One Voice For Chin 60th Chin National Day

One Voice (Chin National Day)

Van Biak Thang The 60th Anniversary Of

No longer could the Chins stand the colony

Nor could they bear the hands of nobility;
Undaunted yet united they made their ways
Chin National Day
Towards liberty they thus yearned in one voice. London, UK
Despite steep mountains and deep vales in between, One Voice For Chin 23.02.2008
Days and nights on foot they traversed to the scene;
No rains and storms stopped their long journey and choice; Service Programme
Together the Chins sought and fought in one voice.
Time: 17:00 - 22:00
Many a hand had tried but failed to part them Announcers: Ohnmar Lynn & Lily Than
In course of seeking their national anthem; First Session
Many years ago today penned a Chin song
Which in one voice they all sang along so strong.
Opening service : Animated Video-clip CND
Welcome Message : Announcer
Years of struggles for equal rights and freedom
CND Message : Rev. Dr. Cin Khan Khual
To the Chins begot a national custom –
Chin National Day, brought up in harmony, Cultural Dance :
Marking the strength of one voice in unity. Short speech on Chin
music & instrument : Salai Tawna
Today ought the Chins to heed the tapestry Fashion Show :
Words of thanks : Dim Lian
That history wove into a net of beauty,
Intertwined in the spirit of brotherhood, Second Session
In one voice firmly and steadily they stood.
Live music show
Note: Magic Show
To read more about the Chin people, please visit some sites belows: Live Music Show continues
Opening Lucky Draw & Stand-up Comedy
http://www.zoramworld.com http://bawm.info Live Music Show
http://www.zomi.net/ Group Song
http://www.laimi.org
http://maradistrict.com
http://kukiforum.com
http://www.chro.org
http://www.chinland.org http://www.chinstudent.org
http://www.chinlandguardian.com
Refreshment: Food stall will be closed by 18:30.
http://cacc.info
See inside for more details about food & drinks.
London, UK 23 February 2008
 One Voice For Chin 60th Chin National Day
Introduction
20 February, 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of Chin
Refreshment
National Day - the day that the Chin people gathered in NB: Food will be served only between 17:00-19:00.
unity at Falam town in 1948 to protest against traditional
feudal aristocratic administrative system and adopted
Food Menu [free of charge]
democratic ruling system in Chin Hills.

Today, Chin people in the UK, like Chin communities 01. Sabuti (q1yl;oD;) - Chin corn soup with pork/beef/vegs
around the world, take pride in recognising, observing 02: Pork on the stick (0wfo1;wkwfxkd;)
and celebrating in London this special occasion of commemoration as our 03. Rakkhine Vermicelli ( 7ckdifrkefhwD)
national day. Aims and objectives may be ascribed as follows:
04. Burmese Noodles salad (eHjud;okyf)
To safeguard our national day and make known our existence as a people 05. Boiled rice
To preserve and uplift our national identity through cutlure, tradition, lan- 06. Curry: fish, chicken, vegetable with prawn
guage and literature 07. Desserts: jelly (gelatin - aus1ufaus1)
To maintain our brotherhood and contribute towards building a new, mod-
ern and developed nation Drinks Menu [with affordable price]

With a motto chosen for this year ‘One Voice For Chin’, Chins in the UK 01. Juices & Water
through help from friends and others make a ‘one-voice’ effort to make 02. Beer
this celebration possible. 03. Wine (White/Red)

A Brief History of The Chin People Bits & Pieces

Of a Mongoloid stock, the Chin people believe to have their origins rooted
in Tibet and China, migrating southwards into Burma and then to the Chin
Hills after living in the Chindwin valley for some times. Some kept moving
into India, Banglesh and elsewhere. The Chins were believed to have occu-
pied the upper Chindwin valley by the 4th century AD. Some Chins living in
the plain areas of Burma are now known as Plain Chins and those on the
mountains Hill Chins.
Prior to the British annexation in 1895, the Chins lived under no foreign rules.
They were administered and controlled independently by the native chief-
tains. Hereditary chieftainship was practiced commonly in most areas and a
chief might have several villages under his control. It can be seen that the
London, UK
> Toilets are by the entrace. Please leave as clean as possible
after using
> Rubbish bins are placed in each corner. Please keep your
litters in where they are supposed to go.
> Beers and wines are available but not for getting drunk. Please
be warned yourself to behave well in public.
> Please be adivsed that your happiness should not disturb
others.
> A garland of flowers is available if willing togive it to singers
> Thank you so much for your cooperation.
23 February 2008
One Voice For Chin 60th Chin National Day
Fast Facts About The Chins Chins fought against the British as early as 1826. Chinland was separately
colonized by the British after many wars and horrendous battles. Though
part of Chinland was occupied by the British in 1890, the whole Chinland
practically became part of the British Empire only in 1895, ten years after
Burma was annexed.

