ZNC wants Myanmar Army to Quit Chin State and the entire Zogam

Staff News

Tedim-02/05/12 ( Zomi Blog) The Zomi National Congress (ZNC) on 3 February, 2012 said that since Chin National Army and Myanmar Army has signed a ceasefire agreement, the Myanmar Army should now quit Chin State.

Chin National Front and Myanmar Army have signed a ceasefire agreement on 6 January 2012.

“Since Myanmar Army has now signed an agreement to cease all offensive activities with CNF there is no need for them to be in Chin State.  Civilians should also encourage CNF to take up this issue with the Myanmar Army.” said Pu Kam Lian, General Secretary of Zomi National Congress.

Pu Kam Lian went on to say that villagers in Chin State have a hard time because of the Myanmar Army since they are forced to do hard labor, building camps for the Army, felling trees and gathering logs, providing rice and chickens, etc to sustain their armies. The Myanmar Army is also involved in forcibly looting money and goods from businessmen/traders and travelers en route their journeys.

The General Secretary also alleged that teak trees (locally known as Pu Mang’ dol)  planted by the then Chief of Tonzang, Tonzang Ukpi Pu Pum Za Mang had been illegally fell and sold off by Myanmar Army stationed in Tedim, and by 2005 almost all of the said trees were completely wiped out.

The Zomi National Congress however did not comment on how the Myanmar Army should withdraw from Chin State; simply urging Chin people to encourage CNF to work towards such move.

In India, the Zomi Re-unification Organisation (ZRO) has also signed a ceasefire agreement with India on 5 August 2005.  It has to be said that among the Zomi, organizations such as CNF, ZRO, KNO and others are in political dialogue with Myanmar and India following ceasefire agreements.

However, Zomi Independence Army (ZIA) is reluctant to follow other Zomi organizations into ceasefire agreement with Myanmar Army saying they cannot “trust” the Myanmar Army.