Interview | Chin Brotherhood: 'We can say that we were more successful than we thought' (Part I)

By Admin 17 Jul 2025

DMG Newsroom

17 July 2025, Sittwe

The Chin Brotherhood has captured Kanpetlet, Mindat, Matupi and Kyindwe townships in Chin State, and is considered by military observers to be the most successful of the Chin resistance forces.

The Chin Brotherhood was formed in December 2023 and consists of the Chinland Defence Force-Mindat, Chin National Defence Force (CNDF), Zoland Defence Force, Chinland Defence Force-Matupi, Chinland Defence Force-Kanpetlet and Maraland Defence Force. In the year and a half since its formation, the Chin Brotherhood has achieved military successes, expanded its territory, and forged a strong alliance with the Arakan Army (AA).

In an exclusive interview, DMG spoke to Chin Brotherhood spokesman Salai Yaw Mang about the Chin Brotherhood's success in a short period of time, the state of the brotherhood's alliances, its future military and political ambitions, and much more.

DMG: Let me first ask about to what extent the Chin Brotherhood's military goals have been achieved from its founding until today.

Salai Yaw Mang: The Chin Brotherhood was formed on December 30, 2023. They [its six members] formed the Chin Brotherhood with the idea of making the military dictatorship revolution more like a revolution, allowing people to practically shape their own destiny. At that time, there was a military goal, but at first, the Chin Brotherhood was just a small group.

Chin resistance groups were formed in 2021, so many were considered to be groups that would soon disappear, groups that could do nothing. In the beginning, we struggled to survive. We had big dreams, so we worked hard. That's how the Chin Brotherhood began battles for control of towns in Chin State, capturing Kanpetlet, Mindat, Matupi and Kyindwe townships.

We aimed to make Chin State a junta-free zone by 2024 and 2025. However, due to political and military changes, we are afraid that governance, political stability, and security will not be achieved rather than military success, so we are preparing to negotiate and balance the military, political, and governance.

In terms of the Chin Brotherhood's military, we can say that we were more successful than we thought. For example, when we started fighting the military regime, we fought with a lot of help from the Arakan Army. Later, the AA's help came less and less, and we were able to rely on ourselves. We captured Kanpetlet town without firing a single shot. The Chin Brotherhood also captured Falam without AA comrades. We were able to capture the towns with the advice and the help of the Arakan Army. We were able to make ourselves more confident.

DMG: Since the Chin Brotherhood is administering the areas it controls as a revolutionary government, have there been any difficulties in terms of both control and administration?

Salai Yaw Mang: Our problem is that we have driven the Myanmar military out of Chin State and gained control of the area, but we cannot achieve stability and development in Chin State because the military regime is constantly bombing towns and villages. We need human resources, financial resources, and experts. For example, to build roads and repair damaged roads, we have financial weaknesses. Chin State is also the least developed state in Myanmar.

It takes a long time to build a society under military rule. We have to be patient and participate in all aspects to ensure that the foundation is good and that the freedom and independence we have gained are not lost. Meanwhile, the towns and villages in Chin State are being bombed by the military regime. As I said earlier, the lack of skilled workers is a problem. But we have adapted to it. We are working on education, health, administration and justice. We are working to reduce crime in the villages and to protect the environment.

DMG: Out of the nine townships in Chin State, only Hakha, Thantlang and Tedim are under the control of the military regime. The Chin Brotherhood has said that it will also capture Tedim town, so what preparations are being made?

Salai Yaw Mang: The territories of five out of the six Chin Brotherhood groups have been completely liberated from the military regime. Only Tedim town remains under the control of the military regime. Whether we say it or not, the next target of the Chin Brotherhood is Tedim town. We have preparations. One of the differences between the military regime and the revolutionary organisations is that the military regime keeps an eye on who is doing what.

The military regime is doing what it has to do. The military regime has launched an offensive into northern Chin State through Kalay town. Just as we are preparing, the military regime is also making preparations. The military regime is preemptive toward us. We see the military regime preparing to prevent the battle for control of Tedim. The people will know when and how it will happen as the revolution progresses. For now, I would like to say that we are preparing.

DMG: Will the Chin Brotherhood leave Hakha and Thantlang as Chin National Front/Chin National Army (CNF/CNA) territory or will the Chin Brotherhood take over these towns as well? We often see disputes arising when battles for control of towns are being waged in Chin State.

Salai Yaw Mang: There are difficulties in the Chin resistance against the military dictatorship. It is not possible to lead by yourself, but it is not possible to work together. So, when you work in your own way and with people who can do it, others try to destroy you. This is the situation of the military dictatorship revolution that we see in Chin State. Of the three Myanmar military battalions in Hakha, Chin resistance has already occupied Falam town, where Myanmar military Battalion No. 268 is based. The Chin resistance forces have not been able to occupy Tedim town, where Myanmar military battalion No. 269 is based.

In Hakha town, there is actually only Myanmar military battalion No. 265 and a junta base. In Thantlang town, there is no Myanmar military battalion. The Chin National Front/Chin National Army (CNF/CNA) had repeatedly attacked Hakha town but had to retreat.

