One of the seven ethnic states of Myanmar. It is located in the west of the country, on the border with India. On the other side of the border, Tibeto-Burmese tribes (Naga, Kukis, etc.) are related to Chin people. Chin is the poorest state of Myanmar. Chronic poverty and lack of food are the two most pressing problems of the region. Due to this, it is the most economically dependent region.
The titular ethnic group - Chin people - is a conglomerate of related nationalities. They constitute the overwhelming majority (about 95%) of the region's population. They differ from the main ethnic group of the country (Burmese) in religion. During the period of the British Empire, Kachin people were converted to Christianity. Even then, there was a conflict between the Burmese and the Kachin, since the British opposed the Burmese mountain tribes, using the latter as an instrument of domination. During the creation of an independent Burma, Burmese leader, General Aung San, managed to reach an agreement with some mountain peoples, including Kachin. As a result of the decisions of the Panglong Conference, an autonomous state of Chin was established in 1947.
During the period of military governments in Myanmar, the balance was violated, and for many decades the armed conflict between the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and the central government continued. In recent decades, in the context of the democratization process, attempts to restore balance in relations with ethnic groups have intensified. In 2016, "The Union Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong" began its work, aiming at the resolution of the existing contradictions.
