The people of Myanmar are living in terror and are being attacked by the armed forces whom they had sworn to protect. Yet, without help from the international community they have had no choice but to act by forming self-defense teams to protect themselves. We are calling for the implementation of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) to fight against the government’s military for the freedom of Myanmar.
The first people who implemented Right to Protect (R2P) were one of the eight ethnic groups called Chins. They were the first People Defense Force who raised and fought against the junta. Chins are known for their courage and loyalty since the time the country fought for independence. In March 2021, Chins from Kalay area defended themselves with traditional home-made antique hunting guns called Tu-mi-ta-nat.
Not long after this battle in Kalay, to protect the people in Mindat, ChinLand Defense Force Mindat was formed. Since May, there have been several battles between CDF Mindat and the junta. CDF Mindat armed themselves with home-made outdated-technology hunting guns against the heavily armed junta with machine guns and sniper rifles. They even resorted to using stones and even sticks with sharpened points and won some of the first battles. These battles made headlines in several news outlets including major international news.
Since then, People Defense Forces have been set up in different areas of Chin State such as Hakkha and Thantlang. In April, Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) was formed in the Falam area. CDF-Mindat, CDF-Thantlang and CNDF have won several battles against the junta and have taken over some of their camps. Yet, it is still a tough situation for the people.
市民を守るべき軍隊から攻撃され、ミャンマーの人々は恐怖に怯えて暮らしています。国際社会からの協力も得られない以上、自分たちで自衛団を結成するしかありませんでした。R2P(保護する責任)を掲げ、ミャンマー市民の自由のために軍政府と対峙するしかないのです。
最初にR2Pを実施したのは、チン民族です。PDF人民防衛隊を結成し軍と戦いました。ミャンマー独立戦争の時代から、チン族の勇気と忠誠心は広く知られています。2021年3月、カレイ出身のチン族部隊が、軍相手にトゥミタナットと呼ばれる手作りの猟銃で応戦しました。
この後まもなくして、今度はミンダットでCDF(チン州人民防衛隊) Mindatが結成されました。5月以降、何度も激しい戦いが繰り広げられ、最新鋭のマシンガンやライフルで武装する軍に対し古い猟銃や手作りの武器、それが尽きたら石や槍まで手にして応戦し、勝利することもありました。これらミンダットでの戦いは国際社会のニュースでも大きく取り上げられました。
その後もHakkhaやThantlangなどチン州の別の地域でもPDF(人民防衛隊)が、Falam地域では4月にCNDFチン国防軍が結成されました。CDF-ミンダット、CDFーThantlang、CNDFといったグループは、何度か軍に勝利し陣営を奪うことにも成功していますが苦しい状況であることはかわりません。