facilities, reliable electricity, safe drinking water, and stable food supplies. Cowed by policies of extreme oppression and tactics of intimidation, life for much of the population in Burma is a struggle for daily survival. Add to that a natural disaster- and survival in Burma reaches a critical point. Western Burma?s Chin State is at such a point. Since 2006, the region has been plagued by a severe food crisis following a steep reduction in the local harvest and food production. The year 2006 marked the beginning of a new cycle of bamboo flowering, which occurs about every 50 years in the region, triggering an explosion in the population of rats and resulting in the destruction of crops. This has caused a severe shortage of food for local communities primarily dependent on subsistence farming through shifting cultivation. The phenomenon has been documented three times since 1862, and each past event ended in a disastrous famine for the communities in the area. Compounding the impending food crisis in Chin State due to the bamboo flowering is the continuation of severe human rights violations and repressive economic policies of the military regime, which serve to further undermine the livelihoods and food security of the Chin people. The use of unpaid civilian forced labour is widespread throughout Chin State, which consumes the time and energy of local farmers and reduces their crop yields. The regime also forcibly orders farmers to substitute their staple crops for other cash crops, and has confiscated thousands of acres of farmland from local farmers for tea and jatropha plantations. Meanwhile, arbitrary taxes and mandatory ?donations” collected from Chin households by the Burmese authorities total up to as much 200,000 Kyats a year in major towns.2 This includes the unofficial collection of money from the Chin public by officials in various government departments at the local level to support such programs as tea and bio-fuel plantations; and extortion and confiscation of money, properties, and livestock by military units stationed at 33 locations across the state. The rising cost of living and skyrocketing food prices is also adding to the already dire humanitarian situation in Chin State. In the last four years, the price of rice has quintupled from 6,000 Kyats a bag in 2004 to as much as 30,000 Kyats today, an amount equivalent to the monthly salary of entry level public servants. The humanitarian consequences stemming from the dying bamboo and exacerbated by conditions imposed by the regime are enormous, and there are clear indications that unless urgent action is taken to address the crisis, the situation could soon turn into a large-scale catastrophe affecting all parts of Chin State. The hardest hit areas are in the southern townships of Matupi and Paletwa where bamboo grows heavily, but reports suggest that severe food shortages are a state-wide phenomenon with many villages in the northern townships of Tonzang and Thantlang, for example, having already run out of food supplies. Based on the latest field surveys conducted in the affected areas, Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) estimates that as many as 200 villages may be directly affected by severe food shortages associated with the bamboo flowering, and no less than 100, 000 people or 20 percent of the entire population of Chin State may be in need of immediate food aid.3 Food scarcity is more severe in remote areas, where families are being reduced to one meal a day or have nothing left to eat at all. CHRO recently visited four border villages in India?s Mizoram State where it found 93 families from 22 villages in Paletwa Township, Chin State who fled across the border in search of food.
To date, Burma?s State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has done nothing positive to counter the food scarcity, nor has the SPDC provided any kind of help to communities affected by the food crisis. Repeated requests by affected communities for food aid were denied, even as 100,000 metric tonnes of rice was exported to Sri Lanka.4 Rather, Burma Army soldiers have seized food aid donated by private donors and church groups.5 In contrast to the situation in Burma, India?s Mizoram and Manipur States, both adjacent to Chin State, are facing a similar food crisis related to the bamboo flowering, and have received millions of dollars in aid from the central government as well as international aid agencies, including USAID of the United States government, to support emergency programs to combat and manage the food crisis.6
In early May, when Cyclone Nargis ripped through lower Burma and the Irrawaddy delta destroying entire regions of land and leaving thousands homeless, hungry, and helpless, the regime clearly demonstrated their complete indifference to the plight of the Burmese people. In response to this natural disaster, they did shamefully little to ease the suffering of the victims and much to hamper relief efforts. As a result, the people of Burma paid a heavy price in the loss of life and continue to struggle under a regime that fails to protect or provide for its people. As another natural disaster unfolds in western Burma without hope of internal protections or provisions, the Chin people, like the cyclone victims, will be sure to pay a heavy toll unless action is taken immediately.
The critical point for action is now."
Source/publisher:
Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO)
Date of publication:
2008-06-30
Date of entry/update:
2008-07-09
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Right to food: reports of violations in Burma, Discrimination against the Chin (Zo) -- websites and reports, Food Security in Burma/Myanmar - web searches, specialised groups, reports and statistics, Food Security and human rights in Burma, Food Security in Chin State
Language:
English
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"The former Secretary-General of the Chin National League for Democracy provides an in-depth study on Chin nationalism, Christianity in Burma and the Chin role in the history of Burma.
Early Chin society in Burma consisted of a segmented tribal society comprised of six tribes, 63 sub-tribes and nearly as many dialects, but later transformed into a cohesive, modern ethnic unit claiming one common national identity based on Christianity. Today more than 80 percent of the Chin in Burma are Christian.
Lian Sakhong?s In Search of Chin Identity: A Study in Religion, Politics and Ethnic Identity in Burma examines this transformation and enables us to better understand how religion, ethnicity and politics have intertwined since independencce...
