Launceston's Chin community fears for Myanmar's future, plans demonstration for Civic Square

The Chin - largely from the west of Myanmar - are a Christian minority in an overwhelmingly Buddhist country.

Since the first family arrived in Launceston in 2006, the community has grown to about 50 families and 300 people in total from eight ethnic groups, arriving from refugee camps in Malaysia and India after fleeing Myanmar due to persecution from the military junta.

Even after democratic elections were granted in 2010, the military maintained control of key arms of government.

Read more: World reacts to coup in Myanmar

The result of November's election, in which the National League for Democracy won a landslide victory, resulted in the military launching a coup on February 1.

Launceston Chin Community secretary Rolance Roliana said it was devastating to see Myanmar, or Burma as the Chin prefer, falling back into complete military rule.

"Rather than going forward, we're going backwards. We've been through this system for the last 70-plus years, of military dictatorship," he said.

"A lot of the families here still have family in Burma. It's been constant harassment, discrimination, violence, brutality in several states.

The location of Chin State in Myanmar (Burma):

"During the period of democracy, there were improvements. They could do a lot of things that they never thought of, there was freedom. But now that the military is trying to take over, that freedom isn't continuing."

Protesters have started a civil disobedience movement, including worker strikes in schools, hospitals and transportation, and widespread peaceful protest. The military has already opened fire on striking workers at a shipyard, killing two.

The 1988 coup resulted in thousands of deaths.

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Neighbouring countries and regional leaders have suggested new elections, but the Chin community - and the Burmese people generally - want the original election result to stand.

Through a translator, Launceston Chin Community president Thai Coeng said democracy could never survive with the military having so much control.

"The military will try to do anything. Whether it's to change the Constitution, they will do anything," he said.

"We no longer want the dictatorship, we no longer want the military involved in the democracy."

In an effort to raise awareness of the situation, the Launceston Chin Community will hold a peaceful demonstration in Civic Square on Saturday.

It will include speeches from various community members, who say it's up to the international community to put more pressure on Myanmar's military dictatorship.

The demonstration will be held from 12.30pm to 2pm, all are welcome.