The First International Chin Seminar
Ottawa, Canada
April 29, May 02, 1998

The Opening Speech Delivered by John Mangtling Cinzah
Former Member of Parliament, Secretary of Parliamentary Affairs and Foreign Affairs

Mr. Chairman,

I was highly joyful, comfortable, revitalized and refreshing when learning in my room in Indianapolis of compassionate gifts of sympathy as well as love, kindness and pity placed upon by the European Office for the Development of Democracy in Burma and the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

My sincere honor and gratitude to you on behalf of our entire Chin State is extended gratefully and affectionately. We are all encouraged and strengthened and gratified with your practical hospitality and concern. Let the entire world truly understand more about your invaluable effort for peace and justice in humanity on earth.

Mr. Chairman,

I thank you and all those who took part in encouraging, supporting, and accomplishing this important seminar on the 50th anniversary or golden jubilee of Chin National Day Celebration, making it a reality in Ottawa, Canada. On behalf of all Chins inside and outside of our Chin State, my admiration and appreciation of your patience and competence is high and worthy to be praised and remembered always.

When I was invited by Victor Biak Lian and Salai Bawi Lian Mang to visit Ottawa, I felt somewhat amazed. They later explained to me that some Chin brothers would also attend the conference which will be named the first International Chin Seminar. I informed them saying that I am nothing now, useless and hopeless. I experienced loss of memory for years since I was in Thailand." No, you're not that old, as an elderly man you might have something to tell us about concerning our aims, ideals, intention and the future of Chin State for the good of coming generation. Also, we want to see you in person", they said.

First of all, I would like to give thanks to Chin brothers and sisters who developed and initiated the Chin National Front and kept fighting against the nation's enemy without rest. They have surrendered their whole lives for the state and it people in combination with blood and sweat. In terms of courage and bravery of the Chins, various historical books written in English by western authors had clearly and distinctly shown and revealed it in detail. By birth, we Chins are good fighters. We love you and admire you brothers and sisters in CNF, who constantly struggle courageously in difficult terrains, hills, mountains, and in deep valley in our Chinland.

A FEW OF MY EXPERIENCES

A few things on my past experience. While studying 8^th standard at Hakha State High School along with U Hrang Nawl and others in June & July of 1950, there was a vacancy for the teacher, U Sui Mang left to attend a health training. I was not qualified but the headmaster strongly encouraged and uplifted me a great deal.

In my class, one of the students was present-day Dr. Hre Kio, Pastor in Guam, US protectorate. As being interested in politics, I resigned at the end of March 1951 and traveled direct to Matupi constituency from Hakha through Zotung area accompanied me by U Mang Lian who finished 5^th standard up to his Calthawng village. In those days, people didn't know whether I was a qualified teacher or not, what they know was the word “English Teacher”. That name made me so popular indeed! They thought that I spoke fluent English like an Englishman which was not true. But good in a way because it is easier for me to draw more votes.

After my political campaign was over, I was back to Matupi. Unexpectedly I received a message from the late U Vum Thu Maung, the first Chin Minister. It was handed over to me by U Lama, a sub-divisional officer. The note said that office of public relations would be opened in Matupi and you will be appointed and manage it. Some of my political agents, SDO, MP U Sang Ning, and others advised me to accept the post in order to have more experience in dealing with official work. Since January 1952, I became an APRO and went to Tiddim by way of Kyauktu - Kalemyo by plane to attend the Chin National Day Celebration held on 20th February 1952. The Prime Minister, the late U Nu and his entourage also attended it from Rangoon and there were people everywhere in the city. It was an enjoyable gathering which was my first experience in my life.

After being to Tiddim, I had seen all the six township headquarters in Chinland such as Tiddim, Falam, Hakha, Matupi, Kanpetlet, and Paletwa. The world was so big when we were young. Today, we spend less than a day to reach San Francisco from Bankok, Thailand. Likewise, the power of thinking, imagining, having opinion and lived during the last 50 years and a person of today. Because what we see, hear, learn, understand and experience are all different. So, with much interest, I have come here to listen and hear from you face to face in presenting your best for the improvement, progress, freedom, and other developments concerning our Chin state and its people.

THE SITUATION IN BURMA

Before, Chinland was where people enjoyed a calm; everything was quiet and peaceful. Justice, honesty, truthfulness, etc. ruled in the family, community and neighborhood. The men with their work in the shifting field could enjoy hunting, fishing, putting device for catching animals, making a bird-trap and a mouse-trap etc. When a big animal like elephant, jungle mython, tiger or beer, was killed, a big feast was held and drinking Chin beer, singing and dancing followed. Man worked in the field and woman took care of house chores. If the weather was good, each family in every township could obtain or produce enough food for a year. There was no beggar, no robber, no thief and no burglar.

