Zomi - Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi National Day)

Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi National Day)

Zomi Nam Ni is celebrated on the 20th day of February every year since 1948 in different countries. The Day is observed as a day of deliverance, love, peace, unity, political retrospection and remembrance of the history of the Zomi.

Before the advent of the British, the Zoland, during that time comprising Chin Hills, Lushai Hills and Chittagong Hill Tract was occupied and ruled by the Zo people. They had their own sovereign self-government through their Chiefs, who administered in the form of democratic decentralization.

However, with the annexation of Burma by 1885 and Chittagong, the Chin Hills and Lushai Hills were gradually subjugated in 1890, and the formal annexation was completed in 1896. The Hills of Manipur had also been conquered and dominated after the British annexation of Manipur in 1891. The same fate befell with the other Zo peoples in Bangladesh, Tripura and Assam.

The Colonialists noticed that the Zo people were in loose confederates, many of them without any principal Chief to govern them. They had no written rule of law and written procedure of judicial code, but strong customary and traditional practices and justice system existed. The British therefore, drafted a model code of law and rules of appointment of Chief by 1907 and then installed feudal Chiefs at different places.

The autocratic rule of the British Government could neither be tolerated nor accepted by the Zo people and therefore, on the 20th day of February 1928, a new political organization was formed at Matungnung village of Mindat for the liberation of the Zomi from such undemocratic administration by foreign power. It grew, expanded, and moved forward and by 1939, the following nine points were demanded to be fulfilled by the British Government:

1. Education, health, economy, trade and commerce should be developed and expanded with an increased in their budget.
2. Secondary and higher secondary education up to college level must be immediately upgraded and established.
3. Freedom of religion or religious secularism must be practically enforced and the Government must see to it.
4. Transport and communication must be improved and the administration must give priority in road building connecting one village to another.
5. The Government must chalk out ways and means for the peaceful communication between the Hills and the Plains without any hindrance.

The above Memorandum earned the wrath of the Government and instead of fulfilling them; the Government viewed the organisation as illegal and tried to ban. Yet undaunted by the intimidation, the Zomi continued their resistance with one accord and the popular movement became so strong a tide that, the British were compelled to leave Kanpelet thereafter.

When Burma attained its own independence, it immediately drafted its own Constitution and accordingly, by 1949, the Burmese Parliament was divided into two Houses – the Upper House and the Lower House. As the general election drew nearer, the Zo people, in order to send their own representative, summoned the first General Assembly under the Zomi National Conference at Falam during February 19–22, 1948. In this Assembly of Conference the following issues were broadly discussed:

1. The high handedness and step-motherly treatment being meted out to the Zomi.
2. Compulsory taxes and revenues levied upon them.
3. Forced labour without any payment of wages.
4. Illegally withholding of the wages of many bread-earners.
5. Oppressive governance and repressive nature of some political or military officers.
6. Self-rule and democratic administration.

After a thorough deliberation of the above issues, a plebiscite was taken from all the members of congregation, each of who was the representative of his own tribe from their respective region. As many as 4993 votes out of 5000 were cast in favour of the motion taken and hence, resolutions for further necessary action was adopted and passed. Since then, foreign domination and control, outside administration, repression in the form of forced labour and taxes, etc., etc., were annulled with the following additional ruling and declaration:

1. To celebrate the Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi National Day) for the peaceful association of the various Zo Communities.
2. It must be a basis for the endorsement of democracy as the fulfillment of the general will.
3. It is also aimed at building unity and cooperation with the other populace of independent Burma and India to improve justice and equality for the stabilization of the Zoland as well as to promote a helping hand among the Zo people.

Thus, the Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi National Day) is observed as a day to commemorate the end of colonialism and imperialism and to mark the liberation of Zoland from the alien rule, in other words, it signifies the installation of sovereign self-rule. For this, the 20th day of February is set aside and being observed as Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi National Day) since 1948 every year. It is also a national integration day for all the Zo Community of India and Myanmar. As such, the Day is celebrated with great elate every year in every parts of the globe where the Zomi settled since then. The Day was recognized as one of the National Holidays in Myanmar (Burma) and significantly coincided with the Mizoram Statehood Day.

As time went on, the Zomis in Manipur and different parts of the world started celebrating the Day with a great zeal as an important cultural event whereby all the tribes presented their own traditional dances, conducting various items such as Miss Zomi pageant, Musical Nites, etc. Such meaningful annual event is found to have positive impact on the general psyche of the people. It also fostered mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence.