Chinland Council

The Chin National Front (CNF), Chin parliamentarians, and township and locally based organizations held the Pre-Plenary Meeting for Chinland Council with 108 representatives from September 7 to 9, 2023, and through it formed the Working Committee for Chinland Council Conference (WCCCC) to bring about the conference.

On November 20, the Kanpetlet Township Council sent its position that the WCCCC should hold the conference only after making it inclusive. However, under the WCCCC's leadership, the council conference was held from December 4 to 7, 2023, at Camp Victoria, the CNF headquarters, with 235 participants including bloc representatives and guests from inside and outside the country.

While the conference was under way, on December 5, the Chin National Council (Mindat) (CNC-Mindat/CDF-Mindat), the Chin National Organization (CNO/CNDF) and the Zomi Federal Union (ZFU/PDF-Zoland) announced that they would not attend, saying the conference did not meet democratic standards and lacked equality, and therefore could not represent or bring about the unity of the whole Chin nation.

On December 6, the Chinland Council was approved and formed with 140 representatives from three blocs and three objectives. The council's leading body was formed with 23 members, and its objectives are to build Chinland, to build a federal union that guarantees political and national equality, and to build a democratic system.  The council leaders are Pu Zin Cung (Chair), Salai Min Nyo (Vice-Chair 1), Pu Bwe Kung (Vice-Chair 2), Salai Paulu (Secretary), Salai Htet Ni (Joint Secretary 1) and Pu Tal Lian (Joint Secretary 2).

Members of the council's leading body are barred from serving in the National Unity Government (NUG) as well as in the state government, parliament and supreme court. Although the government structure designates the prime minister as its head, under the enacted law the Chinland Council chair is the head of state and also serves as chair of the Chinland Defence and Security Council.

On December 7, the first council conference approved and enacted the Chinland Constitution, and announced that the Chinland Parliament, government and supreme court would be formed within 60 days.

On December 11, the first meeting of the first term of the Chinland Council was held in Chinlung with 83 council members, setting out the council's operations, the process for forming the three pillars, and working guidelines; it issued Announcement (1/2023)^[1] stating that, for coordinated military and political action, it will work with fraternal ethnic armed revolutionary organizations, people's defence forces, governments, political parties, organizations and individuals, and urging the whole Chin nation inside and outside the country to join hands.

In January 2024, it announced that it was receiving and vetting nominations and biographies sent by the various blocs for forming the three pillars, and that, under the council's leadership, the CNF and local defence force officials were meeting to discuss the structure and duties for forming the Government of Chinland's Ministry of Defence.

The second council meeting was held on January 30–31, attended by 100 council members, and on February 1 it announced in (02/2023)^[2] that, under the Chinland Constitution, it had approved the lists of the Chinland government's prime minister and ministers, attorney general, auditor general, and the chief justice and justices of the supreme court, thereby forming the three pillars.

The government is led by Prime Minister Pu Pa Thang with 14 ministries; Dr. Thai Hnin was appointed attorney general; Chief Justice Pu Thomas Thang No leads the supreme court with three justices; and Pu Chan Ham was appointed auditor general; they were sworn in on February 2.  

The Chinland Parliament was then formed with 15 representatives, led by state parliamentarian Pu Hung Naing as speaker.^[3]

On February 2, the Central Executive Committee of the Karen National Union (KNU) sent a message^[4]  honouring and welcoming the Chinland government formed by the Chinland Council.

On February 10, the Chinland Council, together with the Chinland government and parliament, announced staff recruitment.