Mizo National Front calls for statewide shutdown on October 29 against Forest Amendment Act, 2023

The Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram’s main opposition party, on Tuesday, October 7 called for a statewide total shutdown on October 29 to protest the adoption of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act (FCAA), 2023 by the state government.

The MNF’s stance reflects concerns that the new law could gradually undermine the land rights of indigenous communities. Critics allege that the amendment — which exempts a 100-kilometre zone along international borders and allows the government to undertake “strategic linear projects of national importance and concerning national security” without prior forest clearance — poses a direct threat to Mizo land and heritage.

The decision for the shutdown was taken at a meeting of the MNF national executive, chaired by party president Zoramthanga, according to Lallenmawia Jongte, MNF media and publicity cell secretary. The planned complete shutdown will be implemented across the state, with a possible exemption for the Dampa Assembly constituency in view of the upcoming bypoll on November 11.

Zoramthanga described the state government’s decision to adopt the FCAA as “unfortunate” and reiterated his party’s strong opposition to the law. “The adoption of the FCAA hurts the sentiment of the Mizos and insults their martyrdom. We will strongly oppose it,” he asserted.

The MNF had previously urged the state government to convene a special assembly session to review and withdraw its resolution on the FCAA, but the appeal was rejected.

The resolution to extend the FCAA, 2023 to Mizoram was adopted by the Mizoram Assembly during its monsoon session on August 27 — a reversal from the earlier stance taken during the MNF’s rule. The adoption has been met with resistance from various political parties and civil society organisations, who view it as a threat to the state’s ecological and cultural identity.

On September 11, Joint Civil Society Mizoram, a coalition of several organisations, staged a demonstration in Aizawl to protest the adoption of the FCAA and called upon the state government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, to repeal the resolution endorsing the law.