Yangon (Chindwin): Myanmar’s military junta has threatened to conduct two-week long operations in Chin State on 25 Sept, fuelling fear that the military will attempt to wipe out the ethnic Chin minority group.
Since the coup, Chin state has been one of the strongholds among other ethnic groups denouncing the military’s takeover of power and fighting against the military junta.
Chin National Army/Front (CNA/F) is the first ethnic armed organizations that builds an alliance with a shadow government – National Unity Government.
The alleged report about this threat was first reported by DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma), citing that the military personnel spoke about this threat.
The military’s vow of retaliation came following heavy casualties in Thantlang in a battle with a local militia known as Chindland Defense Forces – Thantlang (CDF-Thantlang) and Chin National Army (CNA) in which 45 junta’s soldiers dead. In retaliation, the military junta bombarded Thantlang Town with mortars and rockets, burning 20 residential properties into ashes, and a Christian pastor was shot dead while he was going to help extinguish the burning fire.
Much of the residents have fled into surrounding areas, with hundreds crossing the border and having shelters at Mizoram State in India.
Even the capital city – Hakha, where the military has a fortified base, residents live in fear, and many slept at the ground cells at night due to the continued mortar shelling and rockets firing. Yet, the capital – Hakha, still survives the internet and telecommunication shutdown unlike other towns in the state.
Three days ago, two residents confirmed to Chindwin that two military armoured tanks arrived in Hakha, worrying that the military had fully prepared an all-out war with the people of Chin.
Residents in Hakha are terrified that the war will occur in the city like Thantlang Town.
Chindwin contacted few people from Hakha, Chin State, whether they heard about this news – the alleged military’s offensive plan against the Chin people and some people know about it through social media. However, some believe that it is true as they saw two military helicopters hovering over the city last week, and it was reportedly said to deliver heavy ammunition for the military.
One lady said, “Our fear is real. We are now like in the movies – we are in the real scene of war. We hear gunfire and mortar shelling every night, and people are randomly checked and arrested as they wish during daytime. The lady requests not to mention her name nor using her pseudonym for her security.
On the southern side, the junta’s army has sent a convoy of reinforcement to Ngalai village in Matupi Township. Much of its residents have fled into the forest since the fighting occurred between the military junta and Chinland Defense Forces – Matupi (CDF – Matupi) on 23 Sept.
In Mindat Town, the army has been blocking road access to the town for months and cut off all communication access, including water supply, making life extremely difficult for those who could not run away from the town.
The military still prevents UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee) from delivering humanitarian aid to the IDPs (Internally Displaced People); many, including children and women, live in starvation in the jungle where the IDPs are based.
Today, a report sent to Chindwin suggests that human rights violations in Mindat Town are gross as few families, who could not run away and were stuck in the town, attempted to intervene the lady dragged by the junta’s soldiers for their captain. One resident told Chindwin, “They came to her house and told her that she was for their captain and told her not to go out and threatened her that they would burn her property if she fled, adding that the soldiers came to her house later and dragged her out of her house in a broad daylight. Few people surrounding the area came to her rescue, appealing to the soldiers that the lady is married and has children. Finally, the soldiers released her,”.
Another woman who went to the toilet at night was shot dead by the junta forces last night. It is not known yet whether the perpetrator is the police or the army as the killing happened at night.
