Aizawl, Nov 22: The Zo Re-Unification Organisation (ZORO), representing the Chin, Kuki, Mizo, and Zomi communities across India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, has strongly opposed the central government’s renewed plan to construct a fence along the Mizoram-Myanmar border.

At a press conference on Friday, ZORO vice president L. Ramdinliana Renthlei said the organisation considers the proposal unacceptable, arguing that it seeks to divide ethnic communities with shared ancestry, lineage, and familial ties. “We will continue to resist the construction of the border fencing with utmost seriousness,” he stated.

Renthlei alleged that despite opposition from the Mizoram government and several civil society groups, the Centre has revived the fencing project after a temporary halt. He warned that the plan could severely impact cross-border family, social, and marital ties, cutting off close relatives and creating divisions among communities.

The ZORO leader also raised concerns over potential loss of land, as the fence is proposed to be built 150 metres inside the boundary, affecting agricultural lands, paddy fields, grazing areas, rivers, and hunting grounds. He cited the earlier fencing along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border, which resulted in the loss of 12 villages.

Renthlei added that the project could harm wildlife by obstructing migration routes, potentially causing ecological imbalance. ZORO has urged the Centre to reconsider the plan, emphasizing that it could disrupt cultural unity, economic stability, and environmental balance in Mizoram’s border areas.