Chin people

The Chin are a Tibeto - Burmese ethnic group in South Asia. They live mainly in the western Myanmar, in the management unit Chin state. They are also found in the neighboring Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam, where they are called Kuki, although both terms are synonymous in itself. There are about 1.5 million Chin / Kuki, including 37 different groups are counted. The people referred to themselves as Zomi, Yo ( in the north), Lai ( centralized) or Sho ( in the south).

• 2.1 Burma
• 2.2 Chin National Front
• 2.3 North East India

Ethnology

The Chin as bezw. Kuki designated ethnic group is extremely diverse and is divided into numerous clans, which are mainly distinguished by their dialects. The name comes from the Kuki Bengal, Chin is etymologically Chinese origin, probably by Jen (人" man ").

When the so-called New Kuki are, inter alia, the tribes of the Thādos, Jangshēns and their descendants called. This drove the Old Kuki ( Rāngkhōls, betes, Hallam, etc. ) from the Lushai Hills in the Cachar region. In the 20th century, a cultural dominance of the Lushai clans began to emerge.

Traditionally, forest live the Chin -driven self-sufficient in the (bamboo ) in hamlets, only 4-5 bamboo huts are often large. My most popular traditional musical instrument is the mouth organ Rasem (also Gosem ). Furthermore, they play the bamboo flute parts, the natural trumpet pengkul, a large ( Daphi ) and a small gong ( dah cha), the snare drum and cymbals khuongcha.

Language

The language and its many dialects are Tibeto - Burman that are closely linked to the group of Kachin languages. There is also a relationship to the language of Naga.

The Kuki -Chin languages ​​are divided into:

Religion

Today, 80-90 % of the people are Christians, as missionaries in the region since 1899 American Baptist missionaries. A minority belongs to Theravada Buddhism, is committed to the Bnei Menashe brand of Judaism or sticks to the traditional tribal religions.

History and Politics

About the early history of the people 's lack of written tradition nothing known.The Chin / Kuki probably came from the 9th to the 10th century in the Chindwin Valley. The oldest known name of a settlement is Chin Nwe ( = Ciimnuai ). Many of them nomadisierten long time and moved further west until they are in today Chin State 1300-1400 settled.

After colonization upper Burma, there was in 1888 the first British expedition to the region. In February 1890, the first county seat was established in Haka, which in 1892 moved to Falam. In October, there was an uprising of the last Soktē and Siyin who were disarmed as all southern tribes after their defeat 1893/94. 1893-96 were seized in the north another 7,000 rifles. The settlements came in 1895 under direct British colonial administration, the Chin Hills Regulation Act enacted in the following year 1896.

The Chin National Union ( CNU ), which demanded that the colonial masters an independent Chinland was founded in 1933. The guides were Wanthu U Maung Aung Min and Thakhin In 1938, Burma was divided as a separate entity from the Indian empire, the dividing line ran through the settlement areas of the nation.

Burma

Representatives of Burma awarded took part in 1947 in part with other minority representatives at the Panglong Conference, where they should secure the Panglong Agreement, the protection of minorities to be created within the Burmese Union on February 12, 1947, signed with. Likewise, the Constitution was worked on drafting. On February 20, 1948 marched in Falam Chin 5000 for democracy, which is why this date is celebrated as the Chin National Day. Different groups united in 1957 to the Chin National Organization (CNO ).

After the coup of General Ne Win ( 1962), it first arrests of anti- communist politicians such as Thual Zen, who demanded a federal state structure. The Chin National Organization (CNO ) adopted in 1963 the armed liberation struggle against military rule on. In the " liberated areas " the Chin Democracy Party (CDP ) was founded in 1971.

Chin National Front

1976, it came under Major Sa Lian Zam establishing the Chin Liberation Army (CLA, today Chin National Army ). Founded in 1988, Chin National Front ( CNF) wants to achieve as a member of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the abolition of the one-party rule and the establishment of a federal, democratic state. The new Burmese military government SPDC occupied the Chin state in 1988, after thousands of tribesmen fled abroad. At the 1998 Ottawa First Chin Seminar held the founding of the Chin Forum was decided.

The CNF / CNA does not control a territory in itself, but has influence within the population. From 1988 to 1992 she was armed and financed by the Indian Foreign Intelligence Research and Analysis Wing. In the southern Mizoram Camp Victoria was established, which serves as a base. 1992-95 cooperated India and Myanmar in the fight against separatist groups in stiff border area.

The number of squads in 2005 was estimated at 800-1000, of which 500 actual fighters are considered. Low hostilities are reported from the Chin state. The exact management structure of the organization is not known, since 1997, Thomas Thangnou acts as Chairman. It is funded by a small head tax on tribal members, also is alleged the group deserve to arms and drug trafficking. The CNF is a member of UNPO since 2001. Ten-year negotiating efforts of the Peace and Tranquillity Committee meant that 2007 armistice negotiations were begun with the government.

Northeast India

In India, the culturally dominant Lushai live in the area between the Karnafuli and its largest tributary, the Tuilampai than Western Gerenze. In the east, their territory of Tayo and Koladyne is limited, the southern end forms an imaginary east-west line from the mouth of Koladyne and Mat Individual villages but are also found far outside ( distributed to the Chittagong Hill Tracts ). In the district of North Cachar Hills mainly live the beetroot and Khelma - Kukis. The Kahrias and Darlungs are the latest of the "civilization" captured groups.

Also among the Kuki there are demands for autonomy, which, by the Kuki National Front ( KNF, founded in 1987, probably with the support of the Indian government ) is expressed. It demands its own Kukiland in the state of Manipur. Your armed wing called Kuki National Army ( KNA ) and was 2003/4 still active in the district of Karbi Anglong. They worked together with the CNF, which presented the same claim on the Burmese side of the border. Especially the NSCN saw in them a threat to their own claims on "Greater Nagaland " and fought them.