Aizawl: The Zo Re-unification Organisation (Zoro) and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the apex Mizo student body, have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the proposed India-Myanmar border fencing and to initiate meaningful consultations with affected communities and their representative organisations.In a joint memorandum submitted to the PM through the Mizoram governor on Friday, the two organisations appealed for a compassionate review of the proposal, stating that policy decisions should uphold national interest while preserving the dignity, unity and cultural heritage of the Zo people.“We remain confident that such an approach would reflect India’s constitutional ethos, democratic values, and longstanding commitment to inclusive governance,” the memorandum said.The organisations cautioned that the border fencing, if implemented in its present form, could lead to several unintended consequences, including cultural and social dislocation by physically and psychologically separating closely related communities that share customs, traditions, and familial bonds across the border. They also warned of economic hardship for border populations whose livelihood depend on small-scale traditional trade, agriculture and customary cross-border interactions, as well as strain on social cohesion affecting family ties, community networks, and the emotional well-being of indigenous populations in frontier areas.Recalling India’s support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007, the memorandum noted that the declaration affirms the rights of indigenous people divided by international borders to maintain and develop cultural, social and economic relations.“These principles resonate with constitutional values such as equality, personal liberty, and freedom of movement and association,” it stated, adding that the special constitutional safeguards under Article 371-G further recognise the importance of protecting customary practices, social institutions and the cultural life of Mizoram’s people.The organisations said they fully acknowledge the responsibility of the Govt of India to ensure border security and prevent illegal activities. However, they argued that such objectives could be achieved through alternative, community-sensitive, and consultative mechanisms without permanently disrupting indigenous social systems that have historically remained peaceful.Emphasising shared history, the memorandum stated that the Zo people share a common origin, culture, language, and social system that predate the demarcation of the international boundary. While administrative borders were introduced during the colonial period and formalised after Independence, the organisations said social, cultural, familial, and economic ties have continued across the border in a peaceful and organic manner.
