New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Chin National Front (CNF) has selected a peace delegation to “talk about talks” with the state government.
The CNF will send a 10-member delegation led by joint-secretary Dr. Salai Sui Kha to Hakha for talks with the state government on January 5-6. Union (central) level government officials will attend the meeting as observers, sources said.
“In this meeting, we might not sign an accord or agreement. It is just a preliminary talk with the state government for the first time, or in other words, it will be talk about talks,” said Salai Sui Kha. “We will agree on what we can agree on. We will talk as long as we can agree. It will be a preliminary coordination for the next meeting, and it is premature to talk about an agenda.”
The meeting is the result of talks between a CNF delegation led by chairman Pu Zin Cung and Dr. Sui Kha and government railway Minister Aung Min in November in Mae Sai, Thailand.
In related news, the first CNF extraordinary conference was held on the Indo-Burmese border from December 12 to 16. It elected a 55-member central committee led by General-Secretary Pu Zin Cung. Two 1990 general election MPs-elect Dr. Zale Thang and U Lian Uk were included in the newly formed Supreme Council as alternate chairmen.
“Our forth congress was held three years back and now a new political landscape has appeared after the 2010 general election. After reviewing our organizational and other matters, we realized that we should call an extraordinary conference to accommodate all people from all walks of life, from all regions and all tribes,” Pu Ngun Cung Lian said.
Dr. Salai Andrew Ngun Cung Lian said they welcomed what Union Peace Building Committee chairman Aung Thaung said in a press conference on Friday: “We are determined to work for peace during the tenure of this government,”, he said, but people need to be patient cecause many issues may be hard to resolve.
“We cannot resolve a 60-year conflict within a month or a year,” he said. “Even if we can secure a peace agreement with all the armed groups within three years, we will have many remaining issues to be resolved and tackled. We must be patient, and we must have understanding, otherwise we will fail.”
In 2007, the CNF held peace talks with the then military government, but it failed to reach an agreement.
Formed in 1988, the CNF is dedicated to securing the self-determination of the Chin people, to restore democracy, and to establish a Federal Union of Burma, according to the CNF website.
A selected chronology of important events in Chin history:
– 1933, The Chin National Union was formed by Chin patriots who called for an Independent Chinland from the British-Burmese government in Rangoon.
– 1947, Chin representatives participated in the Panglong Conference along with Kachin, Shan, and Burman representatives, and signed the historic agreement to form a federal union with equal rights, privileges, and status including secession rights.
– 1964, The Chin National Organization goes underground to overthrow the military junta and restore democratic government.
– 1972, Over 70 Chin intellectuals who had made suggestions to the Revolutionary Council were arrested by the military junta and sent to jail.
– 1988, The Chin National Front was formed on March 20, 1988, to regain self-determination rights and to restore democracy and federalism in the Union of Burma.
– 1992, The Chin National Front, as a member of National Democratic Front, gave its consent to the Manepalaw Agreement to establish a genuine federal union.
– 1993, The first Chin National Front’s Party Conference was held and the Government of Chinland was formed.
– 2001, The Chin National Front becomes a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), representing the Chin people.
– 2006, The Political Affairs Committee of Chinland conducts the first Chin National Assembly at Mt. Sainai and the Chin National Council was formed, comprised of 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.
CNF committee members. Photo: khonumthung
“In this meeting, we might not sign an accord or agreement. It is just a preliminary talk with the state government for the first time, or in other words, it will be talk about talks,” said Salai Sui Kha. “We will agree on what we can agree on. We will talk as long as we can agree. It will be a preliminary coordination for the next meeting, and it is premature to talk about an agenda.”
The meeting is the result of talks between a CNF delegation led by chairman Pu Zin Cung and Dr. Sui Kha and government railway Minister Aung Min in November in Mae Sai, Thailand.
In related news, the first CNF extraordinary conference was held on the Indo-Burmese border from December 12 to 16. It elected a 55-member central committee led by General-Secretary Pu Zin Cung. Two 1990 general election MPs-elect Dr. Zale Thang and U Lian Uk were included in the newly formed Supreme Council as alternate chairmen.
“Our forth congress was held three years back and now a new political landscape has appeared after the 2010 general election. After reviewing our organizational and other matters, we realized that we should call an extraordinary conference to accommodate all people from all walks of life, from all regions and all tribes,” Pu Ngun Cung Lian said.
Dr. Salai Andrew Ngun Cung Lian said they welcomed what Union Peace Building Committee chairman Aung Thaung said in a press conference on Friday: “We are determined to work for peace during the tenure of this government,”, he said, but people need to be patient cecause many issues may be hard to resolve.
The Chin national flag
In 2007, the CNF held peace talks with the then military government, but it failed to reach an agreement.
Formed in 1988, the CNF is dedicated to securing the self-determination of the Chin people, to restore democracy, and to establish a Federal Union of Burma, according to the CNF website.
A selected chronology of important events in Chin history:
– 1933, The Chin National Union was formed by Chin patriots who called for an Independent Chinland from the British-Burmese government in Rangoon.
– 1947, Chin representatives participated in the Panglong Conference along with Kachin, Shan, and Burman representatives, and signed the historic agreement to form a federal union with equal rights, privileges, and status including secession rights.
– 1964, The Chin National Organization goes underground to overthrow the military junta and restore democratic government.
– 1972, Over 70 Chin intellectuals who had made suggestions to the Revolutionary Council were arrested by the military junta and sent to jail.
– 1988, The Chin National Front was formed on March 20, 1988, to regain self-determination rights and to restore democracy and federalism in the Union of Burma.
– 1992, The Chin National Front, as a member of National Democratic Front, gave its consent to the Manepalaw Agreement to establish a genuine federal union.
– 1993, The first Chin National Front’s Party Conference was held and the Government of Chinland was formed.
– 2001, The Chin National Front becomes a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), representing the Chin people.
– 2006, The Political Affairs Committee of Chinland conducts the first Chin National Assembly at Mt. Sainai and the Chin National Council was formed, comprised of 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.
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