Mizoram: Civil society organisations to bring out rallies over Manipur violence

Aizawl: Civil society organisations are scheduled to stage demonstrations across Mizoram on Tuesday to extend solidarity with Zo people in ethnic strife-torn Manipur.

Mizos of Mizoram share ethnic ties with Kukis of Manipur, Kuki-Chins of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and Chins of Myanmar. They are collectively called Zo people.

NGO Co-ordination Committee, a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations including the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), will bring out the protest rallies.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga has announced that the MNF party office will be closed on Tuesday to extend support to the programme. He asked party workers to take part in the rallies.

Besides MNF, opposition parties including the BJP, Congress and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) will keep their party offices shut in support of the solidarity marches.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across the state in view of the demonstrations.

Mizoram's Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Shukla has held a high-level meeting to assess the security arrangements and also visited the locations in Aizawl where the demonstrations will be held.

Shukla has directed police officers to ensure proper deployment, patrolling, and vigilance in all districts, especially in vulnerable areas, to prevent any untoward incident.