Increase in members and activities of Chin Student Union

Khonumthung News

1 March 2006

The activities and membership of the Chin Student Union (CSU) have increased manifold with the union leaders’ commitment to work for the betterment of students in Delhi.

CSU leaders visiting Aizawl, Mizoram to jointly organize a one-day seminar on ‘People to People Relation’ with Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) General Headquarters (GHQ) shared their commitment and activities with the Khonumthung News Group on February 28. ‘There are many students who came to India for further studies, as the education system has totally collapsed in Burma. One of the main duties of the CSU is to guide them and help them find institutions and colleges for further studies, says an escapee from the custody of the Burma Army for fear of execution on a false accusation of supporting the Chin Independent Army (CIA). He was apprehended with his father, Daniel Lalramthanga, organizer of the union for two consecutive terms.

Student refugees have got permission to seek admission in various streams of education in the Correspondence Course of the University of Delhi (CCUD), with the production of Refugee Status Cards issued by United Nations High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR). Earlier

Burmese refugees could seek admission only in the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Now, the students union has managed to get permission for the admission of Chin student refugees in CCUD.

With the increase in new comers’ the activities of the CSU has increased. Meanwhile, the CSU participates in various demonstrations, seminars and activities, organized by political parties and organizations for the restoration of democracy in Burma.

In the general conference of the students union in 2005, students from every region of Chin state and other divisions of Burma has sought membership of the CSU. This ensures greater participation of the students and has paved the way for students to represent their region in the union elections. The union leaders have committed themselves to unity of Chins through the student’s body.

The President of CSU, Lalremsanga, who left Burma when he was denied the right to admission in a Master’s degree course, says, “We understood the exploitation of the Chin students right to education when we reached Delhi. We are committed to work for our people for education, unity and for the restoration of democracy in Burma.”

 CSU campaigns to the people of India and students bodies, particularly the North East Student Joint Action Committee (NESJAC) for the support of the restoration of democracy in Burma. The union played a vital role in the signature campaign to be submitted to the United Nations Organization by the ‘Burma Campaign India’.

CSU has no particular alliance with Indian student unions and political parties, though their activities are political. The union will, however, seek an alliance with other Burma’s Student Unions.

CSU expects cooperation of Chin political parties, civil societies and women organizations as the union is working for the Chin society at the student level. Meanwhile, the union leaders opined that the government of India has no policy to support the restoration of democracy in Burma though politicians give their own personal support.

Plato Vandungmang, the General Secretary of CSU, who was a teacher and youth leader, fled Burma fearing detention for organizing a demonstration against the military junta when a member of the youth organization was falsely accused and killed by the Burmese Army. He said, “Though India is the largest democratic country in the world, the government of India has offered no serious commitment for the restoration of democracy in Burma in its policies. They are only seeking economic gain from Burma.”

CSU stands for Chinland and strives for restoration of democracy in Burma. ‘Let the people of Mizoram accept Chin, as it is the only nomenclature in which we can be united in Burma, as we accept Mizo as their nomenclature in Mizoram.’ added Lalremsanga, the President of CSU commenting on the one day ‘People to People Relation Seminar’ organized in Aizawl with MZP GHQ.

CSU was formally formed on October 1, 1995 in New Delhi, India. CSU, Delhi is a branch of the Chin Student Union of Burma, in the liberated area – India.

The Chin Student Union was formed in 1946 in Rangoon University, formerly known as Rangoon University Hill Chin Students’ Union (RUHCSU). The union was banned in 1962, when General Newin seized power, fearing students’ intervention in national politics. The Union was revived in August 1988 in Falam Town, Chin state.