AIZAWL, Dec 5: Mizoram Speaker Lalbiakzama on Wednesday unveiled the ‘Zo Indigenous ID Card’ prepared by the Zo Reunification Organisation (ZoRO), aimed at safeguarding the rights of the Zo indigenous peoples. The initiative seeks to promote unity among the Zo communities and enhance recognition of their identity on a global platform.
Highlighting the significance of the card, Lalbiakzama noted that the United Nations (UN) prioritizes the rights of indigenous peoples and has recognized the Zo tribes under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007.
He emphasized that the Zo people have endured hardships due to the “divide and rule” policy of the British colonial government, which fragmented their community across three nations—India, Myanmar, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)—and within Indian states such as Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, and Tripura.
Despite these divisions, Lalbiakzama stressed that the unity and shared heritage of the Zo people endure. “Compared to other indigenous peoples, the Zo community is still small in number and must strive harder for unity,” he added.
The Zo Indigenous ID Card features unique identifiers to affirm the identity of Zo peoples globally. It includes logos of the UN (top left) and ZoRO (top right) and mentions its affiliation with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) under Registration No. 1236524, dated May 21, 2004.
Each card bears an identification code classified as IPI (Indigenous Peoples of India), IPM (Myanmar), or IPB (Bangladesh). Beneath the name and identification of the bearer, the card states: “This card certifies Indigenous Identity in accordance with United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007 (UNDRIP).”
ZoRO General Secretary L. Ramdinliana Renthlei stated that the governments of India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, along with the UN, will be officially informed about the ID card. Copies of the notification will also be sent to the state governments of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
According to Renthlei, the ID card transcends geographical boundaries, uniting all Zo peoples worldwide and underscoring their recognition by the UN as an Indigenous Peoples Organisation (IPO).
