Aizawl, March 17: Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Mizoram’s apex students’ body, on Tuesday night held a candle light vigil to pay tribute those killed in anti-coup protests in neighbouring Myanmar.
The candlelight vigil was observed in different parts of the state to mourn and pay tribute to the innocent people, who have been killed in the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar, MZP President B Vanlaltana said.
The event was organised in association with Mizoram-based NGOs United for Democratic Myanmar.
In Aizawl, hundreds of gathered at Vanapa Hall square, in the heart of the city, holding candle lights and observing a minute of silence.
Speaking at the event, the MZP president urged both the State and the Central governments to give protections to Myanmarese nationals who fled military violence in their country and seeking refuge in Mizoram.
“As per Mizo customary practices, if anyone is seeking refuge in your house he or she should not be denied. On humanitarian grounds, Myanmar refugees seeking shelter in Mizoram and other Northeast Indian states should be given protection,” Vanlaltana said.
Vanlaltana said that the MZP will also organise a mobile music concert to raise money for the Myanmar nationals, who have taken refuge in Mizoram fleeing the military regime in their country.
The crowdfunding concerts will be organised across the state capital Aizawl on March 20, he said.
The February 1 coup d’état in the neighbouring country has seen nearly 400 people fleeing to Mizoram, several of them from Myanmar police forces.
The MZP meeting on Tuesday decided to extend humanitarian assistance and relief to the Myanmar nationals, who crossed over to Mizoram to take refuge in the state.
Six Mizoram districts share a 510-km long international border with Myanmar’s Chin state.
