What's the Chinland Council?
The Chinland Council was established by the Chin National Front (CNF) and its alliance. The primary goal is to establish a transitional Chinland government through the implementation of their recently drafted Chinland Constitution.
What are the CNF alliances?
The alliances can be divided into two distinct groups. The first group comprises ousted member of parliaments from some Townships, including Hakha, Thantlang, Matupi, Paletwa, and Mindat. The other group is a militia group. The local militia groups emerging after the militaary coup in Chin state are called local Chinland Defence Forces (CDF). However, not all the CDF in Chin state are part of CNF alliances. The alliances consist of members from townships including Hakha, Thantlang, Matupi, Tonzang, Paletwa, and Kanpelet. Hualngo CDF from Falam township and People Defence Army (PDA) & Civic Defence Militia (CDM)-Siyin from Tedim township are also included in the coalition.
According to the Chinland Council official, the majority of stakeholders in Chin State strongly support them, while only three revolutionary armed groups—Zomi Federal Union (ZFU) based in Tedim, Chin National Organisation (CNO) in Falam, and Chin National Council (Mindat)—have criticised them.
Those three groups recently formed the Chin brotherhood alliances as a strategic response to the CNF's Chinland council. The Chin Brotherhood alliance alleges that the CNF unilaterally implemented the Chinland Constitution without prior notification or consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Why did the Three Chin Brotherhood Defy?
According to Article (9) of the constitution, the Chin National Army (CNA), which is the armed branch of the CNF, is officially recognised as the only military force in Chin state, and the CNF flag is the official flag of Chin state (Chinland, according to their term). Additionally, members of the CNF constitute around 20% (specifically 19.27%) of the Chinland Council. These are some of the articles that were rejected by the three brotherhoods, among many others.
However, the primary justification for rejecting the Chinland Council is not necessarily and solely by those articles. Let us take a look back a little bit. Following the military coup, the CNF played a significant role in forming the Interim Chin National Consultative Committee (ICNCC) and the Chin Joint Defence Committee (CJDC). These two political entities are often considered to have the most inclusive and diverse stakeholders in Chin state, and these two groups are political platforms where Chin revolution groups have a formal communication with the National Unity Government (NUG). The three groups, that opposed the Chinland council and so-called the Chin Brotherhood, were actively involved in ICNCC and CJDC. However, the CNF later distanced themselves from these organisations and formed a new entity called the Chinland Council.
To be continued...
