The Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA) has made a grim announcement. Over 380 Chin people, including children and religious workers, have been killed from a brutal campaign against the people, committed by the Military Council during the two years following the coup.
From February 1 st 2021 – February 2nd 2023, the Military Council deployed a range of military weapons, including artillery ,bombs, rockets, mortars, and fighter jets to attack the Chin people for the sole purpose of clinging onto power.
ICA’ s report dated March 2nd indicates : 164 Chin people were arbitrarily killed in 2022, 219 in 2023, bringing the total to 383.
The deceased includes over 230 Chin resistance forces and more than 120 civilians, including 19 boys and 5 girls below the age of 18. Furthermore, two infants aged 6 and 7 months, and four bishops were also brutally killed by the Military Council troops.
Salai Van Sui San, deputy director of the ICA, said "Deaths have taken various forms, ranging from victims of landmines, rape, murder, human shields, airstrikes, and bombings. ICA also claimed that the Military Council troops gang-raped four Chin women and killed one of them, a 15-year-old girl.
The Military Council’s actions display a total disregard for religious beliefs, as evidenced by their merciless killing of four Christian bishops who were serving the predominantly Chin community.
During the coup period, the Military Council troops captured 56 Chin civilians, using them as human shields while forcing them to serve as guides and hostages. Some of these detainees were tortured and killed, while almost 900 Chin people were arrested, and many were sentenced to prison terms on various charges without any real evidence.
Additionally, they have destroyed at least 60 religious structures, further demonstrating their contempt of religious leaders, freedom and tolerance.
The violence and torture has forced nearly 90,000 Chin people to flee internally, with 40,000 Chins seeking refuge in the Indian state of Mizoram, 15000 in Manipur, and over 10000 in other parts of India, including New Delhi.
“The Military Council has repeatedly committed such crimes against ethnic minorities for decades. After the coup have use the same terrorist policy in Chin State and the rest of the country. Chin State’s population is only about five-hundred thousand, so the number of lives and value of properties that has been lost, are proportionally very high”, ICA said.
In addition, the Military Council fired arbitrarily, or purposefully shelled residences and religious buildings in Chin State, as well as destroyed over 4300 houses and other buildings in Chin State and other areas inhabited by the Chin people through arson attacks.
ICA has also called on the international community to take effective action to ensure that the Military Council is held accountable for the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and human rights violations they committed.
