“If I were Chief Minister of the state, I would celebrate the Chin National Day, since there is no Chin State Day, even if it meant losing my position. It is a question of nationalism and the Chief Minister needs to take responsibility,” he said.

He told Khonumthung News the Chin National Day, on February 20, was changed to Chin State Day by the Burmese government during the rule of the Burma Social Programme Party (BSPP) regime, led by General Ne Win, who assumed power in a military coup in 1962.
Pu Zozam was speaking at a seminar ‘Bridging South and South East Asia’ at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, on January 30th.

The Chief Minister of Chin state, U Hung Ngai, has summarily rejected a proposal to officially celebrate the 64th anniversary of the Chin National Day, slated for the 20th of February, 2012. The proposal came from the Chin National Day Organising Committee in Mindat, southern Chin State.

Pu Zozam said the Chin National Party has begun work on the tasks related to Chin nationalism. He invited other parties in Chin State to involve themselves in these activities.

“The Kaladan Dam project cannot run on the whims of the government. The government has to accord priority to people’s acceptance and it has to study the benefits local people will derive from it. CNP will conduct a field study on the project, and then it will be proposed for discussion in the Chin State parliament session assembly,” he said after the seminar.

In the seminar, 15 delegates from Chin National Party, National Democratic Force, Shan National Democracy Party, Union Solidarity of Development Party, National United Party, Democratic Party (Burma), Pao National Organisation and Inn National Development Party participated.