The struggle for independence from the British was waged by each nation-
ality separately. When General Aung San, the Burma leader, organised for all
nationalities to have independence and to form a new Union, the Shan,
Kachin and Chin leaders agreed and signed the Panglong Agreement on 12
February, 1947. And on 4 January, 1948 a new nation known as the Union
of Burma emerged and the Chin territory becomes one of the founding
member states of the newly formed Union.

The Name Chin

Chin State, an area of 13907 square miles, is located in the western sector In relating its original nomenclature, the term
of the Union of Myanmar. Its has a population of about 518144 and its ‘Chin’ has got various versions, which include
population density is 37 persons per square mile in December 12 2006. The names such as Khyeng, Khiang, Chiang, Ch’in,
whole population of the Chin people is estimated to be one and half mil- Ch’ing, Jin and so on. Some scholars said it is an
lions. old Burmese word for ‘fellow’ or ‘friend’. The
name ‘Chin’ is also said to be mentioned on the Pagan inscriptions of around
The capital city is Hakha, situated on the side of the Rung mountain with its 13th century AD.
height more than 6000 feet above sea level. The highest peak is Mount Vic-
toria, 1018 feet above sea level and the lowest part Paletwa, 176 feet above Out of the so-called 135 tribes (races) living in Burma, 65 are all from Chin
sea level. State according to a report on the non-Burman ethnic people of Burma.
Even though the term ‘Chin’ is designated nowadays to various hill tribes of
Chin State in Burma, Assam State in India, some of hill tribes of Chittagong
Meanings of National Symbols & Emblems Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and the Thados of the Manipuri State. Some Chins
prefer to call themselves in their tribal names such as Khumi, Mizo, Zomi,
Hornbill : Faithfulness Laimi, Asho, Cho, Mro etc.
Rhododendron : Courage, Honesty, Blood, Patriotism
Drum, Horn : Victory Chin is one of the Tibeto-Burman languages, very rich in vocabulary. It is
Sword, Horn-canteen: Guards of Liberty & Freedom divided into many dialects at least well over 45. The Chins do not have a
common language.

London, UK 23 February 2008

 One Voice For Chin 60th Chin National Day
A Brief History Of Chin National Day Council announced in 1967 that the Chin people would continue to observe
their national day as usual and not as Chin Special Division Day.
The Chin National Day did not come into being accidentally but it came Similar attempts have been made especially by the Burma’s military regime
into existence as a result of the long and steady struggle against the heredi- to change the national day to ‘Chin State Day’. This move has been seen by
tary feudal system, colonialism and imperialism. This historical day was born Chin people as a distortion of history to facilitate the policy of eliminating
through national unity. the Chin’s distinct national identity.
The importance of the date 20th February could be seen several times in the In Burma, celebrating the national day with a banner reading ‘Chin National
national movements of the Chin people - Chin National Education Devel- Day’ is illegal and not allowed. Chin people living in other countries around
opment Organisa- tion was formed the world are therefore able to commemorate Chin National Day without
in 1918, Chin Hills Union Organisa- having to worry about repercussion from Burmese military authorities.
tion in 1928, nine proposals by the
Chin leaders were accepted for dis- It is therefore the national duty of all the Chin people around the world to
cussion and gen- eral meeting safeguard our national day, to preserve and maintain our culture, tradition,
was attended in 1938, and a gen- language and literature if we would like to keep Chin identity among the
eral meeting was held in 1948. family of nations.
These movements were an indica-
tion of strong patriotic spirit of the Chins towards their own state.

On 20 February 1948, a represenative of Tiddim Thawng Za Khai submit- Words Of Thanks

ted a proposal in the general meeting, exposing the untold long sufferings
of the Chins under hereditary feudal chiefs and headmen, imposing heavy
taxes on common Chin people, ordering the Chins to contribute voluntary
labour without paying and making no development for the Chin people for
decades. Majority of the Chins were in favour of abolishing hereditary feu-
dal system of administration and bringing about modern democratic sys-
tem of administraion in the Chin Hills. Thus, 20 February is a historic and
meaningful day for the Chins because they were able to achieve national
solidarity and unity on this very day.
On 9 October 1950, the Chin Affairs Council decided officially to honour
20 February as Chin National Day. The first Chin National Day was held in
Mindat town on a grand scale on 20 February 1951.
Attempts and proposals made to change the date and ‘Chin National Day’
to ‘Chin Special Division Day’ were not successful and the Chin Affairs
London, UK
On behalf of the Chin people in the UK, we would like to take
this opportunity to say our heartfelt thank-yous to all of you
present here today, to those who open doors for us to use this
venue, to friends and people who help make this celebration
possible in a much-better-than-expected way.
Last but not least, many thanks to all the Chin people in each
department for their relentless efforts to all the tasks required
to accomplish the celebration.
Thank you, everyone.
Celebration Committee
Chin National Day, UK
23 February 2008