Pre-Colony Period, Anglo -
Chin War
1800 - 1870 - Chinland was
peaceful and quiet, thus practicing feudal chief ruling system even though
cruel slavery was avoided by their conscience. In these years, new villages
were established by the descendents of chiefs.
1871 - British established
tea plantations in the Chin territory on Indian border. The Chin people on the
western side therefore raided the British tea planters accusing them intruding
into the Chin territory. The Chin captures a little young girl the age of five
by the name Mary Wincherster who was left behind by adult tea planters as they
all ran away from the raid.
1871-72 - The British
invaded the western Chinland, rescued the little girl and returned to India.
1885 - The British
administrators in India who also ruled Burma since 1885 declared war to invade
the whole Chin country in synchronization on both sides from Burma and India.
1888 - The British from
Burma tried to negotiate with the Chin rulers to let them construct land route
from British Burma to British India through the Chin country. The Chin native
rulers refused the proposal. The British negotiators then fired guns behind the
Chin negotiators to show threat to them when they left. The Chin negotiators
took it as an insult and were preparing war against the British to drive them
out from the Chinland vicinity. The British knew that the Chins were preparing
for war.
On February 20 1888, a
British force entered into Chin territory from Bengladesh but they were
attacked and annihilated by the Chins who were patrolling the bordering areas.
It was a remarkable patriotic action against the invasion of other nation.
May 1888 - Before they were
fully ready for the war, the British invaded the Chin territory in The Chin
resistant battle against the invading British forces were so fierce that a
British Surgeon Major Lequesne was awarded Victoria Cross (VC) after the war as
he treated dead and wounded soldiers though he was himself wounded in a battle
with the Chin resistant force. Thus the north eastern tip of the Chin territory
was occupied by the British force.
1889 - The British used the
Nepalese Battalions, the best fighting force of the whole British India, and
started invasion of the Chinland from three fronts Assam, Bengal and Burma
since October, 1889. The Capital towns such as Falam, Tedim and Hakha were occupied
in 1890.
1892- Madras Military
Commander In chief, Two Secretaries to Government of British India Foreign and
military Departments and Quarter Master General in India held a conference
known as 'Chin-Lushai Conference' at Fort William/Calcutta on January 29, 1892
on the future of the occupied Chin territories.
British Colony Period (1896
- 1948)
1896 - Chin Hills
Regulations 1896 was regulated and The Chinland was declared to be a part of
the British Empire when the Chin Hills Regulations 1896 was adopted by the
Governor General of India in Council on August 13, 1896.
1898 - The pioneer
protestant missionary couple from American Baptist Mission arrived to Chin
Hills and spread introduced the protestant Christianity and a new civilization
to the Chin people.
1900 - 1942 Many Chin men
joined the British army and thus became one of the strongest Battalion in
British Burma Arm Force named Chin Hills Battalion.
1927 - The British then
kept on occupying the rest of the territories till the whole territory was
totally under British control in 1927. The Chinland was thus ruled in the
British Empire as Naga Hills District and Lushai Hills District under the
governor of Assam, India, the Chin Hills District under the Governor of Burma
and the remaining part under the Governor of Bengal in Chittagaung Hills
District India previously and now in Bangladesh with the Chin Hills Regulation
from 1896 till 1947.
This Chinland territory,
ruled under the Chin Hills Regulation 1896 in four separate districts under three
governors, was planned to be carved out to make it as a province under a
British governor under the Crown Colony Scheme even after WWII in 1945-1946.
Chins' struggle for
Liberation period (1928 - 1947)
1928 - Chin Hills Union
Organization was born on 20 February 1928 at Hlingzung (Mahtungnu village) in
Mindat Township. The founding father of the organization were U Law Ha Hing
Thang(Chairman).
1932 - The first general
meeting of Chin Hills Union Organization was held successfully at Ware village
on 29 September 1932.
1933 - The Chin National
Union (CNU) was formed by the Chin patriots and demanded Independent Chinland
from British-Burma government in Rangoon. In 1933 the Chin Union led by U
Wanthu Maung and Thakhin Aung Min demanded the autonomy of Chinland to the
British Governor of Burma.
