ZoRO conference cum UN Day celebration on Oct 24
Source: The Sangai Express
Kanggui, October 15 2013:
The Zo-Re-unification Organization (ZoRO) stands for the restoration of the fundamental Rights of the Zo people which have been deprived by way of dividing in three different administrative blocks ie 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 a peaceful process of self-determination, said Thangchinlal Simte, General Secretary ZoRO Northern Zone.
The ZoRO Northern Zone General Secretary made the statement ahead of the ZORO Conference-cum-68th Anniversary celebration of United Nation Day slated to be held at Galngam Lentol, Moreh, Chandel on Oct 24 .
The Zo-Re-unification Organization (ZoRO) is going to organise a one-day ZoRO Conference-cum-Celebration of the 68th Anniversary of United Nation with the theme "Salvation for the Zo People" under the aegis of ZoRO Northern Zone where the ZoRO general headquarters President R Thangmawi will grace as the chief guest.
Renowned artistes from different places like Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Barak Valley (Assam) from India; Chittagong Hill Tracts from Bangladesh and Chin State and Kachin from Myanmar where Zo people settled today as well as cultural show of various types of the Zo (Kuki-Chin-Mizo) people will mark the occasion, according to the organizing committee.
While tracing back the history of the ZoRO, Thangchilal Simte asserted that with the objective for the cultural, social and political re-unification of the Zo people, Zo Re-unification Organisation 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 recognised as member in United Nation Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issue (UNPFII) in 2004, added the ZoRO Northern Zone General Secretary.
He also averred that ZoRO has been compelled by the political atmosphere to the Second and Third World Zo Re-unification Convention at Vanapa Hall, Zoram (Aizawl) in July 1991 and October 4, 2013 respectively to foster the relations of the Zo people.
Simte stated that the recent 3rd 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 organisation wherein the Zo Inpui (the Assembly of Zo representative) was inaugurated by the Governor of Mizoram.
He added that five political parties of Mizoram in a separate statement appreciated the ZoRO movement for re-unification of Zo people scattered at different countries viz 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" .
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