Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: The Zo Reunification Organisation is back at it. They are demanding the reunification of all Zo people living across India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh to lock down their common identity. Around 1,000 people showed up Saturday for a rally in Mizoram to mark the 31st World Indigenous Day. The march started at the Millennium Centre in Dawrpui and ended at Vanapa Hall. Participants donned traditional clothes from 48 different Mizo communities to show off their cultural reach.
Mizo National Front legislator Robert Romawia Royte addressed the crowd. He called for solidarity to ensure the survival of the community. Royte said, "Unity was essential for the survival and progress of the Mizo people." He pointed out that ZORO stays neutral, free from the influence of political parties or churches, allowing it to act as a bridge for the people.
State Art and Culture Minister Lalsawivunga joined the program at Vanapa Hall. He spent time breaking down the challenges facing the group and the specific frameworks set by the United Nations for indigenous populations. ZORO president R. Sangkawia estimated the total Zo population at 30 lakh, spread over 90,000 square kilometres according to 2011 Census data.
The community uses different names depending on where they live. They go by Mizo in Mizoram, Kuki in Manipur, Tripura, and Nagaland, and Chin in Myanmar. Established in 1988, ZORO aims to bring everyone under one administration. They are currently affiliated with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. While international borders cut through their lands, these communities keep up their social ties and lean on each other during tough times.
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