(CPU) / CDF-Matupi - The Irrawaddy In the rugged hills of Chin State, where Myanmar’s military coup in 2021 sparked fierce resistance, a new civilian‑led movement is attempting to build more than just a defence. The Chin People’s Union (CPU), born out of the chaos of early battles in Mindat, has evolved into a political and administrative body that now oversees schools, healthcare and infrastructure alongside its armed wing, the Chin People’s Army (CPA). Author Yaw Mang, once an education consultant for UNESCO, recounts how ordinary townspeople transformed into fighters after peaceful protests were crushed. What began as a loose militia with hunting rifles and slingshots has become a disciplined force, capable of driving the military out of key towns such as Mindat, Matupi and Kanpetlet. But the CPU’s mission extends beyond the battlefield. Even under relentless airstrikes—more than 600 in recent months—it has established local governance systems. Villages elect representatives through grassroots structures, while departments for education, health, agriculture and justice attempt to deliver services in war‑torn communities. Vaccination campaigns, road repairs and bridge building have continued despite the conflict. The contrast with the junta is stark. While the military has bombed homes, churches and hospitals, the CPU has sought to uphold civilian supremacy, democratic ideals and humane treatment of prisoners of war. Defectors are sheltered, and captured soldiers are not executed but put to work on infrastructure projects. Yet challenges remain. Chinland is fragmented by tribal loyalties, and the military, backed by China, Russia and India, has re‑occupied parts of the state. The CPU insists that victory will mean more than expelling troops—it must also rebuild a society capable of supporting returning families and diaspora communities. As Yaw Mang writes, the struggle is as much about governance as it is about resistance: “We have learned how to hold a line against an army ten times our strength, but we are still learning how to run a school system, provide healthcare, develop basic infrastructure, collect taxes fairly, and deliver justice amidst violent conflict.” For Chin communities, the fight is not only for land but for a future where democratic structures replace decades of exclusion. The CPU’s experiment in self‑rule may yet prove decisive in shaping what comes after Myanmar’s long war. -2026-09-09
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