The Chin State Administration Council (CSAC) will host celebrations of the 74th Chin National Day on 20 February in many towns in the eight townships in Chin State, except Thangtlang, after the regime’s forces destroyed half the houses there during fighting with the Chin resistance.
The regime-appointed CSAC has reserved a budget of $1,100 for each township at the district level and $840 for the other townships in Chin State, Kyaw Nyein, who was appointed by the military after the coup, told Khonumthung News. “I think we’ll invite our union-level ministers to participate during Chin National Day.
Although the annual holiday is very important to Chin, the Chinland Defence Joint Committee (CDJC) spokesperson said that the military is allowing this day while undermining the wishes of the people.
“We’re in a revolution against the military dictatorship… That’s why we’ve issued a statement calling on everyone not to participate in the Chin National Day organised by CSAC,” the spokesperson said, adding that the celebrations can take place in the CDJC’s area of control.
Last month, the Chin Defence Force (CDF) in Mindat had asked the people to boycott the celebrations organised by CSAC. The statement said that the civilian resistance group will consider anyone who attends as traitors to the struggle to overthrow the dictatorship.
One man who was forced to leave Thangtlang because of the regime’s offensives in northern Chin State said it was pointless to celebrate it this year in CSAC-controlled areas after so many people were killed and their homes burnt down across the state.
“Chin National Day is very important because it symbolizes the freedom of our people,” he said, but the Chin want a federal democracy and not a dictatorship.
In October last year, the regime launched large-scale offensives in Chin State and Saigaing Region to drive out resistance groups that took on the regime’s forces, killing many of their soldiers despite being heavily outgunned and outnumbered.
The junta’s soldiers destroyed over 900 of the 2,000 houses in Thangtlang, including 8 churches.
The Chin National Day commemorates when Chin leaders replaced feudalism with a democratic administrative system after a conference from 19 to 22 December 1948. It became an official holiday in 1951.