The author is a journalist who is receiving support from The Kite Tales to write these diaries.  

The homemade “tumee rifle” is a traditional hunting weapon of the people in Chin State. These flintlock firearms - which use a simple flint-striking mechanism to fire - have been an important part of our culture for generations. We hear the sound of them every day: at traditional events, at funerals where tradition dictates that a gun is fired, and while out hunting.

In the past when you heard the sound in the forest you might imagine a hunter had killed a deer or wild boar that could become a delicious family meal.

But since the military coup, the sound of gunfire reverberating close to home has had altogether different connotations. 

These are the sounds of people who have taken up their traditional weapons to use in the revolution against the military dictator.

This war transformed our lives and it reshaped our city. 

Early in the conflict, people started trying to prepare for battle. With few reliable sources of information, the people in our city have been overwhelmed by misinformation. Some were so petrified they were unable to sleep or eat. They fled whenever there were any rumours that soldiers were on the way. 

They dug trenches throughout the city and in the countryside. The idea was that they would hide in these trenches, either the ones in the forest or the ones near the homes, when the battle began. 

People got carried away with the digging. They followed what other people were doing without any question and they imitated the ones that looked strong and stable. Each household dug at least two trenches, and people could no longer focus on their livelihoods. Some dug a trench around their house and another one in the forest. Their first, second, and third priorities became digging trenches in anticipation of armed clashes. Some people lost their lives in landslides while digging trenches.

Once they finished digging, they prepared food to eat while hiding from the war. 

We spent months preparing for the battle in the city, but in the end the efforts didn’t mean very much. This was because when the battle actually happened, people were so shocked that they fled to wherever they could get to, instead of hiding in the trenches.

When the fighting escalated, most of them fled to Mizoram, the Indian region that borders Chin State. Some ended up in areas controlled by the local defence forces.

The trenches, which took months to prepare, became shelters for snakes, frogs, rats, spiders and other animals. The food saved in the trenches was also lost.

In our township, we estimate more than 5,000 people are on the run, to escape from the military’s human rights violations, which include arresting and killing people.

Those who are unable to leave are stuck in the city, enduring both physical and mental hardships of living under a military dictatorship. 

These days, the army is arresting anyone carrying tumee rifles, charging them with terrorism offences. They are also asking people to hand over their tumee rifles at the relevant police stations. But the local defence forces are still holding on to these traditional rifles.

Artwork by JC who is receiving support from The Kite Tales to produce illustrations.