Khonumthung News spoke to Chin National Front (CNF) spokesperson Pu Htet Ni to learn how the ethnic armed organisation is working with the exile National Unity Government (NUG), formed by lawmakers expelled during the military coup.
Can you talk about the working relationship between CNF and NUG in Chin State?
Both organisations share the same goals for our country: to defeat the military dictatorship and build a federal union. That’s why we’re cooperating with NUG and have signed a political and military agreement with them. We’re trying to gain international recognition for the transitional government. At the same time, we’ve already started working together on several goals. One of them is the formation of Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC). The next step is to form a transitional government at the state level. The idea is to introduce a federal system where power is shared between the state and the central government.
Does NUG provide financial support to your organisation?
Currently, NUG hasn’t given us any financial support, but we understand their situation. We’re working together for the federal union and there are many difficulties on the way. Although we’ve not received any support, we’ve trained the People’s Defence Forces to fight against the dictatorship.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
NUG is an important organisation in the struggle against the military junta. When the National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 1990 elections, the military council refused to give it power. After the NLD won the 2020 race, the military staged a coup. NUG is a union-level organisation and it’s in a position to take back power from the military junta. The NLD is the former government and a prominent political party. That’s why the transitional government is so important. All the different ethnic groups and religions must support behind NUG without hesitation. For the country to progress, we all need to work together.