Our Community – Launceston Chin Community

The first of the Chin (Burmese) community settled in Launceston in October 2006. Since then, the community has continued to grow forming Launceston Chin Community Inc, a community based non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious organisation founded in 2007 and registered as an Incorporation 2013. The focus is to to represent and promote interests of members of the local Chin community in Launceston Region, who arrived in Australia as genuine refuges from Burma (Myanmar) via Malaysia, India, and Thailand.

Rolance Roliana, Executive Director of the organisation has worked tirelessly with volunteers over many years to provide a wide- range of support for Chin migrants and refugees who settle in Launceston.

“We run local activities for the community living in Launceston and work to promote greater knowledge of local integration while maintaining the Chin culture,” Mr Roliana.

He shares details around the local community and the current challenges still faced by their families and loved ones in Myanmar today.

“The majority of the chin people are Christian. Most chin are farmers back in the country (Burma, Chin State). Most of the Chin peoples who currently settled in Launceston have never been to the school, but we never think that being uneducated necessarily means we cannot find work.

We might not have qualification but we are striving people, willing to learn (practical learners). Many of us have quite an extensive experiences in many field such as, Builder, Electrician (phase 1-3 air conditioner installation and repairer), gardener, painter, logger, abattoir, fishery and Agriculture. The Chin Hills, prior to the British colonisation, was an independent country free from outside influence. Due to this circumstances we (Chin) were train in all round works (“above mentioned work field”) since early age.

The Chin people in Myanmar are one of the minority ethnic groups that have suffered widespread and ongoing ethnic and religious persecution ever since the 19th and 20th century.

This has led to continuous attempts at forced assimilation. There have been recorded numerous crimes against humanity in Myanmar’s western Chin state, committed mainly by the Tatmadaw (members of the Burmese Army) and police; however, other agents of the military government and the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) are also involved. Despite continued persecution, little has been done on the part of the Chin people to speak out due to fear of reprisal, restrictions on travel, and the press imposed by the Burmese military regime.

In their oppression of the Chin people, the Tatmadaw consistently violate the rule of law. The Chin people have been subject to forced labour, torture, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and extrajudicial killings. Such treatment has incited a mass exodus of refugees who have left to neighbouring nations such as India, Thailand, and Malaysia, even though doing so will risk further torture, detention, or even death.*

Launceston Chin Community Inc. is entirely selffunded. If you would like to get involved in assisting the organisation, please email chincommunitytas@ gmail.com

General Ne Win overthrew the democratically elected government in 1962. The predominant religion in Myanmar is Buddhism, however, the Chin people are largely Christian due to American missionary work in