KANGPOKPI, October 15: The Zo-Re-unification Organization (ZoRO) stands for the “restoration of the fundamental rights of the Zo people which have been deprived thereof by the way of tripartite divisions i.e. India, Burma and Bangladesh and that should be restored by way of re-unification and thereafter to let them avail of their fundamental freedom towards self-determination”, stressed Thangchinlal Simte, general secretary, ZoRO Northern Zone.
He was speaking on the eve of the organization’s conference-cum-celebration of the 68th Anniversary of the United Nation’s Day at Galngam Lentol, Moreh, Chandel district, on October 24.
Mentioned may be made that the Zo-Re-unification Organization (ZoRO) is going to organized a one-day ZoRO Conference-cum-Celebration on the 68th anniversary of United Nations under the theme “Salvation for the Zo People” under the aegis of ZoRO Northern Zone where the ZoRO GHQ president R Thangmawi will grace the occasion as chief guest.
Renowned artistes from different places like Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Barak Valley (Assam) from India; Chittagong Hill Tracts from Bangladesh including Chin State and Kachin from Myanmar where Zo people are settled today as well as cultural show of various types of the Zo(Kuki-Chin-Mizo) people will marked the occasion informed the organizing committee.
While tracing back the history of the ZoRO, Thangchilal Simte asserted that with the objective of the cultural, social and political re-unification of the Zo people, Zo Re-unification Organization was formed by various leaders representing different groups from Chin State, Mizoram, Manipur and other places where Zo people settled in the year 1988 at Champhai in Mizoram-a border town with Burma (Myanmar).
Since 2000 AD ZoRO has been invited and participated in various sessions of United Nations Working Groups on Indigenous People (UNWGIP) and subsequently ZoRO has been recognized as a member in United Nation Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issue (UNPFII) in 2004, he added.
He also averred that ZoRO has been compelled by the political atmosphere of the Second and Third World Zo Re-unification Convention at Vannapa Hall, Zoram (Aizawl) in July 1991 and October 4, 2013 respectively to foster the relations of the Zo people.
Simte continued that the recent Third World Zo Re-unification Convention attended by various leaders from Manipur, Tripura, Bangladesh and Chin State from Myanmar as well as presidents from all major political parties of Mizoram is a milestone for the organization wherein the Zo Inpui (the Assembly of Zo representative) was inaugurated by the Governor of Mizoram adding that five political parties of Mizoram in separate statements appreciated the ZoRO movement for re-unification of Zo people scattered at different countries i.e. India, Burma and Bangladesh and agreed to extend maximum efforts for implementation of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Zosonte) if a ministry could be formed by their respective party in Mizoram.
Simte also said that Zo people were called by different names but this nomenclature referred to the same people.
Gierson’s Linguistic Survey of India (1903), John Shakespear (1912), William Shaw (1929), NE Parry (1931) and so on shared their first hand views about the Zo people and for instance Shakespear said, “There is no doubt that the Kukis, Chins and Lushais are all of the same race”.