Chin National Conference concluded in Hakha
15 November 2013: The four-day Chin National Conference (CNC) has today come to a ‘successful’ end with over 570 participants in Hakha, Chin State.
After days of exchanging ideas and discussions on various issues concerning the Chin people as a whole, the conference finished with a set of agreement reached in principle on the final day.
According to a statement released today, points of the agreement in brief include:
- To urge President Thein Sein to immediately convene a Union-level political dialogue following a nationwide ceasefire accord while welcoming his initiatives toward solving Burma’s crisis through political means
- To use ‘Chin’ as the national name and for ethnicity on the National Registration Card (NRC)
- To collect, document and publish Chin customary laws
- To request Union government to develop economic and social infrastructure in a systematic and equitable way for Chin State and the people
- To draft a State constitution and to amend the 2008 Constitution toward achieving the establishment of a federal Union of Burma
- To ensure collaboration between men and women to end discrimination and violence against women, and at least 30% women’s participation in decision-making process
- To ensure consultation with and involvement of indigenous communities in a transparent and accountable way when dealing with issues related to land and natural resources
- To make laws that guarantee freedom of religion and end ongoing discrimination and persecution against religious minorities, and to replace the Ministry of Religious Affairs with an independent and impartial commission on religious affairs in order to ensure equal rights for all religions in the country
- To ensure security for Chin refugees to return home by ending human rights violations and bringing peace and freedom into their native land
- To make policies and laws toward ensuring development of sustainable agricultural systems, and road communications
- To grant up to 80% of authority to the State government to manage Chin educational issues
- To form a committee to implement the above-agreed decisions
The consensus would form a common basis of views and concerns expressed by the Chin when meeting with the central government on the political negotiating table.
The historical event was attended by leaders and representatives of Chin political parties, State government, CNF, tribal groups, townships, civil society organizations, women and youth groups, university students, and religious groups from both inside and outside of Chin State as well as MPs, Chin Affairs Ministers, and individuals from the Chin diaspora.#
