Chins held the intra-ethnic Constitution Consultative meeting
Chiangmai, Thailand: Leaders of the Chin Forum and the Chin National Council, the biggest alliance of the Chin political parties and civil societies working for the common interests of the Chin people, have successfully concluded their first ever joint Chinland Constitution Consultative Meeting dated 24 – 28 of July, 2007 at the Thai-Burma border.
Clearly, the first consultation on the future Chinland Constitution jointly organized by leaders of Chin Forum and CNC is viewed as the first step in the right direction towards strengthening and nurturing the spirit of national unity and cooperation among the Chin people which will bring about many positive things for the Chins everywhere.
Participating in the five-day long consultative meeting includes six representatives of the Chin Forum, Pu Lian Uk, Salai Kipp Kho Lian, Salai Victor Biak Lian, Dr. Salai Ngun Cung Lian, Dr. Sui Khar, Pu Nang Lian Thang, and three representatives of the CNC, Pu Lalramlawma, Pu Khua Uk Lian, Pu Thang Len Piang, and three resource persons, Professor David C. Williams, John S. Hasting Professor of Law at Indiana University school of law and Consultant of the Chin Forum, Prof. Susan H. Williams of Walter W. Foskett Professor of Law at Indiana University School of law, Honorable Judge David H. Hamilton of The United States District Judge, Southern District of Indiana, and as observers Amy Amy Alexander, the legal consultant of the Chin Human Rights Organization and Salai Za Ceu Lian, the Global College of the University of Winnipeg intern 2007.
Founded in 1998, with the objective of keeping in place beforehand the Chin State Constitution in draft, the Chin Forum has been holding a number of meetings and constitutional seminars which resulted in the successful publication of the fourth initial draft of the Chinland Constitution, leading now drafters to work on the fifth initial draft of the Chinland Constitution. Since its inception, the Chin Forum stands as a common platform open to all Chins of different political views or affiliations interest in working together for common democratic objectives. Now the preparation to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the birth of the Chin Forum is underway. Besides, to highlight the roles of the Chin forum and its existence, leaders the CF are planning to publish the Chin forum magazine.
Commenting on the significant role of the Chin forum, Salai Victor Biak Lian, a former Secretary of Chin Forum Management Body says, “Looking back to where we started, I believe that we have come a long way in terms of accomplishing some of our political objectives that we initially set forth. Among others, we not only produced the fourth initial draft of our constitution, as the years go by, we also witness that people in the movement are able to differentiate between a democratic movement and the vital role played by constitution in democracy and they understand now that constitution indeed is the real hearth of federalism and democracy which I think is so important.”
“From the very beginning of our mission, the fact that we are always result and solution-oriented, I believe that we attained our goals to a certain degree and hope that we continuously make a progresses which will lead us to attain our ultimate goals eventually”, he adds.
Firmly believing that restoring democracy will not ensure the rights of self-rule and self-determination for their homeland, along with their ethnic nationalities counterparts, the Chin leaders have been taking initiatives systematically to start preparing their own constitutions with a view to protect their national rights and distinct national identity constitutionally.
Sharing his views on the ongoing role that the Chin Forum is undertaking, current coordinator of the Chin Forum, Salai Kipp Kho Lian says, “It opens up a new place in the federal movement of the political exiles of Chinland. We manage to fill up gap between two ages and I believe that many effective new initiatives will follow soon.”
The Chins held their intra-ethnic consultative meeting following their participations in the 6th seminar on the state Constitutions dated 16-20th July, 07 where delegates of the non-Burman ethnic nationalities together and jointly discussed and amended the drafted constitution of the Federal Constitution Drafting and Coordinating Committee (FCDCC) members designed for the future federal Union of Burma.