For decades, what we hear constantly from the Union of Burma are the same awkward stories endlessly of harassment, arrest, imprisonment, torture, rape, assault & battery, unexpected crackdown, horrified methods of killing, beating & kicking to death, stabbing, smashing heads in, being burned alive, pouring boiling water over the victim's body, shooting , troops subjected villagers to a variety of human rights violations, forcible relocation and extrajudicial executions, the long-standing practice of forced labor and portering by the Burmese forces in many parts of the country, burning houses, persecution of people belonging to other faiths, killing domestic animal for meat, stealing food, etc.

How happy we are when we hear that "Amnesty called on the United Nations to exert pressure on Burma's military rulers to halt forced relocation on ethnic grounds; to improve its human rights record". The indigenous people who faithfully and honestly paid taxes to the dictatorship are being treated this way for decades is too bad. I don't have a meaningful word to explain it. I have seen thousands of Burmese people who fled their own country to seek refuge in Thailand where I spent 23 years. The goodness and compassion of the Thai government and Thai people in those days was worthy to be praised. Some Mon gentlemen who worked in Thailand told me that 70% of Mon people under the age of 50 were not in Mon state any more. People fled to Thailand to do whatever work they could find, they said. According to them, forced labor were not paid, the sick and elderly who could not walk faster were beaten on the way and the girls were raped at night. Sometimes those force workers did not have enough food to eat and they were hurt and suffered physically as well as mentally, they said. Life isn't worth living under the military rulers in Burma, they continued.

Everywhere in the world, we know that human beings are fond of their own home, village and countryside. From Southeast Asia, I believe Burma is the only country from where people want to flee to other country for refuge because the people are abused in several ways as already stated. While in Thailand, I had seen some of the Burmese who took up any job like fishing, boat driving, rubber- cutting, road construction, cutting trees and other manual jobs but they were happy to a certain extent because of safety and security. Burma had been known for years by many foreign countries which regarded it as a rich and beautiful nation. Today how brutal and cruel the military in the union of Burma are because of inhumane military rulers. I don't know how many members of parliament (old and new combined) were arrested, imprisoned and killed in prisons for severe torture and beating. When they died, the military government would announce, "because of heart failure" The correct and better name for the military dictatorship, I think would be “Inhumane Twisters" of the Union of Burma.

Their brutality, cruelty, savagery and intimidation and taking pleasure and credit in the suffering of thousands of brothers and sisters is just in order to prolong their stolen power and authority from the people who feed them. They try their level best fervently to destroy and get rid of those who have education, skills, talents, etc. For the development of the nation. During their administration, some of their military leaders become immoral and dishonest, accepting bribes without feeling shame at all. Corruption became their way of life.

According to the latest Burma Issues (March 1998) , a noodle seller in Rangoon said "After embracing the open-market economy the only booming business here is prostitutions." Dr. Bruce Weniger, former director of the AIDS field station of the American Centers for Disease Control in Thailand, in the AIDS epidemic in Burma said "I don't think it's a matter of potential disaster. The reality is it's already a disaster." In every field of development and improvement, nothing seems to be for the betterment of the population of the Union of Burma. Everything becomes worse and worse. It has been 36 years now after the massacre of Democracy.

For these years the Union of Burma doesn't have rules and laws whatsoever to govern the country except word-of- mouth-rules from the military bosses. Since March 2, 1962 the Democracy had been abolished and the Union of Burma was moving forward to self-created hardship, insecurity and poverty to become one of the poorest nations in the world. Under the politically and administratively deceiving and twisting policy with threatening guns carried by 400,000 military soldiers, there is still no peace, no justice and no other freedom at all. Suffering of the country folk becomes worse and worse day by day. Life in the Union of Burma is much worse the those facing life- imprisonment in civilized nations. Their brutal war, scorched- earth destruction against ethnic nationalities, persecution of those belonging to other faiths, repressive laws and orders against the people and political parties, imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of people are going on and on with no end in sight. Thanks to the United Nations and the most civilized nations on earth that keep helping us so that one day democracy be re-established and maintained in the Union of Burma.

THE CHIN NATIONAL FRONT

One of our most effective instruments in resisting and opposing the cruelliest military rule is the Chin National Front. Although I am not a member, I, as a Chin strongly support and encourage their struggle and I sincerely believe that most of the Chins would do so.  In fact, our empty thankfulness and an expression of gratitude alone would never be enough for the fighting forces unless we could provide some sort of useful assistance. Frankly, I marvel for their strong and firm stand this far on their own accomplishment.

