Chin State

Early history

Situated in the remote hilly region of the Chin Hills, Chin State was traditionally autonomous and far from their neighboring powers like Burman kingdoms in the east and Indian states in the west to reach.^[8] Until the British advancement in the region, independent city-states such as Ciimnuai (Chinwe/Chin Nwe) later shifted to Tedim and Vangteh in the north,^[9] Tlaisun (also recorded as Tashon) and Rallang in the mid-land, and Hakha, Thantlang and Zokhua (Yokwa) in the south played important political role in securing peace of the region,^[10] and each city-state practised its own independent sovereignty in their own rights.

20th century

Upon Burma's independence from the United Kingdom in 1948, the Chin Hills Special Division was created, with its capital at Falam. Hakha later became the capital. However, three townships that are today part of present-day Chin State (Mindat, Kanpetlet and Matupi) were previously part of the Pakokku Hill Tracts of Pakokku District and Paletwa Township of the Arakan Hill Tracts, until 4 January 1974. On this date, the Chin Hills Special Division was granted state status and became Chin State.^[11]

"Chin National Day" is designated on 20 February to commemorate the "General Assembly of Chinland" held in 1948.^[12] The first celebration of Chin National Day was held in 1951, but it was not recognized by the Myanmar government until the 2010s.^[13]

Myanmar civil war

Chin State, like much of Myanmar, has been deeply affected by the Myanmar civil war since it broke out in 2021. Tens of thousands of Chin State residents have fled to neighboring Mizoram, India, and towns such as Thantlang were destroyed in the fighting.^[14] Since the war broke out, several armed opposition groups have emerged calling themselves the Chinland Defense Force. The groups are reportedly funded by the Chin diaspora and by the National Unity Government of Myanmar, an opposition government-in-exile.^[15]

On 6 December 2023 the Chin National Front adopted a Chinland Constitution, proclaiming the state of Chinland.^[16] But resistance groups from 5 townships (Falam, Kanpetlet, Matupi, Mindat, and Tedim) out of 9 townships in Chin State objected to this constitution.^[17]

Executive

Legislature

Ethnic makeup

The Chin peoples make up the majority of Chin State's population, with small Rakhine and Bamar minorities. The people of Chin State are made up of many tribes which, though historically related, now speak divergent languages and have different cultural and historical identities. Some consider the name Chin an exonym, given by the Burmese. Other tribes in the state include Zo, Zomi, Zotung, Laimi, K'Cho, Khumi, Asho.

After the 2014 Census in Myanmar, the Burmese government indefinitely withheld release of detailed ethnicity data, citing concerns around political and social concerns surrounding the issue of ethnicity in Myanmar.^[27] In 2022, researchers published an analysis of the General Administration Department's nationwide 2018-2019 township reports to tabulate the ethnic makeup of Chin State.^[28][27]

As of February 2024, United Nations estimates 60,000 Chin people have fled to the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, while another 61,000 remain internally displaced following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. Chin humanitarian organizations estimate that the real figures are much higher. ^[29]

Religion

According to the 2014 Myanmar Census, Christians make up the vast majority of Chin State's population, at 85.4%. Minority religious communities include Buddhists (13.0%), Islam (0.1%), Hindus (0.02%), and Animism and other religions (~1.5%), including adherents of Pau Cin Hau, who collectively comprise the remainder of Chin State's population. 74 people listed no religion or were otherwise not enumerated.^[31] A small portion of the population practices Judaism, specifically Bnei Menashe.^[32][33] Historically, Chin State’s population was almost entirely animist, but the arrival of Swedish-American Baptist missionaries in the late 1800s led to Christianity becoming the dominant religion.^[34][35] Chin State is the only state in Myanmar with a majority Christian population.^[36]