Forced displacement provides a detailed examination of the experiences of Chin refugees who fled to the Indian border following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. The study focuses on the real-life experiences and stories of Chin refugees in Mizoram, India. It highlights the resilience of the Chin refugees as they navigate their difficult circumstances. Despite facing significant challenges, including limited resources and opportunities, the refugees continue to adapt and survive. The paper sheds light on the complex realities of forced displacement and offers valuable insights into the survival strategies employed by refugees during their migration and settlement in a new land.
By Min Thang
MYANMAR DIGITAL RESEARCH 08
Abstract
Civil war, armed conflict, human rights violations, displacement, and oppression have a long history in Burma. The military government changed the country name Burma into Myanmar, which is, many scholars argue that another attempt to Burmanize the country. Myanmar itself has always been considered a name applying to the ethnic Bamar of the plain not include other ethnic nationalities. For instance, Myanmar saka (Bamar language) Myanmar culture, Myanmar history, Myanmar Dance, Myanmar song, which does not include non-Bamar culture, history, language, dance, and tradition. While Burma is inhabited and owned by various ‘nationalities’ such as the Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Bamar, Shan, Palaung, Paoh, Wa and others. Together they are known as Burmese.1 Therefore, the author used the term Burma in this study. The 2021 coup in Burma a new era of mass killings, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and other abuses by the State Administration Council (SAC) regime. Chin state has seen strong resistance to the military regime, and even prior to the coup, armed conflicts and civil war have had a significant human cost. As result, more than 50,000 Chin people have fled across the Indian border since the coup. The displacement and resettlement of Chin in Mizoram state, India is the focus of this research. The aim is to understand the real-life experiences and stories of Chin refugees in Mizoram, uncovering the specific issues and difficulties the Chin refugees are confronting. The researcher undertook extensive qualitative interviews to better understand the experiences of Chin refugees residing in Mizoram.
Keywords: Coup, Conflict, Forced Displacement, Chin Refugee, Mizoram
This Myanmar Digital Research paper was produced for the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) initiative, with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and with support from The SecDev Foundation. Views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of either organization.
Over the next two years, twenty papers in the Myanmar Digital Research series will have researchers within and in the Myanmar diaspora exploring how the digital world is shaping their social, political and economic crisis, bringing new insights into issues facing Myanmar citizens. See below for others available now.