At the time of writing this article, the Myanmar coup is in its fourth year. Apart from Myanmar civilians, one could argue that the Northeast of India and especially Manipur and Mizoram have borne the brunt of the fallout. While Manipur has descended into a civil war now into its 15 month, Mizoram, which shares a 510 km border with Myanmar, has had a completely different experience. The people of Mizoram share ethnic ties with the Chin population from the conflict-ridden country, and while those fleeing from the conflict have been welcomed with open arms, several issues are now making lives complicated for people on both sides of the border.
On June 24, 2024, the Central Young Lai Association (CYLA), a powerful NGO in Mizoram’s southernmost Lawngtlai district, published a statement banning all movement of goods from the Indian side of the border to Myanmar’s Rakhine state through Chin State’s Paletwa Township. The organisation stated that their main aim was to suppress the Arakan Army, as they believed the goods transported from Mizoram, including oil, were strengthening the Arakan Army in their attacks on the Chin population.
Internal Chin strife: Who takes the blame?
For those unfamiliar with the current situation in Myanmar, questions may arise, such as why the Arakan and Chin are fighting each other instead of the military junta. The Arakan Army is partnered with a faction of the Chin community while also conflicting with another faction. In Chin State, the Chinland Council, led by the Chin National Army (CNA), was established in December. Those who opposed the Chinland Council formed a group called the Chin Brotherhood.
An official from the Chin Human Rights Organization told EastMojo, “Chin Brotherhood is formed by people from the whole Chin state who do not support the constitution of the Chinland Council under the CNA’s leadership. Recently, the CNA and CB fought each other. The Arakan Army is currently allied with the Chin Brotherhood to fight against all Burmese armies from Paletwa Township and Matupi Township. That’s why these two townships are currently free from Burmese armies; there are no military forces in these two townships in the whole Chin state.”
According to a report from The Irrawaddy, the Chin Brotherhood “launched Operation Chin Brotherhood on June 9 to drive junta troops out of Myanmar’s poorest state, which borders Bangladesh and India. The operation was joined by the Arakan Army and Yaw Army from Magwe Region.”
Meanwhile, the Chinland Council had launched its operations to seize Matupi, leading to clashes between the two groups. The ethnic Chin groups were unhappy with the Arakan Army seizing Paletwa.
On July 8, the Tahan Post reported that a statement from the Chin Brotherhood mentioned fighting between CB and CNA from June 18 to July 7, resulting in over six casualties.
A member of the National Unity Consultative Council, an advisory body of the National Unity Government, Myanmar’s government-in-exile, told EastMojo on the condition of anonymity, “Many Chinland PDFs are in an operational alliance with the Arakan Army, but a few Chin forces are unhappy about the Arakan Army’s capture of Paletwa Township. The Arakan Army explained that they captured the town for strategic reasons, but not permanently. There is some tension, but it is manageable.”
“The Arakan Army and many Chinland forces are fighting together. CYLA asked to stop fighting in Chin state, so we must figure out their true intention. Their block of the trade route badly affected the entire Chin state,” he said.
According to sources, the Chin National Front has denied having any ties with the CYLA.
While the CYLA has initiated a roadblock to suppress the conflict, on the other side of the border, sources said the roadblock has suppressed more than the conflict; it has also restricted access to basic needs and essentials for the Chin community.
Salai Dokhar, founder of India for Myanmar, told EastMojo, “The roadblock is directly affecting southern Chin people and northern Rakhine state. This is a form of punishing public civilians. These kinds of roadblocks pressure stakeholders but directly affect civilians, so I disagree with the action of the Central Young Lai Association.”
He suggested that the CYLA should look for other means to pressure the Arakan Army instead of a roadblock, “Organising such roadblocks is a form of human rights violation against civilians. Find other ways to pressure the Arakan Army and southern Chin resistance groups; there are many other ways to apply pressure.”
Dokhar highlighted what he believes is a crisis resulting from the roadblock. He mentioned that the basic needs of civilians, including food and medicine, are not available, “Southern Chin is facing a grave diarrhoea epidemic, and if this road remains blocked, many people will die because they cannot access medicines.”
He traced the history of the bond shared between people from the Indian side of the border and the Myanmar side, saying, “We share the same tribal ethnicity. When the Mizo National Front was in revolution, they received a lot of support from the southern Chin people and also the Rakhine people. A lot of Rakhine people and southern Chin people helped them move around safely. We also have a history of standing up for each other, which is why I think we have to recall such historical empowerment.”
‘Never going to deny our brothers the essentials’
When EastMojo questioned the officials of the Central Young Lai Association about access to basic needs for the people of Myanmar, Joseph Lalhmingthanga, General Secretary of CYLA, said, “All essentials, including food such as potatoes, grains, and biscuits, are passing through. This is being allowed on humanitarian grounds.”
He said that when they first announced the blockade, they did not allow the movement of any goods, including essentials, to ensure strict control. However, since they have more personnel on duty now, they have allowed basic needs to pass through with proper verification.
The Mizoram-Paletwa route became a lifeline after the Arakan Army seized Paletwa Township on Chin’s southern border; goods are now routed through the Mizoram-Paletwa road to Rakhine.
“For us, it is Mizoram first,” said Joseph. Their main aim from the beginning has been to check the route for any movement of diesel and petrol. “This is a form of smuggling, and even within our borders, the transportation of such goods is not allowed without an explosives license. It is against the law of the country,” he said.
“The whole of Mizoram welcomes Chin refugees because we share ethnic ties. However, they are now experiencing internal conflicts that we do not fully understand. We have heard that some groups are siding with the Arakan Army and trying to take over all the bordering areas of Lawngtlai and Champhai from India’s side. While we aren’t familiar with the specifics regarding the CNA or CNF, we do not want the Arakan Army to strengthen itself. We attempted to engage in dialogue with the Arakan Army, but they are not open to it,” he added.
On the condition of anonymity, a source informed EastMojo that the Central government does not have an issue with the transportation of oil and petroleum to Myanmar. As the junta gets weaker, they are open to supporting the Arakan Army.
According to a report from The Irrawaddy, the CYLA’s pressure tactic could succeed, as northern Rakhine and Paletwa Township rely heavily on Indian goods. A Paletwa resident noted, “The Arakan Army sends goods from Lawngtlai to Rakhine townships through Paletwa. Displaced Chin residents in Paletwa don’t rely on those goods and can survive on crops even without rice.”
Also Read: How political indifference turned Mizoram’s Lawngtlai into a black hole for students
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