Chinland Defense Force
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The Chinland Defense Force (Burmese: ချင်းဒေသကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့, romanized: Chīn Deithạ Kakweyēi Tathpwẹ, lit. 'Chin Region Defense Army'; abbreviated: CDF) is a rebel group in Myanmar. It was formed in response to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état to protect Chin State from the military junta. The CDF claims that they do not attack the military without cause and that they always issue a warning, such as releasing detainees and refraining from using violence against civilians. If the military does not respond, guerrilla or other action follows. They promise to return their weapons and disband if the revolution is successful.[4] CDFs are members of CJDC (Chinland Joint Defense Committee). Chinland Joint Defense Committee (CJDC) is formed to serve Chin people's security services and protect an enemy from the illegal Myanmar Army. The total strength of active personnel under the command of CJDC is approximated to be around 13,000. From August to October 2021, it was reported that at least 40 clashes occurred between junta troops and CDF in various townships. CJDC claimed that at least 1,029 Tatmadaw soldiers were killed in the clashes and lost 58 of their own in 2021.
| Chinland Defense Force | |
|---|---|
| ချင်းဒေသကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့ | |
| Foundation | 4 April 2021 |
| Dates of operation | 4 April 2021 – present |
| Country | Myanmar |
| Allegiance | Myanmar |
| Group(s) |
|
| Active regions | Chin State Magway Region Sagaing Region India-Myanmar border |
| Ideology | Federalism Democracy Minority rights |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | State opponents: Non-state opponents: Zomi Revolutionary Army[3] |
| Battles and wars | Internal conflict in Myanmar |
History
Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, many protests occurred against the new military junta. Coup opponents peacefully protested by banging pots and pans at night and staging online and offline strikes.[5] The Military Council responded harshly using violence to quell the protests, arresting citizens and torching homes.[6] Civilian militias began to spring up throughout the country attempting oppose the coup and to ensure the safety of their own areas. Two ethnic armed organizations operated in Chin State, the Chin National Front's Chin National Army and the Zomi Revolutionary Army. However, the groups were unable to properly reach and safeguard the Chin townships, prompting the formation of the Chinland Defense Force on April 4, 2021.[4]
Goals
The Chinland Defense Force's stated goals are to protect civilians from the ruling military junta, abolition of the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, an end to military rule, and the establishment of a federal union.[4]
Weapons
The Chinland Defense Force has purchased light weapons such as the M-16, AK (Kalashnikov), and Tu-mee (locally built hunting rifles that are commonly found). International importers bring M-16s and AK-47 rifles into Myanmar.
References
- ^ "Chin National Front Signs Deal with Myanmar's Shadow Govt". The Irrawaddy. 29 May 2021. from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "CDF-Mindat admits receiving military training and arms from Arakan Army". BNI. 28 April 2022. from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ "Paul Lu: ZRO/ZRA Has Abducted And Killed Our CJDC Members". Burma News International. from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "Who are the Chinland Defense Force (CDF), Chin Myanmar". www.myanmarspeaks.com. from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Offline and Online, Protests Are Sweeping Across Asia". thediplomat.com. from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ "Myanmar Junta Holds Women and Children Hostage in Sagaing". The Irrawaddy. 22 March 2022. from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.