AIZAWL: Zo Re-Unification Organisation (ZORO), a Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi group that seeks the re-unification of all Zo people living in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar staged a demonstration in Aizawl, Mizoram to extend solidarity to the Zo ethnic people in violence-hit Manipur.
The protesters burned the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its stoic silence on the issue and failure to quell the ethnic violence.
They also burned the effigies of Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh for allegedly being accountable for the ongoing ethnic clash between the majority Meitei and Kuki minority community and also the effigy of Mairembam Romesh Mangang, who was suspected to be the beheader of a tribal youth David Tuolor on July 2.
Speaking on the occasion, ZORO president R. Sangkawia blamed the Prime Minister for his deafening silence and failure to speak up for the restoration of peace in the neighbouring state.
He accused the Centre of ignoring the Kuki-Zo ethnic tribals and paying a deaf ear to their sufferings.
“Does India not consider the Zo people as Indian? The head of the family normally pays due attention to his children. I am of the view that the centre is not giving enough importance to the Zo or Kuki ethnic people,” Sangkawia said.
ZORO general secretary L. Ramdinliana Renthlei also said that the Mizo youths will no longer remain, mute spectators, if the Zo tribals continue to face atrocities in Mizoram.
While citing that the Meitei community in Mizoram are living a peaceful life, Renthlei urged them to be cautious.
The protesters also carried several placards, some of which read “Mr Prime Minister, How can you allow ethnic cleansing to go on for more than 2 months in the world’s largest democracy.”
They also adopted resolutions demanding the Centre to create a separate administrative set-up for the Kuki community and reiterating its stand to fight for the re-unification of all Zo people and bringing them under one administrative unit.
People from the neighbouring state continue to flee and at least 93 people entered Mizoram in the last 24 hours raising the total number of internally displaced people taking shelter in the state to 12,473 as of Wednesday. according to the state home department.
Mizoram has sought a Rs 10 crore relief package from the Centre for the displaced people, which is yet to be received, officials said.
With no financial aid from the Centre, the state government has begun seeking donations from any benevolent employees of state and Central government, bankers, corporators and others, they said.