MNF working for unification of Zo tribes since 1961: Mizoram CM

Aizawl, June 28 Amid the ethnic violence between non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki communities in Manipur and the demand of the tribals’ to create separate administrations, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga reiterated on Wednesday that the Mizo National Front (MNF) has been working for the unification of all Zo tribes for over six decades.

Zoramthanga, who is the President of the ruling MNF, while addressing the party members at Saitual, said that he recently told Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh that his party has been sincerely trying to integrate all thetribesof theZo community under one administrative set up since1961.

Stating that the MNF is still continuing the unification movement, he claimed that MNF continues to progress despite numerous hurdles on its way to grow with a strong political base.

After coming over ground in 1986, the erstwhile militant outfit MNF was converted into a political party and was recognised as a state party by the Election Commission.

After the signing of the Peace Accord in 1986, ending two decades of strife and insurgency spearheaded by the MNF, Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on February 20, 1987.

Zoramthangasaid that the question ofunificationof Mizo inhabited areas ofMizoram's neighbouring states to form one administrative set-up under the concept of ‘Greater Mizoram’ was one of the demands of the MNF, and the issue was raised during the peace parleys with the Indian government before signing of the agreement.

Earlier also, Zoramthanga had said that unificationof all ethnicZoor Mizotribes in India and bringing them under one administrative unit was one of the main aims of the founders of MNF, including Laldenga, who was the sixth Chief Minister of Mizoram.

He, however, said thatMizoramcannot directly interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur on the issue of ‘GreaterMizoram’ orunificationofZoor Mizo tribal inhabited areas in Manipur with the state.

“Theunificationinitiatives should come from ‘our kindred brothers’ in Manipur as the issue ofunificationof Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Hmar-Zomitribes should not be imposed,” the MNF supremo said.

Zoramthanga’s statement came close on the heels of the separate administration (equivalent to separate state) demand, raised by 10 Kuki MLAs of Manipur (seven of them belong to ruling BJP), the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM).

The Kuki-Hmar-Mizo-Zomi-Zo ethnic group shares close ethnicity with the Mizo people in Mizoram..

Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister have on a number of occasions rejected the separate administration demand and categorically said that territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected and under no circumstances it will be compromised.

--IANS