Chin National Day and National Duty
Robert Siang Lian, M.A., R.L
(This article is taken from, Golden Jubilee Magazine, 1998 of Tedim No. 1 Basic Education High School, pages 573-577)
Every nationality has its own national day. We, the Chin people, also
have our own national day which falls on 20th February every year. The
Chin National Day did not come into being accidentally out of narrow
nationalism and patriotism, but it came into existence as a result of
the slow and steady struggle against the hereditary feudal system,
colonialism and imperialism. We were able to get our national day
because of our national unity.
Under the divide and rule
policy of the imperialists, the Chins were administered separately from
that of Myanmar and other indigenous races. Mizoram was excluded from
Chin Hills. The exploitation of Chins by the imperialists took place
politically, economically and socially. Under the cover of religion,
our national culture was distorted and destroyed.
So, the
Chins were in one voice to fight the imperialists although their arms
and ammunition were very much inferior to that of the British. The
fight against the British imperialists brought about the seed o0f
revolution which in turn laid down the birth of the Chin National Day.
The British invaded and annexed the Chin Hills in 1892; however the
British could administer Chin Hills only after the adoption of Chin
Hills Regulation in 1896. Later this Regulation was replaced by Chin
Special Division Act of 1948 which was adopted on 22 October 1948.
The Chin nationalist movements took place on 20 February 1928, 20
February 1938 and 20 February 1948 respectively. These nationalist
movements are an indication of the strong patriotic spirit of the Chins
towards their own state.
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), U Ware Law Ha (Secretary), U Ki Pe Lian (a) Thakhin
Aung Min (Treasurer) U Ki Mang (Information ) and seven other members.
The formation of Chin Hills Union Organization is a milestone in the
history of Chin Hills because this is the first time that the Chins
were able to form a political organization in order to achieve their
political ambition. It also laid down the political foundation for the
introduction of Chin National Day. The first general meeting of Chin
Hills Union Organization was held successfully at Ware village on 29
September 1932. The meeting decided to work together for the successful
implementation in education, health, economy and social affairs. They
also made a painful decision to drive out the imperialists as sooon as
possible in cooperation with Myanmar.
In line with the
division of the meeting, U Vomhtu Maung, U Ki Pe Liang, U Om Ning(a)
Thakhin AAung Nyunt and meet the political leaders of Myanmar in
Yangon. From that time onwards, Chin Hills Union Organization and
Dobamar Asiayone ware able to increase the political momentum of
national liberation movements in the country.
The new
executive members of the organization were reelected by means of
plebiscite at the general meeting in ware village the line up of new
members were:
1. U Vomhtu Maung (Chairman)
2. U Ware Law Ha (Vice-Chairman)
3. U Ki Pe Liang (Secretary)
4. U Shwe Ling (Joint Secretary)
5. U Ki Mang (Finance)
There were also other 10 EC members and 18 circle chairmen.
Thus the political momentum of Chin national unity was developed
rapidly. It also tendered a helping had to the Student’s Strike of 1936
and the political crisis of Myanmar era 1300. The organization
submitted nine petitions to the British Government for the improvement
of Chin Hills in various fields as follows:
1. to grant equal rights in administration to Chins similar to other forign national;
2. to administer Chin Hills according to the rules and regulations adopted by the Chins in cooperation with the Government;
3. to make reformations for the improvement in education system in Chin Hills and
4. to allow the teaching of Myanmar[sig- Burmese language] in addition to English;
5. to permit freedom of religions;
6. to construct roads as soon as possible for the improvement of transport and communications in Chin Hills;
7. to grant free access to travel to Myanmar;
8. to allow Chins to have freedom of relationship with any nationality;
9. to grant independence to Chins simultaneously with Myanmar.
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
under the leadership of U Vomhtu Maung, U Ware Law Ha and U Ki Pe Ling.
About 300 government sevants attended the meeign under the leadership
of the Commissioner of Falam and Sub divisional officer of Kanpetlet.
After heated debate between the two sides, the British Government
announced that the 9 proposals could not be granted to the Chins. The
political leaders of Chins were requested to take high ranking posts of
public service in place of political duties. The members of Chin Hills
Union Organization refused to take part in the public service and the
discussions were in deadlock. Finally, the Government then declared
Chin Hills Union Organization as an illegal organization. The Chins
were very angry with the one sided act of the Government and as a
result, demonstrations against the Government took place in various
parts of Kanpetlet.
The high raking administrators of Magwe,
Falam and Kanpetlet then ran away to the town of Saw in the same night
for the sake of their safety.
After the declaration of Chin
Hills Union Organization as an illegal organization, the Government
arrested many Chin political leaders. The 36 members of circle chairmen
declared their resignations from the public service in defiance of the
detention of Chin political leaders. Demonstrations against the
Government also took place in many parts of the area. They said that
they would no longer pay tax and would not also serve as their coolies.
They also stopped their ties with the ruling government.
The
popular uprising in Kanpetlet is an indication of the brevity of Chins
in their struggle against the colonists. Their act of defiance against
the colonists was a right direction for the birth of Chin National Day.
