Chin People Around The World Mourn The Death of Dr. Vumson Suantak
Dr. Vumson Suantak, 68, an accomplished academician, the precious son of Chinland (Zogam), a relentless campaigner for human rights and democracy for the Chin people and Burma as a whole unexpectedly passed away of stomach disorder this afternoon at Laurel hospital in Maryland, USA.
With a heavy hearts and a great sadness, and by means of sending out their farewell words of sadness and letter of condolences, the Chin people everywhere mourn and share the tragic loss of the profoundly regrettable death of Pu Vumson. By reading those heartfelt condolences and feeling of melancholy being expressed by everyone, it is so obvious how the Chin people tremendously admire and treasure their national icon and patriotic hero, dearly called Pu Vum, who had passed away. Indeed, Dr. Vumson Suantak is a man with integrity, a man with holistic vision, high-minded intellectual, and is one of the most moderate political thinkers of his contemporary Chin.
Vumson Suantak was born of Pu Ngul Zam and Pi Neam Mang in 1937 at Tamdeng village of Teddim township in Chinland, the present day union of Burma.
Vumson Suantak earned his B.Sc. in Geology degree from Rangoon University in 1961, and Master degree in Petroleum Exploration at the Mining Academy Freiberg – Germany in 1965 and his Ph. D (Doctor of Natural Science) from Bergacademie, Freiburg, Germany in 1969.
Dr. Vumson Suantak is the author of Zo History: The history of the Chin/Lushei frontier peoples concentrates on the Chin Hills in Burma, the Lushei Hills in India, and Chittagong Hill Tracks in Bangladesh published in 1986 and Geochemical Exploration of Trace Elements (in German version) in 1970. He had also written several articles and paper, criticizing the mentality of Burmese military regime and reflection on the root of decades-long conflict of Burma.
During his life time, he worked as a geologist in Burma, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States.
Dr. Vumson Suantak was a co-founder and leader of several pro-democracy and human rights organization among the Chin people and Burma such as Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB), Chin National Council (CNC), Chin Freedom Coalition (CFC). Dr. Suantak is founding member of Chin Forum (CF), and Political Affairs Committee for Chinland (PACC) an umbrella Chin political organizations comprise with Chin National Front (CNF), Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD), Mara People Party (MPP), and Zomi National Congress (ZNC), and Zo Reunification Organization (ZORO). He was working together with National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB) from 1991 to 1999, he was advisory member of Zomi Inkuan and Chin National Community-Japan.
The death of Dr. Vumson Suantak is an irreplaceable lost and a national tragedy for the entire Chin people. As it is now, he will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by the entire Chin people in the days to come.
Chinland Guardian
September 19, 2005