Political Review, Nov. 2005

Political Review: The Chins

Nov. 20, 2005.

So far so quit, as the heated political emotion has calmed down after 17 years of the nationwide democratic movement of 1988 in Burma, the Chin national politics, from the collective scenario of the whole as one people one nation, appeared to be strategizing itsselt for the future. The SPDC has been struggling to preserve its political trend both internally and externally, through the National Convention and by moving the national capital. Meanwhile, the fate of the people remained the same or worse than ever, but not necessarily the future is doom. The non Burman ethnics politics has its own role but without immediate power to overthrow the ruling junta. Likewise, the whole Burma pro-democratic movement reached its diminishing return. So, what is next?

Some might see the Chin people’s political trend as heading toward a dead end, which is not true. There is a future prospect for the people, taking every opportunity to empower our individual or collective capacity, if the available opportunities are handled appropriately and wisely for the collective good of all. Political fragmentation, the mishandling of a tiny opportunity and power, and with constant differences in opinions and arguments, some might have thought that that we are not going to make our history well but worsen the fate of the future generation. However, from the other side of the history, the Chin people have improved a lot and enriched our political capital disposable for national necessity of the future. Having been brought up and influenced by the dictatorship model leadership and government system, many might have thought that we all must be in one political party and move as a visible and powerful people. However, if we analyze each social unit and theinterconnectedness of our people at individual and social group level, our people remain united and motivated to move ahead toward the end goal of building our own history remarkable.

Compared to all other non-Burma ethnic groups in Burma, the Chins have gained exceeding intellectual capacity and knowledge as well as experiences that for the future, like a rising star, even to challenge the Burman majority, we will prevail, honoring the One who nourished our people with essential means for the rapid development of the evolution of human society. Some of our respected and honored leaders have passed away recently, such as Pu Dr. Vum Son, Pu Mang Tling, Pu Mang Bur, etc. If age if the only determinant factor, there are, unavoidably, others on the queue. They may be silence for some reasons, but they are vital to meet the interest of the contemporary generation. For a leader is not failed when it doesn’t gain enough wealth, power, or education, but when fails to generate leaders to lead the next generation, as our number one priority is not democracy or political power, but to build the image of our people with dignity and future certainty. Some, due to the surrounding political environment, might illusively conceived opinions that political parties or power is necessary in order to decorate our national history with collective dignity and future certainty. However, all theses means, political parties, social political capitals are just tools to achieve our collective end goal. For example, the political parties, such as theZRA, ZNC, CNF, CNLD, MMP, etc. are just means of political channels through which our people intended to canalize their national end goal, which for all is the same-the happiness of our people with national dignity and future certainty. None of our people, who might have been serving a long time with any particular political party or organization, will die for such political tool, but for our people. Any or more of them might have made mistake in the past, or of course none of them might be without error in the history. Therefore, there is no reason that our people wouldn’t be able to sum up each of their political capital for the collective good of all.

If the end goal could be potentially achieved through any particular political party or tool, all would be willing to contribute the essential means to carry out our national task. However, as long as, all things under considered, if any particular political unit is good only for one or more agendas, but not for all, let such political party moves strictly to achieve that goal. If the nomenclature, Chin or Zo, or Mizo, is significantly and apparently outstanding others to achieve our national end goal, then, none wouldn’t be hesitant to label himself or herself with any national identity. But the important thing is that none of us is enslaved by our own opinion to stick with any particularity when such action doesn’t have supporting rational and political attachments to prevail in the near future. When moral imperative, in human history, contradicts with the political reality, people should avoid confronting such un-winnable confrontation whether politically or otherwise. Supposed,a hungry man and a hungry dog, having been traveled for long day, reached at the same table in the late afternoon, where a piece of bread is laid down on that table, should the man grab the bread and fight with the dog, harming himself which would hinder him from continuing his journey? Or let the dog eat the bread? Unless the man wants to eat the dog meat, a wise thing would be to stay away from the bread, so that the dog would become his protective friend in the night when he needs to take rest. In other words, lets all ready to bear a little pain to avoid unnecessary confrontation with the political reality as long as it doesn’t endanger our collective end goal.

For a little while, we may be dismayed bearing a little pain, but for a long run, as long as we all stick together to meet our national end goal, we will prevail, for the God of our people is always faithful to prove to the world that we are his people and he is always with us and we are nothing less than those who worship any other gods and goddesses. Rather, we are happy people for in spite of the outward life circumstances, we keep singing songs of sacrifice and thanks to the God of our people. As long as our God is pleased, regardless of where we are or how people regard us, we are blessed people and we will prevail. May God Bless You All!