Some Chin resistance groups want to free Chin State from the military regime, but the CNF/CNA seems to think that it is not yet time to attack the military regime. There is a dispute among the Chin resistance groups about whether to attack the military regime or not. As for how they will cooperate with us, they will help and not be villains. If the Chin resistance forces attack Hakha and Thantlang, we are ready to cooperate. But we need to be clear about what kind of cooperation and how we will attack.

DMG: What difficulties has the Chin Brotherhood faced in terms of public support, manpower, logistics, food, weapons, et cetera, when waging a battle for control of towns?

Salai Yaw Mang: The Chin resistance forces that emerged in 2021 are all facing difficulties. We also try to gain public support. When we have public support, we must strengthen the force. Although the force is numerically strong, we must strive to make the force compact, disciplined, and obedient. We must strive to obtain weapons and ammunition. Sometimes, some resistance fighters are disciplined and obedient, but they are completely ineffective on the front line. We have to reorganise them.

A battle for control of a town is a struggle for the logisticians who support the fighters from behind. Fortunately, in the battles for control of Kyindwe and Matupi, we have learned good examples and lessons. So we have to prepare much more than we thought. Once the battle starts, the ammunition cannot run out until the battle is over. So when we finish depends on how bravely we fight, how strategically we can move, how well the resistance fighters fight, and so on. There are many difficulties.

Even the more powerful groups like the Kachin Independence Army and Karen National Union have struggled to capture some towns. The ones that the resistance forces have failed to capture show how difficult the battle for control of towns is. For example, in Falam, Mindat and Matupi, Myanmar military brigades are based. Mindat has a junta tactical base that is led by colonels. The military regime has reinforced Falam eight times with around 300 junta soldiers each, so the difficulty of the resistance forces fighting the military regime is indescribable.

DMG: In the past, there were criticisms that the Chin Brotherhood was not strong enough. Now, the Chin Brotherhood is a group that can actually act in Chin State. Can you explain why? On a related note, what is the Chin public support for the Chin Brotherhood like now and then?

Salai Yaw Mang: In Myanmar, Chin State also receives less media attention. For example, the anti-regime forces in Kayin, Kayah and northern Shan State receive a lot of attention from international and local media. The anti-regime forces in Chin State receive less attention from local and foreign media. Even many locals were unaware of the political lens of Chin State. We ourselves were unaware of the political lens of Chin State before the military seized power.

By the end of 2021, and by 2022 and 2023, we all knew what each group in Chin State was talking about and what each group was like. We aimed to fight to truly liberate Chin State from the military regime.

Although the Myanmar military will be driven out of Chin State, many Chin resistance groups have formed groups that will not work. There are no Myanmar military battalions in the areas controlled by some resistance groups. Chin State is quite large, and there are two Myanmar military brigades in Hakha and Matupi. Later, some Myanmar military battalions were stationed in Paletwa. There are only six Myanmar military battalions in the eight townships of Chin State, which is quite large, so there are many junta-free zones. There are also many groups that do not need to do anything there, such as the Chin Defense Forces, so the veteran resistance fighters have become afraid of the Myanmar military.

The resistance forces do not think about the military regime and drive it out, but rather think about diplomatic methods from the political side. Is it right to say that our efforts to drive the Myanmar military out of Chin State are right? But we have gradually come to this situation with our own efforts. After the capture of Mindat and Kanpetlet towns, the Chin Brotherhood became quite well-known throughout the country and was supported by the international community. The revolution is being misused in the political lens of Chin State, and the revolutionary groups are being divided among themselves. When this happens, the people also become aware of the political situation in Chin State.

There are more than 20 anti-regime forces in Chin State. There are two resistance groups in one township, even if they are from the same tribe. There are five resistance groups in one township. The people do not know about these things and do not care. Only when this situation occurs do the people realise that the Chin anti-regime forces are not united. Now, people at home and abroad are paying close attention to the Chin resistance forces. Many people have come to accept that making Chin State a junta-free zone depends on the Chin Brotherhood.

DMG: To what extent is there an alliance between the Chin Brotherhood and the Arakan Army? What kind of assistance have the Arakan Army and the Chin Brotherhood provided to each other?

Salai Yaw Mang: The military dictatorship began in 2021, and the Chin resistance groups tried to write a basic constitution. Everything was problematic, and they were divided and argued. The Chin resistance groups drafted a constitution and formed a government, but nothing happened, and it remained a government in exile. The Chin State government appointed ministers, but they could not do anything. If we negotiate politically, like in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) three years ago, the Chin anti-regime forces' military dictatorship revolution, it would be resolved.

It was like walking in a dream - that the military regime's strongholds were in the cities of Chin State. We are a people who woke up from a dream. In a situation where we woke up and were really tired, we connected with the Arakan Army. The Arakan Army prepared our battalions. The relationship between CB and AA is not on paper. There are a few compromises on paper. There are not a few agreements. The relationship between us is soft and it was really built after trust was gradually built.

The Myanmar military has bombed Mindat Township 300 times without any fighting. We [Chin Brotherhood and AA] help each other as much as we can, including transporting weapons and other things that will liberate Arakan State. We often help each other as much as we can - how much we can contribute, what they want to do, and if there is something they want to do - we often consult each other and help each other.

(To be continued)