Zomi Reunification Organisation

Truth & Freedom

Zomi Reunification Organisation

History

The term ‘Zomi’ meaning, ‘Zo People’ is derived from the generic name ‘Zo’, the progenitor of the Zomi. In the past they were little known by this racial nomenclature. They were known by the non-tribal plain peoples of Burma, Bangladesh and India as Chin, Kuki, or Lushai. The term ‘Zomi’ meaning, ‘Zo People’ is derived from the generic name ‘Zo’, the progenitor of the Zomi. In the past they were little known by this racial nomenclature. They were known by the non-tribal plain peoples of Burma, Bangladesh and India as Chin, Kuki, or Lushai.

Objectives

Geographical re-unification : Territorially bring all the Zomi inhabited areas under one administrative umbrella, Zoland

Political re-unification : To attain political self-determination of their own making based on traditional values. This is an objective of re-unifying Zoland into one administrative unit.

Cultural or social re-unification: To restore and preserve Zomi culture which has suffered from assimilation process engineered by majority societies that dominate the segregated tribes.

Documents

There had never been any formally constituted organization of the Christian churches in the Chin Hills. When I returned from the U.S.A. arriving at Rangoon on 18th September, 1950, I was invited to speak at the Annual Meeting of the American Baptist Missionary Fellowship in October. In my speech I attempted to express what I thought to be most essential for the growth of Christianity among our people. I explained that the Chin Hills had been the most neglected and the least developed area in Burma.

Views, News & Updates

Dr. G.E. Marrison, Lingustic Adviso

The designation Zomi referes to a group of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken by tribal peoples in parts of the hilly border country of India, Burma and East Pakistan. On the Indian side, the most important of [...]

Dr. Vum Ko Hau, Profileof Burma Frontier Man

From time immemorial we call ourselves Zo (Jo, Yaw). This fact had been admirably recorded by Father V. Sangermano since the year 1783 when he made his headquarters at AVa then considered by the Burmese [...]

Prof. G.H. Luce, Phases of Pre-Pagan Burma

Fan Ch’o continues: They (Chin) call their princes and chiefs shou. [Is this the Chin word for themselves?] The Mi-no have long white faces, the Mi-ch’en short black ones. They are by nature polite and [...]

Dr. David I. Steinberg, Burma,

The Western mountain (of Burma) are occupied by the Chin tribes and the related Naga to the north. Both are animists and members of the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family and have sizable populations on the India [...]

“Zomi is the correct original historical name of our people, from the Naga hill to the Bay of Bengal. To the north of Tedim, the Thadous and other tribes call themselves Yo; in Falam, Laizo. The Tedim people call themselves Zo; the Lushais, Mizo; in Haka, Zotung, Zophei, Zokhua. In Gangaw area Zo is pronounced as YAW, in Mindat Jo or CHO; and in Paletwa Khomi. In Prome, Thayetmyo, Sandoway and Bassein areas they call themselves A-Sho. So, inspite of slight variations Zomi is our original historical national name“

Text of Adoption of the name Zomi Baptist Convention, 1953

‘The names like Kuki and Chin are not national, and have been given to them by their neighbours. Like others, the people do not accept the name given by the Burmese and ourselves; they do not call themselves Chins, and they equally flout the name of Kuki which their Assamese neighbours use. They call themselves Zhou or Shu and in other parts Yo or Lai.”

George Scott, J. Sr, , Burma: A Handbook of Practical Information, 1911, p.104 and Burma and Beyond, 1932, p.187

‘It was not the people who derived their name ZO from the high altitude of their abode, but on the contrary it was the high lands and especially the farm lands there, called ‘Zo Lo’ which derived their name from the Zo people who cultivated the farms’

Mizoram : New Magazine, Winter Issue, No. 2 (1985), p.18 , as quoted in Mangkhosat Kipgen, Christianity and Mizo Culture, MTC (1996), p.20