Zo people unite to guard socio-political rights

IMPHAL: In a conference organized by the Zo Re-Unification Organization's (ZoRO)'s Northern Zone, held in Kuki-dominated Saikul in Manipur's Senapati district on Wednesday, members of the Zo ethnic group affirmed that safeguarding indigenous and socio-political rights would be their chief concern. The conference, titled "Together We Can Ascend", saw the participation of Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Lushai and Kachin subgroups.

One of the key resolutions adopted at the conference stated, "We hope that the entire area known as the Chin-Lushai Hills are brought one administrative head soon." The occasion commemorated the 122nd anniversary of the Fort William (Chin-Lushai) conference held between Zo leaders and the British administration in 1892 which had decided that Chin-Lushai inhabited areas would be grouped into a single administrative unit.

President of the Kuki National Organization (KNO), P S Haokip said British colonialists divided Kukis among three countries-India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. "As a result, we, who are distributed along the frontier of India and Myanmar, are a minority in these sovereign countries," he said.

He exhorted every Zo citizen to be committed to the nationhood cause, so that they can receive the rights promised by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

S George Guite, information and publicity secretary of the organization, said ZoRO is a platform to publicize Zo people's political, social and economic grievances. "Today, the Zo indigenous people are entering a new era under the banner of ZoRO," said Georg.