In Burma, a little-known conflict has been taking place for more than two years now. In remote areas on the border with India, rebels from the Chin National Army (CNA) are fighting fiercely against soldiers from the Tatmadaw, the regular Burmese army, to defend their territory. This all-out war has largely passed under the radar of Western media, but CNA fighters continue to resist, weapons in hand, against the ruling military junta.
Following the military coup at the beginning of 2021, the Chins, an ethnic minority and predominantly Christian in a predominantly Buddhist country, decided to take up arms to defend their territory and their ideals against the junta. Unlike other ethnic groups engaged in armed conflicts for decades, the Chins had remained behind in the civil war. In 2015, they even signed a ceasefire agreement with the military, but the coup and the violence that followed called this fragile peace into question.
In the remote mountains of the west of the country, the Chins are fiercely resisting the Burmese army. They control a large part of their territory and benefit from the support of many civilians who have joined the resistance. Men and women of various professions, they refuse to remain passive in the face of the violence of the regular army. However, this support from civilians is frowned upon by Tatmadaw soldiers, and some villages pay dearly for joining the rebels.
The town of Thantlang is a tragic example of these reprisals. Following regular ambushes, the Burmese army burned entire neighborhoods, killed many residents and forced others to flee. Today, the front line is frozen around Thantlang, transformed into a ghost town. Reconquering this town is crucial for the future of Chin territory, as it would open the way to one of the junta’s last barracks in the region.
The CNA rebels aim to unite with other ethnic armed groups to form a federal army capable of defeating the powerful Tatmadaw. Their determination is unwavering, but their fight remains unknown to the rest of the world.
This conflict in Burma represents a crucial issue for the Chins and for the future of the country. As the military junta violently represses all opposition, it is necessary to support these fighters fighting for freedom and democracy. The international community must mobilize to put an end to this violence and allow the Burmese people to regain peace and stability.