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Statement of Chin Seminar



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                 C h i n  S e m i n a r
           (From 29 April to 2nd May 1998)
                O t t a w a, C a n a d a
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                Statement of Chin Seminar
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1.  The Chin Seminar, organized by the Chin National 
    Front(CNF), was attended by 17 Chin compatriots including 
    elected Chin MP's, respected intellectuals and freedom 
    fighters from inside and outside Chinland of today's 
    Union of Burma, was successfully held in Ottawa, Canada, 
    on April 29 to May 2, 1998.

2.  Chinland, a formerly free state, joined the Union of 
    Burma under the Panglong Agreement.

3.  The military regime discarded the 1947 democratic 
    constitution which safeguarded the Panglong Agreement. 
    Therefore we, the Chin people, consider ourselves as a 
    free nation until and unless a constitution which guarantees 
    our rights is proclaimed. 

4.  The problem of the Union of Burma started because of 
    unequal treatment of the nationalities by the successive 
    Burmese governments since independence. This unequal 
    treatment has been increased by the military dictatorship 
    especially in the areas where non-Burmans reside. 

5.  The military regime has convened a sham national convention 
    with hand-picked delegates to prolong and legitimize 
    the military dictatorship. This national convention deepens 
    the national hatred and suspicions instead of solving the 
    political crisis.

6.  Since the military took over power, there are rampant 
    human rights violations, religious and racial persecutions 
    causing an exodus of Chin refugees to India as well as 
    other countries. 

7.  The cease-fire arrangement between the military regime 
    and some other armed nationality opposition groups can 
    not solve the present political crisis because of the 
    absence of political dialogue.

8.  In order to solve the political crisis of the Union of 
    Burma and the refugee situation, we demand tripartite 
    dialogue which has been called for by the United Nations 
    as well as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This involves dialogue 
    between the Burman Democratic Forces, the Burmese Military 
    and the Non-Burman Democratic Forces.

9.  Under genuine democracy and the right of self-determination 
    in its fullest extent, we are willing to work together 
    to consolidate unity among all nationalities in Burma to 
    form a Federal Union.

Date  :	3 May 1998
Place :	Ottawa, Canada
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