Escalating conflicts between Chin armed groups drives mass displacement of locals
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Phyo/Thant Zin (NP News) - July 14
Locals told the Statesman Journal that the number of local residents fleeing due to territorial disputes between the CNA (Chin National Army) and CNDF (Chin National Defence Force) in Chin State has increased more than before.
On July 5, the CNDF attacked and captured the town of Rikhawdar, which was controlled by the HPO/CDF-Hualngoram. As a result of the fighting, approximately 3,000 people from Rikhawdar fled to Mizoram.
Then, on July 6, the CNA recaptured the CNDF headquarter in Falam Township, further intensifying the military conflict between the two sides.
A local resident said that due to these circumstances, many locals have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict between armed groups in Chin State.
“The locals are weird. These groups were originally one group. If there is a fight, the locals will have to run. They will have to run with any fight. Think about it, since the fight has started, they have to run. They will have to run with any battle, but now, even if it is with the Tatmadaw, they have to avoid it. Now, since the fighting between CNA and CNO starts, they have to flee to Mizoram. The locals don’t like it at all. It is a fighting between the same ethnic armed groups. They don’t know who to support,” he said.
A local Chin has observed that these disputes and conflicts originated from ethnic differences, and that in the future, even Chin people of the same ethnic group may become divided.
“In Chin, if we have to analyze it in the end, we Chins are based on clans. When we are based on clans, these problems are also problems between the south and the north. For example, most CNF is based on the north, and the CNO/CNDF that has emerged recently is based on the south, so it is confusing. In the end, even people living in the clans are divided and there are factions,” he said.
Conflicts between armed groups in Chin State began in 2022, escalating to battle, and are now intensifying to the point of competing for territory.
"Fighting is never a good thing. Young people are also dying. Now, so many people have to flee. In the past, they had to run because of clashes with the Tatmadaw but now, they are running because Chin armed groups are fighting each other. In Chin State, the population isn’t even 500,000, yet many have already fled abroad. And even with this situation, the AA is still present," the source said.
It is learned that in Chin State, the CNF/CNA group, various locally named CDF groups, the Chin Brotherhood Alliance which comprises certain Chin armed groups as well as some smaller armed groups, and also the AA (Arakan Army) are present in certain areas.