16 March 2026 – The People’s Defence Force-Zoland (PDF-Zoland), a local resistance group fighting Myanmar’s military junta, has accused the Zomi Revolutionary Army-Eastern Command (ZRA-EC) of transforming into a proxy force for the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC), the rebranded governing body of the military regime formerly known as the State Administration Council (SAC).
In a statement released on 15 March, PDF-Zoland claimed that ZRA-EC leaders met with SSPC representatives on 5 March at Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 269 in Tedim town to discuss arms supply and cooperation.
The group alleges this has shifted ZRA-EC from a revolutionary force aligned with the People’s Defence Forces to a subordinate militia serving the junta.
PDF-Zoland pointed to visible evidence of collaboration, including ZRA-EC fighters residing at LIB 269, wearing SSPC uniforms, and operating jointly with junta troops. The Voice of Chinland (VOC) reportedly noted that ZRA-EC has sought permission from Naypyitaw to form a local militia.
“ZRA-EC is no longer a pro-people armed organization,” the statement said. PDF-Zoland Chief of Staff Gideon warned that ZRA-EC members in Tedim are now “identical to the SSPC’s forces” and urged them to recognize their changed affiliation.
The ZRA-EC, established in 2013 under the Zomi Revolutionary Organization/Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRO/ZRA) headquartered in Manipur, India, operates primarily in northern Chin State. It has a history of clashes with other Chin revolutionary groups, including attacks on Chin resistance forces.
The allegations come amid ongoing fragmentation among armed groups in Chin State, where multiple Chin defence forces and ethnic groups resist junta control following the 2021 military coup. Reports dating back to 2023 have accused ZRA-EC of cooperating with the Myanmar military against anti-junta forces in areas like Tedim and Tonzang townships.
ZRA-EC has firmly rejected the claims as “false and unsubstantiated,” calling on PDF-Zoland to withdraw the statement and accusing it of spreading disinformation that harms Zomi unity. The group insists it remains committed to defending Zomi interests independently.
The SSPC, formed in 2025 as a rebranding of the SAC under junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, oversees national defense, security, and efforts to stabilize the country amid widespread resistance. The accusations highlight deepening divisions within the local defence landscape in northern Chin State. – Reporting by Daniel
