Myanmar’s Chin National Army Seeks Asylum in India amid Military Coup

News Desk

Myanmar-based armed insurgent group Chin National Army (CNA) has sought asylum for their families in India in the wake of the military coup in the neighboring country India’s Mizoram. The CNA, the armed wing of the Chin National Front (CNF), has sought asylum for 40 families, Mizoram’s Champhai district deputy commissioner Maria CT Zuali told. She shared that the CNA communicated the matter to the village council president of Farkawn, who later informed the Champhai district administration. The matter was later forwarded to higher authorities.

A high alert has been issued by India in the border areas of Mizoram. The district administration has issued a notification to all villages, instructing them to inform the district administration if Myanmar’s refugees are seen entering their areas. India’s Mizoram state shares a 404-km long international border with Myanmar.

It is the armed wing of the Chin National Front (CNF), and was founded on 20 March 1988 alongside it. The CNA signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of Myanmar on 6 January 2012.

The CNA is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council, a coalition of opposition groups whose goal is to establish a federal system in Myanmar, or achieve levels of autonomy and peace amongst the various ethnic minorities in the country. Chin National Army is the armed wing of Chin National Front (CNF), a group fighting for a federal union based on self-determination, ethnic equality and democracy in Myanmar founded on 20 March 1988 alongside it. The CNA signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of Myanmar on 6 January 2012.

The CNA is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council, a coalition of opposition groups whose goal is to establish a federal system in Myanmar, or achieve levels of autonomy and peace amongst the various ethnic minorities in the country. Since late 1980s, thousands of members of the Chin community of Myanmar have fled to Mizoram because of the military junta. Though many returned to Myanmar after democracy was restored in the country, thousands of them are still living in the state, according to officials. The Chins of Myanmar and the people of Mizoram share the same ancestry and culture.