Zo Raetapaw 
Acceptance of Zo is snowballing unstoppably among the so-called Kuki/Lushai/Chin who scattered on the east and west of the Indo-Myanmar border, across to Bangladesh and on to the plains. The following are some of the organisations embracing Zo, randomly picked up as examples.
In June 1945 the adoption of the Zo Education Board (ZEB), in recognition of Zo as their national name, heraided Zo in and effort to uplift education system in Tedim area as the first of its kind in Chin Hills.
In 1953 the adoption of Zomi Baptist Convention in light of historical facts united the people of Chin State, the majority being Baptists, harmoniously as Zomi.
In 1971, a political organisation, Zomi National congress Party emerged at Daijang, Manipur with the banner, “We proclaim that the racial name ‘Chin’ should be done away and Zo must be reinstated to its proper place and status of racial identity” ZNC party won in 1988 election, yet the election results were nullified by the military Junta. The same party, however, won again in 2015 general election as Zomi congress for Democracy, and is now sitting in Parliament.
In 1972 under the leadership Pu H Gou Gin, a national leader in Lamka, Churachandpur, Manipur State, India, Zomi was confirmed as their true national identity.
During 1981-83 a wide-based consultation was conducted by Kuki-Chin-Lushai Baptist Leaders and a book was published to commemorate the occasion featuring the recommendation of Zomi as their nomenclature.
On May 19-20, 1988, The First World Zomi Convention popularly known as Champhai Convention, attended by 40 delegates from Myanmar , India and Bangladesh, having adopted Zo as the common nomenclature for the scattered ethnic groups, declared Charter of Agreement, Chin History, Culture and Identity: p 111.
On June 25, 1993 at Pearsonmun, Churachandpur, Lamka, the seven tribes from Manipur State, Gangte, Hmar Palte, Simte, Tedim-Chin, Valphel and Zou who are under the Scheduled Tribes in India, adopted the name Zomi for their common identity.
Since 2000 with the surge of nationalism in the wake of the weaning dictatorship rule in Burma, countless Zo organisations and Zo advocacy have sprung up in Myanmar, India and overseas.
In October 2013, at the 3rd World Zomi Convention held in Laka, the Mizos, Zomis and Kukis all unanimously made a declaration that the true identity of the former Kuki, Lushai, Chin, was “Zomi/Mizo”.
The Palte in Manipur and Mizoram who, in the hope of unifying all Kuki/Lushai/Chin had intentionally adopted Chin to identify themselves , are now contemplating joining the mainstream Zomi.
The Miram Zo (Lakher) call themslves, Zoa which is obviously Zo. Grierson, Linguistic Survey of India 1894.
The Hmar identify Zo as their ancestor, as stated by Dr V Lunghnema. The Hmar Genealogy 1977 pp1-5.
This Article Received From, and Credit to: Dr.J. Suan Za Dong, Sydney, Australia
