Burmese DemocraticFutures Working Group

Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong

Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong is a Chin politician representing the Chin ethnic group, one of the founding groups of the Union of Burma. Little is currently known or recorded about his early life. Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong serves as a vice-chairman of Chin National Front (CNF), a Chin nationalist political organization in Myanmar, and of the Union Peace Discussion Joint Committee (UPDJC), the top negotiating committee in Myanmar's ongoing peace process. He is also the federal union affairs minister for Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government (NUG). The NUG was formed based on the mandate of the people who overwhelmingly voted for the National League of Democracy (NLD) in the November 2020 election and the mandate of ethnic people who have engaged in revolution for many years. The NUG represents both the people and the nation according to Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong in an interview with the Irrawaddy. After the military regime illegally seized power in 2021, he is working with the NUG to cast an attempt at suspending all peace talks under the regime. As of April 16th, 2021, Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong was appointed by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, with a mandate from the Chin Consultative Assembly, as the minister of federal union affairs in the National Unity Government.