As the Myanmar security forces intensify their crackdown on peaceful civilian protesters, demonstrations against the coup have been held in many parts of the world – including right next door in Mizoram, which shares a 404-km-long, porous border with Myanmar’s Chin State.
While the rest of India nonchalantly observes the tragic events unfolding in their eastern neighbour, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl – the apex Mizo students body – on February 3 organised a sit-in demonstration in the capital Aizawl in solidarity with the people of Myanmar, specially the Chins who are the ethnic brethren of the Mizos and Kukis of India.
The MZP headquarters in Lunglei organised a similar gathering roughly a week later on February 11 in conjunction with the Chin Welfare Organisation based in that town. Other NGOs such as the Zo-Reunification Organisation and Mizo Students Union added their support.
On March 19, the border town of Champhai on Mizoram’s eastern flank witnessed another…