Myanmar Junta urges Mizoram Assembly and BJP MP in Rajya Sabha to avoid actions harming Bilateral Ties 

Ukhrul, March 13: The Myanmar Junta has urged Indian politicians to avoid self-interested actions that could harm bilateral relations. Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun emphasized the need to respect Myanmar’s sovereignty and stated that Myanmar would formally address these issues.

According to The Irrawaddy, this response came after reports that a member of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly visited Myanmar and encouraged ethnic Chin armed groups to join India, and a BJP lawmaker from Manipur proposed incorporating Myanmar’s Kabaw Valley into Manipur during a parliamentary session. Major General Zaw Min Tun called on the Indian politicians to refrain from actions driven by self-interest that could strain bilateral ties. The Indian Embassy in Myanmar has yet to comment on the matter.

The Myanmar Junta’s concerns specifically involve Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Manipur’s titular king and Rajya Sabha MP, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba.

Lalduhoma and his government has been actively advocating for the unity of the Zo (Chin-Kuki-Mizo) community, which spans Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh, based on ethnic and religious ties. During his visit to the United States in September 2024, he reiterated this message, propogating the Zo Reunification Organisation’s (ZORO) efforts to achieve a pan-Zo community.

Also read | Why Zo Reunification Org is Threatening Independence Over Border Fencing and FMR Revocation?

Lalduhoma has also opposed the Indian government’s move to fence the Indo-Myanmar border, calling it “unacceptable.” During a meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in February 2024, he argued that the British division of the Mizo people’s land should not be accepted, expressing a desire for reunification under one administration. “The British had separated the Mizos by carving out Burma from India. They divided the Mizo ethnic people’s land from ancient days into two parts. That is why we cannot accept the border, instead, we always dream of becoming a nation under one administration,” Lalduhoma told Minister S. Jaishankar.

A move seen as controversial, in late February 2025, Lalduhoma brokered an agreement between the Chinland Council and the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC), two long-standing rival groups in Myanmar, leading to the formation of a unified body called the Chin National Council. The agreement was signed in Aizawl, Mizoram. However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs clarified that foreign policy matters fall outside the jurisdiction of state governments.

The Wire in a news report titled, Union Govt Reprimands Mizoram CM for Brokering Peace Between Warring Myanmar Factions quoted the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson saying, “We have seen some reports on the matter. Our position on the situation in Myanmar is well known. I would also like to reiterate that foreign policy issues do not lie within the remit of the state governments.”

Also read | Mizoram CM says Center’s move to fence Indo-Myanmar border ‘not acceptable’

Major General Zaw Min Tun’s caution directed to Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba followed the MP’s address during the Parliament Budget Session 2025, where he highlighted the historical significance of the Kabaw Valley. Leishemba described the valley as “a resource-rich and fertile landmass spanning approximately 22,210 square kilometers was historically part of the Manipur Kingdom” until it was handed over to Burma in 1953 by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The BJP MP claimed that the decision was made without the approval of the Indian Parliament or the endorsement of the Manipur state, calling it “the most unfortunate day in the history of Manipur.” Maharaja Sanajaoba maintained that Nehru’s decision disregarded the terms of the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826) and the Kabaw Valley Agreements of 1834.

Also read | Titular King and MP Sanajaoba demands Justice for Manipur over Nehru’s Kabaw Valley decision in Rajya Sabha