Mizoram CM Lalduhoma Stokes Controversy Again, Facilitates Signing ‘Merger’ of Myanmar Rebel Groups in India

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has stoked controversy once again. This time by facilitating the merger of two Myanmar based pro-democracy rebel groups the Chinland Council and the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC) into a unified entity, the Chin National Council (CNC). The agreement was signed in Aizawl, in the presence of the Chief Minister. This move has raised eyebrows, with central agencies flagging concerns over its constitutional implications and potential diplomatic fallout.  

Lalduhoma known for being vocal on the unification Chin-Zo ethnic communities in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar has not went all out for the first time. In September, he stoked controversy while speaking on the same topic of Chin-Zo unification in the United States too.

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The recent merger agreement, aimed at consolidating efforts against Myanmar’s military junta, has drawn criticism for involving a state government in the affairs of a foreign nation. The presence of CM Lalduhoma at the signing ceremony has been deemed unconstitutional by legal experts, as it violates India’s foreign policy protocols, which are exclusively under the purview of the central government.

The Chinland Council and ICNCC, both representing the Chin ethnic group in Myanmar’s Chin State, have been at the forefront of the resistance against the military junta. However, internal conflicts between the groups have often hindered their efforts. Disputes over leadership, strategy, and resource allocation have plagued their operations, weakening their collective resistance. The merger is seen as an attempt to resolve these differences and present a united front against the junta.  

The merger of the rebel groups may strengthen the resistance in Chin State, but its implications for India’s foreign policy and internal security remain a subject of intense debate.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Lalduhoma has not made any statement so far and attempts to get one from him failed as he declined to receive the calls made to him.