One of my simple ideas, I would like to suggest is that there should be a full-time financial committee which would look for attaining financial requirement. It is good if you have had it already. As we all know, there are Chins in advanced and industrious countries and committee members would be selected from those nations in accordance with the required number specified or determined by the rule in order that our most useful instrument could continue being against the enemy forces more effectively with better result. It is not that we will surely win over and attain what we need but pressures along with other ethnic fighters must be placed on the dictatorship continually. Personally, I know well that a lot of fund is always essential in this kind of struggle for life and death.

AIMS & IDEALS

As I am a new man to this seminar, please forgive me if I say something which is not appropriate. I personally think that we Chins need to enjoy a federal statehood like other ethnic nationalities when the military dictatorship is overthrown. One trouble thing I experience by myself in my heart of heart is that some young gentlemen are hoping and fighting for independence. In my case, I had signed an agreement with other minority leaders on behalf of Chin Democracy party, proclaiming that federalism will take root as soon as the military government is overtaken. Because of unknown twists and turns in some political parties, I do not know right now how others feel concerning the agreement or how they stand on the matter. The most important thing all should think over properly is that there is no political equality in the Union which means that freedom what we enjoy is incomplete.

To have equal political and social standing, the constitution should be redrawn based on federalism. To do this, every state council will have equal rights and authority to run their state. For example, if someone gives me an independent state without charge on behalf of the Chins, I will accept it right now willingly with words of thanks. Politics moves usually according to the environmental and surrounding atmosphere and situation. The best thing for us during this period is to fight for a federal statehood, I firmly believe.

One thing I am not yet well aware is that the situation between Chin National Front and Chin National Council. I sometimes think both organizations are the same, other times I think they are different. I do not know well about this case. The best will be if we could have one political organization under which a fighting force be established. Politically, representation will always be made by CNC & CNF will always meet and discuss matters together dealing with things of importance.

EDUCATION

Concerning education level in Chin State, it is some what satisfactory because most children are in love of studies with the exception of no jobs in the Union of Burma. Even in our Miram circle of Matupi township, there are over one hundred graduates and it was where I found no graduate before I fled to foreign land in late 1969. What we are in need is to have a secular college in our region in addition to some Christian seminaries so that Chins will have an opportunity to see and meet each other more closely, and understand and intimate to each other deeper and fuller thereby growing to real brotherhood. Unity, love, appreciation and intimacy could be established when girls and boys meet and study together in a place like college. Chins will look real Chins more.

AGRICULTURE

To improve and develop the method of farming and ways of cultivating the land is very important. To be effectively meaningful in giving a reliable guide to the farmers or gardeners, better communication and electricity are so essential. How tiresome, for our women when fetching water from well after walking a certain distance or seeking and carrying firewood from the jungle every morning. For those with their children, the mother carries the baby in front, the firewood basket on the back, the two hands spinning thread with smoking tobacco on the way in sweat and thirst.

One good thing in Chinland is that many know about the usefulness and benefit of terraced gardening and cultivation. Before I left Matupi in 1969, U Thla Awr, a shopkeeper, had a terraced garden where he also had a fish pool in the center and the rest of the garden space was covered with apple trees. If we are truly sincere, to raise the standard of terraced gardening, and terraced cultivators, farmers and gardeners from the six townships. Other officials to accompany them should be just interpreters. Countries like Thiland, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Tibet have people who farm on the hills. By means of observation, experienced farmers could personally learn about preparation of the field, method of planting, the situation of the soil, the climatic condition, the suitable season, the choice of seeds, etc.

In my case, I had never been successful in this field. While I was an MP, I started planting coffee seeds at Lailenpi with my sister's husband with whom I stayed. I brought a grinding machine from Rangoon. When coffee was ripe, we dried them in the sun, then we ground coffee beans. The villagers said " It's bitter not sweet". From Matupi, I brought home two sheep, but lost after sometime. When I left Burma Divinity School in 1967, I bought a pair of pigs and chickens from Mrs. Dr. Chit Maung. I brought them home through Akyab along with two rabbits, two guinea-pigs and many cans of flower plants. The people did not get interested as expected and about the local one. One thing was I didn't have a family and so I stayed with my sister and her husband and I was always outside of the village. Therefore, I only know to tell you how to fail. Sorry.

CHIN REFUGEES

A few of us here are refugees, I guess. Since inhumane torturous twisters of the Burma military became conquerors in the nation unexpectedly, people no longer enjoyed human rights and democratic freedom for decades. A lot of Burmese become refugees in Thailand since 1988 and the number keeps growing tremendously for years. Advanced and humanitarian countries like the U.S.A., Canada, Scandinavia, European community, Japan, India, Bangladesh, Australia and others in compassion helped sponsor or allowed Burmese to stay in their countries and we the refugees thank and praise them all beyond word can express.

