Zomi International Conference (ZIC19KL)

17-19 February, 2019
Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

PRESS NOTE
19th February, 2019 | Kuala Lumpur

The Zomi International Conference 2019 held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, successfully concluded today with the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Future of Indigenous Zomi: Political Status and Socio-Economic Development of Zogam 2019.

The Conference, which began on 17″ February, 2019 was a milestone international Zomi gathering to discuss key political, economic, social, and cultural issues confronting the Zomi people and Zomi inhabited areas in India and Myanmar. Being the first of its kind event to deliberate on the status of the Zomi political movement and with the objective of laying out a strategic roadmap for the future, the Conference was attended by over (73) members representing Zomi political, social, religious, cultural organizations, and thought leaders from Myanmar, India, the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Taking cognizance of the contemporary political developments in India and Myanmar, which affect the Zomis and ancestral Zomi inhabited areas in the Indo-Myanmar borderland, the Conference was an attempt at consensus-building and reaffirmation of the Zomi movement with its various stakeholders.

Many issues concerning the political roadmap of the Zomi movement, pressing socio-economic challenges, and specific agendas relating to peace and security of Zomi inhabited areas were laid out to the member,s and threadbare discussion sessions were conducted for each by the members.

While appreciating the efforts made by Zomis and Zomi political, social, religious, and cultural organisations, the Conference moved resolutions on matters of critical importance to the Zomi movement. In line with the resolutions consented in the Conference, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Future of Indigenous Zomi: Political Status and Socio-Economic Development of Zogam 2019 was unanimously adopted as follows:
After a focused deliberation and discussion by all participating members at the Kuala Lumpur Zomi International Conference 2019, based on the proposals of ZIUSA and complemented b the proposals, comments, suggestions and advice of all participating Zomi organisations, leaders and intellectuals, it was consented by the members to present the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Future of Indigenous Zomis: Political Status and Socio-Economic Development of Zogam 2019, on this day, the nineteenth of February, Two Thousand and Nineteen, as follow:


1. We reaffirm our Zomi identity as an indigenous people: and resolve to continue working towards achieving our political goal of establishing a self-administered Zogam for the Zomi nation with a renewed commitment.
2. To establish a Zomi Parliament under the framework, guidelines, and parameters of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to protect, promote, and propagate the emotional, social, cultural, and political integration of Zomi people across the world.
3. To collectively work together towards strengthening and advancing the interests of the Zomi movement and realizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the socio-economic upliftment of Zomi-inhabited areas through our respective capacities at appropriate forums.

The Conference also made fervent appeals about the need to make greater strides to all Zomis living in India, Myanmar, and across the globe to encourage one another, strengthen the Zomi movement, and collaborate to achieve the long-pending political aspirations and socio-economic development in Zogam.