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Chin refugees from Myanmar seek justice and human rights in India
by Nirmala Carvalho
Thousands of ethnic Chin march through the streets of Delhi. At least 11 thousand 500 Chin live in Delhi, having fled the brutal and systematic repression of the Burmese military authorities. The majority of them are Christians.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - More than three Chin thousand refugees yesterday took to the streets in the center of Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of World Refugee Day. The event was organized by The Chin Refugee Committee (CRC) to ask the Indian society and government to protect these refugees, and at the same time urge the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to improve its service to them. During the march, including many women and children, the Chin shouted: "We need human rights, we demand dignity, we want your support, enough discrimination".
Van Mung Lian told AsiaNews: "Yesterday there was a demonstration for World Refugee Day, and our program had two parts, the first was an exhibition of photographs with the evidence of violations of human rights, and the second was the parade. It was attended by some three thousand refugees from Myanmar, and the majority of Chin refugees are Christians. We are about 70 thousand refugees from Mizoram, and there are about 11 thousand 500 Chin in Delhi, who have fled to various forms of repression by the Burmese military authorities. "
Van Mung Lian is a 36 year old Christian, who fled to India in 2002 from his native Hakha. "There is no religious freedom in Burma, and the suffering was intense, we can not practice our religion. There is a Birmanization of society, the government is forcibly promoting only one race, one religion and all minorities are suffering, are persecuted. About 3200 Chin took part in this event, and it can be proven that at least 700 of them have suffered human rights violations. "
Plato Van Rung Mang, coordinator of the Chin Human Rights Organization in Delhi, said: "The Chin refugees from Burma came to India immediately after the popular demonstrations in 1988, and as a result of the systematic violation of human rights, that range from arbitrary arrest and murder to rape, torture, political suppression, religious persecution, forced labour and the militarization of the military regime. And this has lasted for over 50 years. "