Active 1997 (1997)–present | ||
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Ideology Zomi nationalismSeparatismPaite interests Groups Zomi Revolutionary Organisation Leaders Thanglianpau GuiteCalvin HatlangJimmy Suanpu Area of operations Zogam (Zoland)Chin State, MyanmarChittagong Hill Tracts, BangladeshManipur, IndiaMizoram, India | ||
The Zomi Revolutionary Army (Burmese: ဇိုမီး လွတ်လပ်ရေး တပ်မတော်; abbreviated ZRA), is an armed Zomi nationalist insurgent group formed in 1997, following an increase in ethnic tensions between the Kukis and the Paites in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, India. Its parent organisation, the Zomi Revolutionary Organisation, was founded on April 1993.
Contents
- Leadership
- Areas of operation
- Funding
- Alliances with other groups
- Peace negotiations
- Notable incidents
- References
The ZRA's proclaimed objective is to "protect the interests of the Paite community" and to "unite the Zomi peoples under one state, Zogam", which overlaps the official state boundaries of India (Manipur and Mizoram), Myanmar (Chin State) and Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts).
Leadership
The ZRA has three main leadership positions, President, General Secretary, and Information and Publicity Secretary. Most of its leadership are from the ZOSUAN community. Its current leaders are:
Areas of operation
The ZRA mainly conducts operations in the Paite majority areas of the Churachandpur district in Manipur, particularly the Singnat subdivision near Myanmar (Burma). Historically, it has operated in the bordering regions of Manipur and Mizoram, and also in Chin State, Myanmar (Burma).
Funding
The ZRA allegedly funds itself through the collection of "protection fees" from locals who live in their areas of operations. In exchange for this fee, the ZRA claims they protect locals from being shot, kidnapped, or robbed by rival groups. In June 2004, according to local media reports, the ZRA accused the Mizo National Front (MNF) administration in Mizoram of only partially paying ZRA cadres for campaigning on behalf of MNF candidates in Champhai. A prominent opposition leader in Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla, claimed that on 12 June 2004, the MNF owed the ZRA payment for "services rendered", and that, because the MNF had failed to pay, the ZRA had begun collecting fees from residents of Mizoram.
Alliances with other groups
The ZRA's maintains close alliances with the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM). The group also has a memorandum of understanding with the Kuki Liberation Organization (KLO) that promises "full cooperation in all spheres, with the objective of strengthening the blood ties among the Kuki-Chin-Mizo-Zomi peoples". The ZRA was once in conflict with the Hmar People's Convention-Democracy (HPC-D), but the two groups reached an agreement to "work closely in the spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation for the welfare of the people and for achieving their shared objectives".
Peace negotiations
On 9 August 2005, the ZRA released a statement, saying that they had reached a ceasefire agreement with the Indian government, which was to last for six months starting from 1 August. The ZRA also said that they had "viewed the steps taken by the Indian government in this regard as a positive approach towards the better understanding of our unique history, and the realisation of the need for a permanent solution to the long standing aspirations of the Zomi people." In spite of this agreement, the ZRA allegedly conducted operations against Indian security forces during the ceasefire.
Notable incidents
On 9 June 2005, ZRA insurgents ambushed a truck in Churachandpur district carrying Zomi Revolutionary Front (ZRF) insurgents, killing three ZRF members and one civilian. This attack was in retaliation for the ZRF's defection from the ZRA.