1938 - The British
Government gave its consent to discuss the 9 proposals on 20 February 1938
under its letter of 17 December 1937. About 300 members of Chin Hills Union
Organization attended the general meeting. The organization submitted nine
petitions to the British Government for the improvement of Chin Hills in
various fields.
Chin Hills under World War
II
1942 - Japanese started
invading the Chin Hills and the people under cruel fascism. One and half
thousands of Japan-fascist soldiers were ambushed and killed by the Chin Hills
Battalion and British force in Tiddim area. ( Sakhong : p. 196)
1942 - 1946 - The foreign
missionaries left the Chin Hills because of the war and many the Chins refuge
in the jungle. The war had destroyed hundreds of villages especially in the
Eastern part of Chin Hills in the struggle. In positive impact, the number of
conversion into Christianity became 4000 - 9000 alone in Hakha area. ( Sakhong
: p. 196)
1944-1945 - The Chin Hills
Battalion which retreated together with British Army to Imphal, India fought
the Japanese back.
1947 - The representatives
of Chin participated in Panglong Conference along with the Kachin, Shan, and
Burman representatives, singed historic Panglong Agreement on February 12, 1947
to form a federal union with equal rights, privileges, and status including
secession right.
1947 - The Chin representatives
participated in Drafting Process of the Future Constitution of the Union of
Burma under the leadership of General Aung San. The draft Constitution was
drawn up by a 111-member committee of the AFPFL Convention which met on May 20,
1947, and approved on May 23 when the Convention was dissolved.
1947 - Pu Vum Tu Maung
became Chin Minister and was in charge of Chin Special Division till 1954.
During this period, the Chin Rifle Battalion took important role as the State
army to defend the Union of Burma against many different insurgencies.
1948 -The Union of Burma
gained independence from Britain on January 4, 1948; and the Constitution of
Burma (1947) was enforced. However, the Burman politicians disregarded the
principles of Panglong Agreement so that the independence was stumbled with the
civil war.
In 1948, Captain Mang Tung
Nung formed the Chin People’s Freedom League and started the movement for the
Rights of the people. It led the end of hereditary and the birth of Chin
National Day in February 20, 1948.
1948 - Over five thousand
Chins from all over the Chinland held unprecedented gathering in Falam Town and
proclaimed in their unity and determination to be free from traditional feudal
administrative system, and adopted a democratic system of governance on
February 20, 1948, which later became the Chin National Day.
1954 - Pu Shein Thang
became Chin Minister and was in charge of Chin Special Division till 1956.
1956 - Pu Za Hre Lian
became Chin Minister and was in charge of Chin State till 1962 the military
coup of the power.
it had a single Chairman of
the Supreme State Council, U San Kho Lian, who remained in office until March
1974 (two months after the 3 January 1974 creation of Chin state)
1957 - The Chin People’s
Freedom League and the Chin Union were amalgamated and then stood for the
rights of the people under the constitution.
1961 - In order to amend
the Constitution of Burma (1947) into more federate features as agreed in
Panglong Conference, the Chins and all non-Burman nationalities gathered in
Taunggyi, the Capital of Shan State from June 8 – 16, 1961.
In 1961 Pu Laldenga formed
the Mizo National Front. The Mizo National Front entered to peace accord with
the Government of India in 1986
The Period of Chin's
Revolution against Burmese Dictator
1962 -The General Ne Win
and his associates staged a coup in the name of Revolutionary Council (RC).
Many Chin politicians and scholars presumed to participate in Taunggyi
Conference were arrested.
1964-Chin National
Organization (CNO) went underground to overthrow the military junta and restore
democratic government.1971 Chin Democracy Party (CDP) was formed in liberated
area to overthrow the military junta and restore democracy in Burma.
In 1964, after the military
coup led by General Ne Win, Col. Son Khaw Pau, Pu. Dam Khaw Hau, Pu. Mang Khan
Pau, Pu. Hrang Nawl, Pu. Son Cin Lian and Pu. Thual Zen formed the
Anti-communist Freedom Organization and then struggled for the Chin people
freedom. It however, ended with the arrest of the leaders. But the movement
still lingers in the minds of the people.