In Search of Chin Identity: A Study in Religion, Politics and Ethnic Identity in Burma, by Lian H Sakhong. Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Monograph series No. 91, NIAS Press, Copenhagen: 2003; 280 pages.
Mikael Gravers
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" Vol. 12, No. 9
Date of publication:
2004-09-30
Date of entry/update:
2004-11-11
[field_licence]
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Language:
English
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United by geography, commerce and the colonial experience, the Chin and Mizo have grown apart in recent years.
Karin Kaasik
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" Vol. 12, No. 4, April 2004
Date of publication:
2004-03-31
Date of entry/update:
2004-07-22
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English
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Description:
Interviews with Refugees from Burma on Guam, including recent interviews with Chin and Kachin refugees.
"During the past year, nearly a thousand refugees from Burma have arrived on the island of Guam,
a United States territory in the Pacific Ocean. They are seeking asylum in the US, having fled
extraordinary levels of persecution in their homeland. Most are from northern Burma, especially
the Chin State...
This report consists of interviews with a small cross section of the Guam asylum seekers. It is to
some extent representative of their demographics, in terms of ethnicity and gender. The
interviewees have given us a great bounty of significant new information and details about recent
conditions in Burma...
Numerous topics are covered in these 17 interviews. There is front-line information about the
AIDS epidemic which is making its grim progress into the remote mountains of Burma, and the
efforts to evade the regime?s denial about it..."
Edith Mirante
Source/publisher:
Project Maje
Date of publication:
2001-02-28
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Kachin (economic, social, cultural, political), Discrimination against the Kachin, Discrimination against the Chin (Zo) -- websites and reports
Language:
English
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Description:
20 articles and reports about the Chin, 1996-97
Edith Mirante
Source/publisher:
Project Maje
Date of publication:
1997-08-31
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Chin (Zo)- economic, social, cultural, political, Discrimination against the Chin (Zo) -- websites and reports
Language:
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Description:
(A Brown Bag Seminar organized by the Council for Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA).
"Approximately, Burma has a population of 48 million people. Of those 48 million, 68% are Burman, and the rest, 32 %, belong to the ethnic groups such as Arakanese, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Shan, etc. These are only estimated statistics as there is no proper documented information available inside Burma. The ethnic people have their own religions, culture, and languages. There are different religions such as Buddhism, Muslim, Christianity, and Hinduism. Burmans belong to the majority religion, Buddhism while most ethnic Chins and Kachins are Christians.
The ethnic political issue is important to Burma's politics. Because in order to put an end to civil war, which has spanned over half a century in Burma, the ethnic political crisis must first be resolved in accordance with the full consent of the ethnic minority people. Therefore, Burma's political history, especially how the minority and the majority groups came to live together under the Union government, needs to be addressed..."
(A Brown Bag Seminar organized by the Council for Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA)
Zo T. Hmung
Date of publication:
2000-10-25
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
[field_licence]
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Individual Documents
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English
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htm
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65.65 KB
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Fact Finding Trip to New Delhi by Zo T. Hmung
April 17-30, 2002
Executive Summary:
"I spent April 17-30, 2002, in New Delhi to assess options for durable solutions for refugees from Burma who reside in the Indian capital.
"According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in New Delhi, as of the end of March 2002, there are 952 people from the country of Burma recognized as refugees by the UNHCR. Out of 952 refugees, 90 percent of them belong to Chin ethnic groups. The rest are Burmese, Arakanese, Shan, and Kachin. They include torture survivors, women, children, elderly people, and people persecuted because of their ethnicity, religion, and prodemocracy activism.
"During my trip, I met with Wei-Meng Lim-Kabaa, UNHCR Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathy A. Redman, Officer in Charge Immigration, Attache of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and Mr. Christopher George, YMCA Refugee Program Coordinator. I also met with over 250 refugees in one large meeting, met six times with 10 key leaders from the refugee community, conducted five interviews at refugees' apartments, spent most of my time visiting their housing and neighborhoods, and gathered voluminous information regarding their current hardship and vulnerability and their compelling reasons for fleeing Burma.
"These groups are distinguishable from other refugee groups in India. For years, they had been living in suburban areas of New Delhi without future hope for a better life. They are unable to obtain jobs. Because they are Christians, they cannot feel comfortable and are not welcomed in the local Hindu community. They are unable to speak the local language, which is Hindi. Their children are unable to attend school. Psychologically, they are traumatized. They cannot go back to Burma because Burma is still under the rule of a military regime. Most importantly, they can be deported back to Burma at any time even though they are recognized as refugees by the UNHCR."
Unfortunately, the UNHCR has referred only a dozen cases to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) authority in New Delhi. At the same time, the U.S. INS in New Delhi does not take a case unless UNHCR refers a case to them. The INS does not accept walk-in cases. Therefore, they are in need of special protection by the U.S. The U.S. Department of State should designate them as refugees and process their cases. This would be a durable solution for them. The Chin community in the U.S. would be very happy to welcome these refugees..."
Zo T. Hmung
Date of publication:
2002-04-30
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
[field_licence]
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
htm
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206.08 KB
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