Ex-Navy sailor bats for ‘free movement regime’ along Mizoram-Myanmar border

TBC Lalvenchhunga claimed the Centre was taking steps to regulate the movement of people, belonging to greater Zo community, in visiting places across the international border. 
Lalvenchhunga, who had served in the Indian Navy for 15 years, had drawn the attention of Election Commission recently for his assertion that PRISM would introduce a secession bill against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. (Photo | EPS)
Lalvenchhunga, who had served in the Indian Navy for 15 years, had drawn the attention of Election Commission recently for his assertion that PRISM would introduce a secession bill against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. (Photo | EPS)

GUWAHATI: A former Indian Navy sailor, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Mizoram, has pledged that his party, People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM), will work towards restoring the “free movement regime” along Mizoram-Myanmar border.

TBC Lalvenchhunga claimed the Centre was taking steps to regulate the movement of people, belonging to greater Zo community, in visiting places across the international border. 

“Realizing that various tribes falling under the Zo community are settled on both sides of the border, the British had not put any restriction on their movement. It was a free movement regime. However, the two countries, in due course, reduced the travel distance up to 16 km into each other’s territory. Now, the Government of India is trying to limit stay for 72 hours and has plans to permit border-crossing only if the person is armed with passport and visa,” Lalvenchhunga claimed.

He alleged that the purported steps were aimed at further separating people belonging to Zo community in both countries. The PRISM will put up a fight against this, he asserted.

PRISM president Vanlalruata said, “The British colonial power gave us this right and India also gave this right to us. Chin people living in Myanmar Chin hills and we Mizos are brothers and sisters. We want free movement. But now it is being replaced with border pass system which stops free movement. So, we oppose this”. 

The 36-year-old Lalvenchhunga, who had served in the Indian Navy for 15 years, had drawn the attention of Election Commission recently for his assertion that PRISM would introduce a secession bill against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. When the state’s election department served a notice to the party seeking a clarification, Vanlalruata said what Lalvenchhunga essentially said was that PRISM would oppose the Bill should it be imposed on the Mizos.

There are six candidates in the fray in Mizoram’s lone Parliamentary seat. All major political parties, including ruling Mizo National Front and Congress, are contesting the polls which will be held simultaneously with by-elections to Aizawl West-I Assembly constituency on April 11.

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