According to the meeting on 13 December 1946 at Aung San’s residence,
many commissions were formed to strengthen the friendly ties between
Myanmar and various leaders of ethnic community. A Conference on Chin
Myanmar friendship was held at Htilin from 4 to 6 March 1947 and
friendship treaty was signed on the last day. Dedok U Ba Cho
represented Aung San and U Vomhtu Maung represented the Chins. The
leaders of Shan, Kachin and Chin also held a conference at Nyaungshwe
in March 1947 and they decided to fight for complete independence
together with Myanmar.
Aung San Atlee Agreement was signed on
27 January 1947. In line with the agreement, the Constituent Assembly
was to be elected to determine future administrative affairs of
Myanmar. As such, Panglong Conference was held on 7 February 1947 and
Panglong Agreement was signed on 12 Februay 1947.
In accordance
with the instructions of the Governor the Frontier Areas administrative
officers, U Hlur Hmung of Falam, U Kio Mang of Hakha and U Thawng Za
Khup of Tedim were selected by the Deputy Commissioner of Falam to
represent Chins at Panglong conference.
Furthermore, Frontier
Areas Committee of Enquiry was formed in March 1947 under the
chairmanship of the Committee; the Chins opted to elect their own
respective Constituent Assembly.
At the request of the Chins,
Chin Hills Enquiry Commission was formed with three members on 5
February 1948. The Commission conducted enquiry from 12-23 February
1948 and they recommended the introduction of the rule of democratic
system in lieu of hereditary feudal system of administration in Chin
Hills and to grant compensation to the chiefs and headmen.
A
general meeting was held in Falam from 19-22 February, 1948 to make a
choice on the administrative system in Chin Hills and the election of
Chin representatives. The meeting was attended by over 5000
representatives of Chins. In the meeting, U Vomhtu Maung acted as
Chairman, Captain Mang Tung Nung as Secretary and U Lian THum of Hakha
as master of ceremony.
On 20 Feb 1948, the representative of
Tedim U Thawng Za KHup submitted a proposal in the general meeting.
According to his proposal, the Chins had suffered untold misery under
the hereditary feudal chiefs and headmen. They imposed heavy taxes on
the common people. They also ordered the common Chin people to
contribute voluntary labor without paying their labor charges. Due to
their exploitation of the Chins by the feudal chiefs and headmen, no
improvement and development of Chin Hills could be made for may
decades. So, the majority of Chins were in favor of the abolition of
hereditary feudal system of administration and they would like to bring
about modern democratic system of administration in the Chin Hill.
The proposlal of U thawn Za Khup was strongly supported by U Sum Mang
of Falam and U Thang Maung of Kanpetlet repectively. The popular vote
was taken and 5000 representatively voted in favor of the proposal were
as 17 representatives voted against the proposal. The Chin
representative’s then confirmed the resolution as the vote received and
overwhelming majority. Colonialism, the rule of hereditary feudal
system by chiefs and headmen were then eliminated for the first time in
Chin Hills at this mass meeting and introduced the democratic system
which advocates the rule of the people by the people for the people. It
is landmark in the history of Chin Hills because it was the first time
that all the Chins were able to hold the general meeting and achieves
national unity among themselves. So, 20 Feb is a historic and
meaningful day for the Chins because all the Chins were able to achieve
national solidarity and unity on this very day.
On 9 October
1950 the Chin Affairs Council decided officially to honor 20 Feb as
Chin National Day. The first Chin National Day was held in Mindat on
grand scale on 20 Feb 1951. Messages of congratulations were received
from the President and many Ministers of the States of the Union of
Myanmar. The Prime Minister attended the celebration of Chin National
Day personally and he also read the message of the President of the
Union of Myanmar.
In 1956 the Minister for Chin Affairs U
Zahre Lian changed Chin National Day from 20 Feb to 4 December, Hoever,
the change was not successful because the majority of th Chins could
not accept his order as 4 December has no political significance for
Chin nationals.
In Feb 1966, attempts were being made to
change the Chin national day to Chin Special Division Day. The matter
was referred to the Office of the Revolutionary Council on 11 July
1966. The Office of the Revolutionary Council then informed the Chin
Affairs Council to carry out the celebration of Chin National Day as
before in its letter of 25 November 1966. In line with the
instructions, the Chin Affairs Council issued a notification under
letter No. YAKA 29/04(2) of 9 January 1967 announcing that Chins would
continue to observe its Chin National Day as usual but not as Chin
Special Division Day.
Now, similar attempts are being made by
some people to change Chin National Day into “Chin State Day” Chin
State has come into existence under section 30(B) of the Constitution
of the Union of Myanmar which was adopted only on 3 January 1974. It is
therefore, the national duty of all Chins to safeguard its National
Day, to preserve and maintain its culture, language and literature if
we would like to keep our Chin identity among the family of nations.
Lists of references
1. Salai Lian Hmung, Chin National Day, Chin National Journal(Myanmar
Edition) published by Chin National Journal Committee, Universities of
Yangon on 20 Feb 1988.
2. Mindat Eugene, Chin National Day Started
from the Struggle against Imperialism, a pamphlet in Myanmar Edition,
published by Chin National Day Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee,
Yangon, 20th Feb 1988.
3. Robert Siang Lian, Chins Choose to Be Free, Chin Magazine, Universities of Yangon, 1984-1985.
4. Robert Siang Lian, The Significance of Chin National Day, Chin
Magazine (1973-1974), published by Chin literature and culture
Committee, Universities of Yangon, Yangon, 1973-74.
