Amidst worldwide condemnation to the military junta of
Myanmar (Burma), a Chin refugee in Northeast India is
expecting a safe return to her home town. After the rulers
of Burma had extended the detention term of the
pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by another six
months on Monday (Nov 28 ) last, it received severe
criticism from different parts of the globe. From UN to US
and EU, everyone has raised the voice for the immediate
release of Suu Kyi. In fact, the 60 years old Nobel Peace
Prize winner in 1991, Suu Kyi is living under house arrest
for the last two and half years now.
With all the troubles and dilemma, Nu Nu Win is waiting for
the golden moment, when she would return to her hometown as
soon as democracy restored in Burma. The girl, approaching
thirty narrated her pathetic story inside (and outside)
Burma. In a cold winter evening, she crossed the
international boarder to reach a Northeast Indian province (Mizoram)
to get rid of the Burmese military harassment. With a small
baggage, Nu Nu Win left her birthplace Thantlang town of
Chin province in Northwest Burma and fled to Champhai in
Mizoram. The Burmese military personnel hunted her, as Nu Nu
Win actively participated in the pro democracy movement led
by Suu Kyi.
A student leader by repute, Nu Nu Win could relax in
Mizoram, as the military rulers of Burma couldn't reach her.
Moreover, the Chin and Mizo are very similar in physical
appearance, food habits and linguistic accent. Hence Nu Nu
Win had some good time with little bit of security, though
she missed his parent and brothers in Chin state. Nu Nu Win
starts her enormous struggle for survival as an unskilled
daily wage earner in Champhai areas and soon she moved to
the capital city Aizawl in search of a better life.
But all were not well for Nu Nu Win. A rape incident that
took place in July 17, 2003 where a Burmese wanderer
allegedly molested a minor Mizo girl changed the atmosphere
surrounding her. The incident immediately gained
complication and an influential Mizo youth's group had
launched violent campaign against Burmese living in Mizoram.
The hard reality draped in forced deportation of around 1000
Chin refugees from Aizawl within the next few weeks. Nu Nu
Win had no option other than staying in India, because
military rulers (in Burma) were waiting for her with more
harsh punishment order.
Nu Nu Win is one of the 40,000 Burmese Chin refugees in
Mizoram, who are fighting survival struggle. They have been
fleeing in different groups from their homeland to Mizoram
since 1988 Uprising against the dictators in Rangoon. The
military junta, known as the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) had launched repressive action against the
democratic activists. Even the SPDC, predominantly Buddhist
stared religious persecution against mostly Christian Chin
ethnic minorities.
The pro-democratic movement resulted in landslide victory
for the National League for Democracy led by Suu Kyi in the
last general election in 1990, but the military junta
refused to hand over the power to the elected
representatives. Rather they continued oppressive actions
against the pro-democracy activists. Most of the Chin
refugees crossed the border to escape the carnage. For them,
Mizoram was ideal choice, as the Chin and Mizo enjoy
distinctive similarities in culture, tradition and religion,
though they are literally divided by a political boundary.
With Nu Nu Win many other left Aizawl with the threatening
of Young Mizo Association after the sensational rape case.
YMA simply decided to 'clean up' the state form Burmese
refugees. The activists of YMA started haunting and
assaulting the Chin refugees with 'Quit Mizoram' notice.
Even the local police was mute spectators to the incidents,
where at least 7000 Burmese including 4,300 women and
children were targeted for repatriate to Burma. Over
hundred Chin families reportedly left Aizawl to take shelter
in the jungles of border areas. They lived with all the
difficulties-no drinking water, sanitation and health care
and not to speak about the risk to their children.
The government of India has no refugee policy and it deals
the issue with The Foreigners Act that hardly makes any
distinction between the illegal immigrants and refugees.
Hence the Chin refugees of Mizoram are deprived of
reorganization by the government. At the same time, they are
being denied the international legal protections under the
Convention Concerning the Status of Refugees, as the central
Government is still reluctant to allow the U.N. High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to visit Mizoram with
other states in Northeast. In fact, the UNHCR has certified
the refugee status only around 400 Burmese who came to New
Delhi to apply in person till date. Hence the thousands of
Chins in Mizoram are been exposed to all kinds of
uncertainty and frustrations.
Of course, the incident invited condemnation from the human
right bodies based in different parts of the region.
Demanding the safety and security of the Chin people in
Mizoram, the Human Rights Watch urged the government in New
Delhi to allow UNHCR to access Northeast including Mizoram.
The director of New Delhi based Asian Centre for Human
Rights, Suhas Chakma asserted, "I strongly believe that a
democratic government in Burma would only help mitigating
all these kinds of problem, caused due to the military
misrule in Burma," asserted Mr Chakma. Narrating the
implication of the military rule in Burma, an exiled Burmese
journalist based in Northeast India argues that the enormous
human rights violations under the military regime in Burma
must have negative impact on Indian side, particularly in
Burma bordering Northeast region.
Though condemnation showered to Burmese rulers by the
international communities in the recent past, New Delhi has
developed a strategic military relationship with Burmese
rulers. Even the energy thrust Indian government is working
on a gas pipeline proposal to shift natural gas from Arakan
(in west Burma) to Kolkata through Bangladesh. However, the
exiled journalist wishes that the civil societies in India
would come forward to initiate pressure on the policy makers
in New Delhi to redefine the strategy to the military rulers
concerning its own security aspect.
With an eye to the international reaction against SPDC, Nu
Nu Win wishes she could meet her family members and start a
new life there. "Later may be, I will prefer to migrate to
Mandalay or Rangoon for a better life and settled down
forever," concluded the confident young woman with a smile
of hope in her eyes.
