GUWAHATI: Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga’s decision to provide shelter to over 50,000 fleeing Zo tribals from Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh may yield a rich political dividend for his Mizo National Front (MNF) in the November 7 state election.
The Election Commission of India announced the poll date on Monday, but the MNF started the groundwork two years ago when Chin refugees from Myanmar began fleeing to Mizoram in the face of a crackdown by the military in that country against pro-democracy forces.
Over 35,000 of them were given shelter. Next, some 2,000 Kuki-Chin tribals from Bangladesh crossed over while fleeing an armed conflict between Bangladesh Rapid Action Force and an ethnic insurgent group.
Despite the burden of such a large number of refugees, Mizoram embraced over 12,000 displaced Kukis from ethnic violence-hit Manipur. Zoramthanga, a former rebel leader-turned-politician, could realise that MNF could win the hearts of Mizos by providing warmth to these displaced tribals, who are divided by interstate and international borders. Mizo, Kuki, Zomi, Hmar, Chin and Kuki-Chin tribals are ethnic cousins, belonging to Zo community.