LANGUAGE should not DIVIDE us: A Response to YMA Zokhawthar’s Announcement

WE ARE deeply concerned by the recent public announcement made by the YMA Zokhawthar Branch through a loudspeaker, declaring that refugees and all bonafide residents of Zokhawthar must not use their own dialects or languages, and that only Mizo Trawng (Language) should be used in the locality.

A video clip of this announcement—recorded by someone nearby though the announcer is not visible—has now gone viral on social media. The message in the video has shocked and saddened many people, both within and outside Mizoram. It sends a harmful message of exclusion, at a time when unity and compassion are most needed.

We must remember clearly: these refugees are not strangers. They are our own cousins—people of the same blood and same origin. They are our Zofa, members of the larger Zo ethnic family, just like us. They share our history, culture, traditions, and struggles. Many of them have lost their homes, families, and peace due to war and violence in Myanmar. Zokhawthar has become a shelter for them, a place where they hope to survive with dignity.

Instead of welcoming them with love and respect, this announcement tries to silence them, strip away their identity, and make them feel like outsiders in a land that should feel like home.

India is a free and democratic country. Every citizen and resident—whether local or refugee—has the right to speak their own language and live with dignity. Forcing people to use only one language is not only unconstitutional, but also goes against the spirit of brotherhood, justice, and humanity.

Language is part of who we are. Asking someone to stop speaking their mother tongue is like asking them to forget their roots. Mizo language is beautiful and rich—but it should be shared through love and understanding, not forced by pressure or fear.

We respectfully call on the YMA Zokhawthar Branch to withdraw this harmful announcement. Let Zokhawthar not be known as a place of division, but as a beacon of hope and compassion. Let us build a future together, based on the values we share as Zo people.

Let us not build walls with language—but build bridges of understanding, unity, and healing.

Let love speak louder than any language.

KHALVONTAWI MEDIA

--- Voice of the Voiceless ---

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