On 30 December 1969 - John
Mang Tling and his comrades formed the Parliament Democracy Party and it later
came to be known as Chin Democracy Party since 1st January, 1970.
In 1969 Pu Tial Khar formed
the Chin Liberation Front. The president was Pu. Tial Khar, the Vice-president
being Thawmluai and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs was Thawng Sai.
In February 2, 1970 -
Jimmy’s Zomi Chin Liberation Front amalgamates with Chin Democracy Party and
then formed the new front called United Zomi Democracy Party.
1972 - Over 70 Chin
intellectuals, who had made suggestion to Revolutionary Council on RC
announcement No. 74, Date December 5, 1968, were arrested by the military junta
and sent them to jail.
1974- The Revolutionary
Council drafted and enforced the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of the
Union of Burma. The said Constitution has promoted and protected one party
dictatorship.
In 1976- the Chin Liberation
Army, led by Major Sa Lian Zam, was formed. It was organized widely and young
men from different parts from the Chin inhabitants joined it.
In March 20, 1988 the Chin
National Front was formed and then struggling for the self determination of the
Chin people and restoration of democracy and federalism in the Union of Burma.
1988 - The Chin National
Front became a member of the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB) on November 18,
1988.1989 The Chin National Front became a member of the National Democratic
Front (NDF) on February 1989.
1990 - Many Parties from
Chin State participated in National election. ZNC won the most
1992- The Chin National
Front, as a member of National Democratic Front (NDF), participated and gave
its consent on the Manepalaw Agreement to establish genuine Federal Union. The
Manepalaw Agreement was signed by National Democratic Front, Democratic
Alliance of Burma, National League for Democracy (Liberated Area), and the
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma on July 11, 1992.
1993 The first Chin
National Front’s Party Conference was held in the General Headquarters of Chin
National Front on June 9 – 16, 1993 and the Government of Chinland was formed.
1997 - The Chin National
Front participated and signed the Maetharawhta Agreement. The Agreement was
signed by KNPP, PPLO, WNO, UWSP, PSLF, KIO, AASYC, LDF, NMSP, ALP, KNLP, SURA,
CNF, SDU, and KNU.
1997 - The second Chin
National Front’s Party Conference was held at the Camp Victorian from June 20 –
July 8, 1997.
1998 - The First Chin
Seminar was held in Ottawa, Canada and attended by 17 Chin compatriots -
including former Members of Parliament, Elected Members of Parliament,
Religious leaders, Chin scholars, and activists. The attendants formed the Chin
Forum to work together by the Chin individuals on Chinland Constitution,
Development, Communication, Education, and Historical Research.
2001 - The Chin National
Front became a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
(UNPO), representing the Chin people.
2004 - A Chin Consensus
Building Seminar was held in Camp Victoria, the General Headquarters of the
Chin National Front, Chinland and attended by representatives of Chin National
League for Democracy (CNLD), Chin National Front (CNF), Mara Peoples Party
(MPP), Zomi National Congress (ZNC), as well as 95 representatives from Chin
Civic Organizations/Socities based in and outside Chinland. The attendants of
the said seminar formed Political Affairs Committee of Chinland (PACC) based on
Chin National Political Parties.
2006 - The Political
Affairs Committee of Chinland (PACC) conducts the first Chin National Assembly
at Mt. Sainai and the Chin National Council was formed. The Chin National
Council comprises the Chin National Front, Chin National League for Democracy,
Mara Peoples Party, Zomi National Congress and Civic Organizations to promote,
protect, safeguard, and working together to implement the Chin national
interests and benefits.
***************************************
References:
1). Dr. Tun Tun, "In
Search of the Chin's Identity"
2). "Important
Historical Events of the Chin people" in
sungsahsamjustun.blogspot.com/
3). Lia Sam and Sam Tun,
The Chin Hills: A history of the people, our dealings with them, their customs
and manners, and a gazetteer of their country(1976)
4).SamTun, "Facts
about Chin State and its people"
5).Tun Lian,
"Statement on the Chin people"
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