An interview with Salai Van Sui San, Deputy Director of Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA).
The Institute of Chin Affairs released a report on 10 October, stating that more than 500 Chin people, including children and women, were killed by the military council forces in various ways during the two and a half years of the military coup.
The Khonumthung Media Group (KMG) interviewed Salai Van Sui San, Deputy Director of Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA) about the increase in the number of casualties of civilians and Chin resistance fighters, the current military situation and the future prospects in Chin State which sees the strong-armed resistance.
Q: How did the civilian deaths occur in Chin State?
A: During more than two years of the coup, the number of Chin people killed by the military council reached 528. There were 271 civilian deaths. Ten 10 peaceful protestors were killed in the military’s shooting. The military council also killed 78 people who went to their uplands and encountered the military column. Nine of more than 100 people who were used as human shields were also killed. Five bodies of those arrested and killed in the prisons were found. The number of those who were arrested, raped and killed reached 26. The landmines killed 21 people. Eight deacons were killed. The airstrikes killed 28 civilians. The junta killed 38 women, 179 men and 24 underage children.
Q: Why are there so many deaths of underage children?
A: Most of these children are killed by indiscriminate shelling. Children cannot hide during aerial bombardment and their parents cannot protect them. In some cases, both mothers and children have lost their lives.
Q: The report said that there are many deaths due to landmines. Because of what circumstances?
A: As many as 21 people have died due to landmines. Most of the Chin people may face livelihood difficulties if they don’t do uplands for a year. They stepped on the landmines planted by the military council when they went to their uplands. It can be said that this is a military council’s mine because the explosive force is not a hand-made mine.
Q: It is known that many members of Chinland Defense Forces (CDFs) were killed during two and a half years of the revolution. What are the circumstances?
A: Till 1 October, 311 members of local defense forces—15 women and 296 men—have been killed in total. A total of 77 resistance fighters were killed in 2021, 110 in 2022 and more than 90 till 1 October, 2023. By looking at these figures, the percentage of deaths till September 2023 is found to be higher than that in the previous two years. This is because airstrikes have become more common this year. Our Chin national revolutionary army has no jet fighters. There is no (weapon) to shoot down fighter jets. The number of Chin resistance fighters killed has increased this year as the military council conducts airstrikes with the use of excessive forces and regards it as the major enemy.
Q: Religious leaders are arrested and killed. Many religious buildings are burned down. How is the military council committing these cases?
A: Up to 101 religious buildings were destroyed. They were also stationed in the religious buildings. They also destroyed the materials in the religious buildings and took the materials they wanted. Up to eight Christian pastors and deacons were killed. A Christian pastor was sentenced to 20 years in prison. It seems that the military council is clearly challenging international law by doing so. In addition, the military council troops are stationed in Buddhist religious buildings and monasteries in Sagaing Region and destroyed them. There are many such things. This violates international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. It is not the time for relevant international organizations to sit idly by doing nothing and issue statements. There is a dire need for practical and effective action.
Q: The military council burned down many houses and buildings of Chin nationals. What laws does this violate?
A: The destruction of buildings owned by Chin nationals in Chin State has reached more than 2,100. This clearly violates international humanitarian Law. The international law prohibits all armed attacks on non-military objects, public buildings, schools and religious buildings and the military use of schools. But the military councils are clearly violating these points.
Q: What are the effects of the airstrikes of the military council on the civilians in Chin State?
A: Airstrikes become more frequent in 2023. The regional defense force does not have any weapons to defend against air attacks. The people have to hide. No one can protect them. However, due to repeated airstrikes, the number of civilian deaths is increasing.
Q: The military council not only gang-raped young Chin women, but also killed them. Which forces committed it?
A: The military council forces not only gang-raped up to six Chin women, but also killed them. They brutally raped and killed the young women who could not run away when the military column entered the villages. It is difficult to say which battalions committed the cases. Soldiers from the LID-268 are mostly involved in the cases. They are from the different battalions as the military council has no enough strength. The military council conducts offensives after a merger of these battalions.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add to this statement?
A: This is the death of Chin people in more than two and a half years. By looking at these, it is obviously seen that many lives have been sacrificed in the revolution. Therefore, it is necessary to review whether the international organization and the National Unity Government (NUG) can provide guarantees for the Chin nationals who have to sacrifice their lives. I don’t want them to sacrifice their lives without getting anything for Chin national. Sacrificing their lives should be meaningful. Their blood flowing on the ground is not wasted. The call of this blood will be heard back sometime.
I would like to urge revolutionary leaders and political leaders that it is very necessary for them to carefully review which methods should be used to win this revolution, the time spent and how to make a turning point for the success of this revolution. By saying this, we will neither stop the revolution nor give up. It is now very necessary for all the people to work together to find a way on how to speed up the revolution and how to continue to minimize the suffering of the people. In finding such a way, the public’s full cooperation is required. I understand that it is not convenient for non-Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) staff to join CDM due to life situations. But it is very necessary for them to join together with the public by thinking about how they can be useful for this revolution.
Sent by KMG