I. INTRODUCTION
Rev. Dr. Suan Muan Thang’s recent article, titled “You Do Not Have the Authority to Decide the Future of All Chin/Zo People,” presents a deeply flawed critique of the Zomi Political Coordination Council (ZPCC), the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), the Zogam Charter, and the Zomi Flag. His arguments misrepresent facts, distort democratic principles, and disregard the collective will of the Zomi people as expressed through legitimate representative channels. This document presents a comprehensive and multi-format rebuttal—analytical, political, legal, symbolic, and strategic.
II. THE ZOGAM CHARTER: A REPRESENTATIVE FOUNDATION
The Zogam Charter is not a document created by an armed group or individual actors. It is a collective political roadmap formed at the Zomi International Conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2019 (ZIC-KL 2019). This conference brought together over 70 representatives from:
- Political parties (ZCD, NLD)
- Civil society (ZIUSA, ZAM)
- Faith organizations (e.g., Global Zomi Alliance)
- Youth and women’s organizations
- Independent elders, scholars, and diaspora leaders
The Kuala Lumpur Declaration reaffirmed Zomi identity, endorsed the Zomi Flag, and initiated the roadmap that became the Zogam Charter.
III. CHARTERS ARE MEANT TO EVOLVE
Dr. Thang presents the Charter as an unchangeable imposition. This is false. Article IX of the Charter clearly states that it is amendable through the will of the people, just like:
- The U.S. Constitution was amended 27 times
- The Indian Constitution, amended over 100 times
The Zogam Charter is a pre-constitutional document—a temporary but essential foundation for future governance.
IV. THE ZOMI FLAG: SYMBOL OF LEGACY
Dr. Thang argues that no flag should be adopted without unanimous public consensus. However:
- No national flag in the world has been adopted by direct public vote.
- The Zomi Flag was reaffirmed at ZIC-KL 2019 by elected, appointed, and community-authorized delegates.
- The flag has been used for over 30 years by the ZRO and later affirmed for the broader Zomi nation.
The flag is not an invention—it is a symbol of continuity, sacrifice, and unity.
V. THE ZPCC: A TRANSITIONAL AND INCLUSIVE BODY
Far from being an armed dictatorship, the ZPCC is a transitional coordinating council, formed in the wake of the 2021 Myanmar coup to fill the power vacuum. Its composition includes:
- Elected MPs (ZCD, NLD)
- Representatives from diaspora organizations (ZIUSA, ZAM, other Zomi communities, Faith Groups, Zomi Innkuan Australia, Korea, Canada, etc.)
- Directors from Women, Youth, Religious, Federal, Judicial, and Information departments
- Civil society leaders and elders
It is a coalition government-in-transition, not a unilateral group.
VI. MILITARY UNDER CIVILIAN COMMAND
The ZRA-EC is not the governing body. According to Article VI of the Charter:
- ZRA-EC is the sole-authorized force to protect Zogam
- The ZRA is accountable to the ZPCC, not autonomous
Just as Kurdish Peshmerga operates under the KRG and Tibetan resistance was led by the CTA, the ZRA’s role is protection—not governance.
VII. RESPONDING POINT BY POINT TO DR. THANG
- “No Mandate”: Refuted by representation at ZIC-KL 2019
- “Undemocratic”: Refuted by participatory governance and amendable Charter
- “Diaspora shouldn’t decide”: Diaspora are stakeholders and financial lifelines—recognized across all global governance models
- “One Flag, One Army, One Voice”: Necessary for transitional unity against external aggression (e.g., CNA invasion)
VIII. ZOGAM IS DEFENSIBLE, NOT DIVISIVE
The Charter calls for peace, rights, equality, and democratic order. Dr. Thang’s article, while entitled to freedom of speech, dangerously undermines this progress by:
- Offering no alternative roadmap
- Ignoring the KL Declaration and ZPCC formation
- Speaking as an individual while dismissing a multi-sector consensus
IX. CALL TO ACTION
Dr. Thang and others with critiques should:
- Engage through formal mechanisms
- Propose specific amendments
- Attend the next Zomi Convention
Let us not forget: “The solution to conscientious decision-making is not having nothing and doing nothing.”
