8 November 2010: The Chin National Front (CNF) will be a part of the six major ethnic armies, which decided last week to form an alliance following a secret meeting near the Thai-Burma border. The alliance will take on the Burmese Army in the event of an attack by it.

The alliance is called the Committee for the Restoration of the Federal Union.

“Each of us has our own duty. We have only one ethnic armed group in our state,” said a source in Hakha town.

The alliance was formed on November 4 by the six major ethnic armies - the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO), Shan State Army North (SSAN), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Karen National Union (KNU), Chin National Front (CNF) and the Kareni Progressive Party (KNPP).

“Ethnic groups cannot be protected individually, so we set up a committee to help each other if the junta launches an offensive against us,” said a CNF leader.

The Chin National Front was established in 1988 after the uprising by students in Burma, where many were killed by the Burmese Army. Among the ethnic armed groups the CNF is one of the last to be formed.

“The 2010 election in Burma is not the best thing for us. Now armed groups will play a vital role for our nation. People support the activities of CNF,” said an elder in Tawngzang town.

A student of Kale-Collage said, “We, Chin youths, are very keen about the alliance and I think the CNF has a responsibility to enroll youths into the group.”