Most of the refugees who could flee to Thailand were those who lived nearby the neighboring Thailand. But those who lived on the northwest part of the country it was almost impossible to travel so far with families to that country. So, Chins and other racial groups could flee only to India and Bangladesh as we specific country recognized Chin refugees in India and Bangladesh. Those who stay in India have been recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees but no sponsors from a third country so far. As it is difficult for them to find sponsors in a third country, our poor people will keep facing a big problem for a long, long time.

I would like to suggest that an appropriate committee be formed today in order to deal with this matter and it would approach and request the leaders of the civilized and industrial countries to please approve the recognition of the Chin refugees. Without which the refugees cannot visit any outside country because no embassy will accept their application for travel.

UNITY

People everywhere need the state of being one or united in purpose, the quality of being one in harmony, agreement, etc. We need to be in unity with others in a group, association, or any organization whether it's in social, economic or political field.

In times of war, national unity is most valuable to be achieved so that the moral support and encouragement given to the fighters will turn into a source of their strength and energy. As we all are aware of the famous proverb; united we stand, divided we fall, let us stand for God-given human values and human rights and unite firmly for a common purpose in fighting against enemy of the people.

How happy we are to hear of your priceless efforts in developing and guiding Chin National Front as a fighting force so far. No one can predict how far to finish the journey is or how difficult it will be or at what time and season to end your struggle will be. In whatever situation we are, let's all have in mind to give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father.

Example: We Chin Christians seemed united in Rangoon by the time I served as president of the Chin Christian Association in 1966. Lanmadaw church was the center of our gathering and worship. No other location of having fellowship and worship for the Chin Christians. My time was over and when the next election for the office staff was held, the Christians split into two factions, one group attending the Lanmadaw Church, mostly Tiddim and the other group containing Siyin and the rest of the Chins worship at Quishing Church. So sometimes, things happen differently against our expectation. We must always be careful and alert any situation we are in. Unity is ever required element in life.

CHIN RACIAL GROUP

Since becoming an MP in 1956, I was deeply concerned about how best it will be to find something that could preserve and unite the Chin tribal groups having different dialects into one strong and unbreakable small nation. One of the things I could discern in those days was to have a common language. That idea was deeply rooted in my mind. Even the name “CHIN" alone was able to unite us to a certain extent and if a common language could be had, intimacy and deeper understanding would surely grow, I asserted in my hart. I had a firm self- confidence.

I tabled a proposal in Chin Affairs Council to establish a Chin common language and my seconder was Falam MP, U No Zam. Amazingly, no one got interested and no one took part in the discussion. That proposal was dead. When attending a Divisional Pyidawtha Committee chaired by Commissioner, U Tuang Hmung in Falam, I proposed it again but no one stood up and talked on the matter. Hakha MP, U Ral Hmung was present but he kept his mouth closed too. Then I wrote an article concerning it in Hakha Chin in the Rangoon Chin University Magazine. Anyway, I failed to succeed my most important personal aim in life.

Today, Burmese already becomes Chin common language. The young people born and brought up in Rangoon, Mandalay and other Burmese cities prefer Burmese books, Burmese songs, and Burmese culture when they grow up. Likewise, Chin babies born in foreign land would feel and behave like people of the country where they were born. The parents might have Chin characteristic enthusiasm and love the Chin people and their country of birth but you cannot expect anything Chin from those foreign-born like their parents. Now, those Chins who are community or church leaders respected by the locals could flee to Rangoon for safety and security if the military bosses want to take action on them because of some personal or private cases. After being in Rangoon, they could not have influence over their local people in the state except the safety of their physical bodies. Their wisdom, knowledge and experiences good for the Chins can no longer be shared and it died away altogether.

Therefore, let's be clever and alert it is very dangerous for the Chin racial group because it's so plain, clear and evident to eyes or mind to apprehend. The scattering and shifting of village people or forced relocation is a forceful destroyer in order to reduce, decrease or annihilate the population so that Chin state will later turn into a lost one in the union of Burma. Take care!

DEVELOPMENT

When discuss development, it covers almost everything. But what I finally want to say is a little bit about communication and electricity. During the English regime, Chin Hills contained Tiddim, Falam and Haka areas. Matupi area was included in Haka township. Later Kanpalet and Paletwa were added to Chin Special Division. Till now, no road between Mindat and Paletwa, and Matupi and Paletwa. I would like to inform you our future leaders that whenever any development or projects are initiated or carried out, do more for the less under-developed areas. To talk about equality alone may not be enough; more should be shared where it is necessary.

Regarding electricity, Matupi town didn't have it before I left. In advanced countries because of availability of electricity, everything could be done in a room. Hot water for example is available anywhere if there's a cooking place or a bath room. House-hold chores could easily be done or solved by it in the rural areas. I wish you all to brighten up and refresh our Chinland on earth.

Thank you,

JOHN MANGTLING CINZAH
(1930-2001)