ZORO renews call for reunification of Zo people across India, Myanmar, Bangladesh

The Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO), an organisation representing indigenous Zo or Mizo communities across India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, on Saturday renewed its demand for the reunification of the community, asserting that greater unity was necessary to protect its common identity and future.

The demand was raised at a rally organised in Mizoram to mark the 31st World Indigenous Day. According to ZORO, around 1,000 people representing different Mizo ethnic communities participated in the rally, which began at the Millennium Centre in Dawrpui and concluded at Vanapa Hall.

Participants wore traditional attire representing 48 different Mizo communities during the march, highlighting the cultural diversity within the broader Zo community.

Addressing the gathering, Mizo National Front (MNF) legislator Robert Romawia Royte said unity was essential for the survival and progress of the Mizo people. He appealed to the participants to support ZORO's initiatives, describing the organisation as a common platform for the Zo people.

Royte said ZORO was not affiliated with any political party, church or other organisation and could therefore play a role in bringing different sections of the Zo community together.

State Art and Culture Minister Lalsawivunga attended the main programme at Vanapa Hall. He highlighted issues and challenges facing the Zo people and discussed the framework established by the United Nations for indigenous communities and its relevance to the Zo community.

ZORO president R. Sangkawia said the 2011 Census estimated the Zo population at around 30 lakh across their inhabited areas, which collectively cover nearly 90,000 square kilometres.

He said the Zo people shared a common identity and faith despite living across regions with different religious majorities.

The Zo, also known as Mizo, are an indigenous ethnic community spread across parts of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. In India, significant populations are concentrated in Mizoram and Manipur, while in Myanmar they are predominantly found in Chin State. In Bangladesh, Zo communities are concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The community is identified under different nomenclatures, including Mizo in Mizoram, Kuki in parts of Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland, and Chin in Myanmar.

ZORO was established in 1988 with the objective of bringing Zo people together under a single administration. The organisation is affiliated with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and participates in various UN forums.

Despite being separated by international borders, Zo communities in India, Myanmar and Bangladesh have maintained cultural and social ties and continued to extend mutual support during periods of crisis.