Venue: Champai: Mizoram
May 19–21, 1988
DECLARATION
“We, the people of Zo ethnic group,
Inhabitants of the highlands in
The Chin Hills and Arakans of Burma,
The Chittagong Hill Tracts of
Bangladesh,
The Mizoram State and adjoining hill
areas of India
Are descendants of one ancestor.
Our language, our culture and
tradition,
And no less, our social and customary
practices
Are clear evidences of these
ethnological facts.
Further, our historical records,
And footprints both written and
unwritten
In the sands of time testify
To the truth of our common ancestry.
Much against the interest for
preservation,
Consolidation and progression of our
ethnic identity,
The British colonial rulers after
subjugating us
During the later part of the 19th
century,
Exercised the imperialistic policy
Of ‘Divide and Rule’.
As a result, our ancestral homeland
was divided,
So were members of the Zo community
distributed
Like cattle sold and separated.
Adding grave insult to injury,
The emergence of the sovereign state
Of India, Burma and Pakistan in 1940s
Had the administrative fragmentations
aggravated
And gave birth to deeper agonies of
separation
For the constitutional laws of
respective countries
Divided Zo ethnic origin into
different nationalities.
For better part of the century,
Largely because of our limited
outlook
Both in terms historical and
political,
The gravity of our uncertain
situation
And the danger for our ethnological
demise
Received no meaningful political
response.
The genocidal threat of
neo-colonialism
Against our Zo ethnic survival
Still remain ever unprecedented.
Now with political consciousness
gaining momentum,
And the spirit of nationalism
quickening us
Come fuller realization of our human
rights
And of our political prerogatives
We cannot but feel burdened
With the paramount importance of Zo
Reunification
For preservation and existence of Zo
ethnic identity.
Re-asserting, therefore, our faith
and confidence
In the code of comity of nation
For redeeming injustices done to Zo
ethnic origin,
We, the delegates to the First World
Zo Convention of Zo Reunification
Ethnically enshrined on this day
In Twentieth Day of the Month of May
In the year of our Lord Nineteen
Eighty–Eight
Upon the altar of Zo Reunification
As under:
CHARTER OF AGREEMENT
I
We solemnly affirm the truth
That members of Zo ethnic origin
Now living in Burma, India and
Bangladesh
Are people of common ancestry
Speaking a common language,
Blessed with common social,
Cultural and religious background,
And destined to common political fate
and destiny.
II
We sincerely pledge and affirm
Solidarity and integration to take on
A just struggle for Zo Re-Unification
Under one Administrative umbrella
In conformity with the resolution of
the Chin–Lushai Conference
Held at Ford William, Calcutta
On January 29, 1892.
III
We firmly hold the universal truth
That our political aspirations for Zo
Reunification
Regardless of international boundary
constraints
Are the inalienable rights of all Zo
ethnic origin.
Further, we solemnly acknowledge the
claim
For Zo Re-unification to be wholly
legitimate.
IV
We firmly adopt the principle of
non-violence
For attaining the Zo Re unification.
V
We sincerely appeal to the
consciences
Of all heads of States and
Governments
Under whom Zo Communities are
citizens respectively
To recognize and acknowledge
The rightful claim for Zo
Reunification.
Further, we appeal to one and all
Believing in the Universal Human
Rights
To lend support to the just struggle
For Zo Reunification
At all levels and at different
stages.”
ORGANISATION
In order to promote the just struggle
For Zo Re-unification –
We solemnly affirm and resolve
That a loose political forum
Called the “ZO RE–UNIFICATION
ORGANISATION” be formed.
(And is hereby formed)
Further, we resolve that
Zo re-unification Organisation (ZORO)
Be a forum covering all political
parties
And individuals –
(i) Acknowledging the rightful claim
For Zo Re-unification;
(ii) Accepting the paramount
importance
Of Zo Re-unification
Above and beyond party politics, and
(iii) Willing to subscribe the ideas
and views
As may develop time to time
Through the forum of ZORO.
WE affirm and resolve that
(i) ZORO as a forum shall not
interfere
In any local political programmes and
activities
Of any constituent political party;
(ii) No constituent political unit of
ZORO
In absence of consultation with ZORO
Shall organize any local political
party activities
As may adversely affect the
objectives of ZORO;
(iii) Any of the political parties
Involving and participating in ZORO
Shall enjoy the privilege of
exercising certain discretions
As to form frontal organizations
Within the respective party concerned
Primarily for promotion of the just
struggle
For Zo Reunification, and
(iv) ZORO, as a forum, shall normally
finalise
Important policy decisions
In matters related directly or
indirectly
To the just struggle for Zo
Re-unification.
WE, the Undersigned,
For and on behalf of Zo people,
Living and children yet to be born,
Look to God in prayer,
And seal this document with our
signatures.
LONG LIVE ZO RE–UNIFICATION.
SIGNED BY 40 DELEGATES
REPRESENTING DIFFERENT ORGANISATIONS. AND NINETY EIGHT OTHERS.
ZO RE–UNIFICATION ORGANIZATION (ZORO)
General
Headquarters, Aizawl, Mizoram
MILLENIUM DECLARATION
On this auspicious 108th ANNIVERSARY
of the CHIN–LUSHAI CONFERENCE 29th January Millennium year, We, the delegates
of the ZO Re–Unification Convention, reaffirm the commitment anew and proclaim:
- We the indigenous people of the ZO
country proclaim and declare that ZO is our Nationality.
- Our objective is restoration of
Fundamental Rights by re-unifying our people.
- We affirm solidarity to take up the
struggle for Re-Unification.
- We salute the freedom fighters of
our fathers.
- We strongly protest British colonial
administration’s act of dividing our country.
- We appeal to the international
community to recognize our basic human rights.
Chairman
(R. THANGMAWIA)
Secretary General
DATED AIZAWL THE 30TH OCTOBER 1988
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