X. CONCLUSION
The Zogam Charter is:
- Living and amendable
- Legitimately ratified by Zomi stakeholders
- A roadmap to constitutional self-governance
The Zomi Flag is:
- Historical
- Representative
- Unified across tribes and territories
Let us defend them both—not as relics or tools of division—but as symbols of unity, sovereignty, and democratic aspiration.
ZOGAM FOR ZOMI. ZOMI FOR ZOGAM.
Truth. Justice. Freedom.
The following is the original post of Mr. Suan Muan Thang.
Social Media Post: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10162790270440575
A Call to Chinland Council, Chin Brotherhood, and ZRA:
You Do Not Have the Authority to Decide the Future of All Chin/Zo People
As a concerned member of the Chin/Zo community, I write with a heavy heart regarding the recent actions by the Chinland Council, Chin Brotherhood, and Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) in unilaterally drafting a national charter, flag, and constitution without the consent or meaningful consultation of the broader Chin/Zo population both inside Myanmar and abroad.
This action is not only undemocratic but dangerously divisive. Let it be made clear: no armed group or political alliance, nor their supporters abroad, has the authority or legitimacy to decide the collective future of our people. The people who live in Chin State and across Myanmar are not subjects of any armed organization or political faction. We are citizens with a voice, dignity, and the right to take part in shaping our destiny.
1. No One Group Has the Mandate of the People
Charters, flags, and constitutions are sacred symbols and tools of a nation. They must arise from the people, not be imposed by a small circle of armed actors or foreign-based supporters. The process undertaken by the Chinland Council, the Chin Brotherhood, and the ZRA is not rooted in democratic legitimacy. It lacked transparency, inclusiveness, and community representation. Therefore, any document or symbol produced through this flawed process can not be accepted as representing the Chin/Zo nation.
2. Armed Struggle Does Not Equal Political Authority
While we respect the efforts of Chin armed groups in defending our people from oppression, let us remember bearing arms is not the same as bearing democratic responsibility. The people do not elect military groups, and they do not have the right to draft the political future of an entire ethnic group without broad consultation. Actual authority must come from the consent of the governed, not from force or fear.
3. Supporters Abroad Must Act Responsibly
Many Chin/Zo brothers and sisters living in other countries have shown great concern and support for our homeland. However, they do not live under the same daily realities faced by people in Chin State: conflict, displacement, hunger, and political repression. Therefore, those living abroad must not attempt to direct or influence foundational decisions without listening to those on the ground. Solidarity does not give the right to dictate.
4. This Path Divides, Not Unites
The unilateral drafting of a charter and adoption of a flag and constitution, without the involvement of civil society, churches, elders, youth, women’s organizations, or experts, risks creating deep divisions among the Chin/Zo people. Instead of building unity, it sows distrust and alienation. Our brotherhood cannot survive if some act as rulers and others as subjects.
5. Only the People Can Define Our Common Future
The future of the Chin/Zo people must be built together through genuine, inclusive dialogue that welcomes all voices, respects all tribes, and includes both local communities and the diaspora. Scholars, theologians, human rights advocates, political experts, and grassroots leaders must be invited to the table. No flag, charter, or constitution is legitimate unless born from the people’s will.
Therefore, we call for an immediate stop to any unilateral declaration or imposition of national symbols or legal documents by the Chinland Council, Chin Brotherhood, ZRA, or their allies. We urge the formation of an inclusive public dialogue and participatory process that can represent the diverse and united voice of the Chin/Zo people.
Let us walk the path of justice, transparency, and unity—not one of force, secrecy, and division.
PS-please share to all the groups and leaders including churches and organizations from Chin/Zo/Zomi Communities.
– A Concerned Member of the Chin/Zo Community
Rev. Suan Muan Thang, D.Min, PhD