ZCD to push for inclusion of ‘Zomi’ on ID card
31 October 2013: Members of the Zomi Congress for Democracy (ZCD) decided to make more effort to change their ethnic name from ‘Chin’ to ‘Zomi’ on the Burmese national identity card.
They agreed during an event marking ZCD’s 25th anniversary last week, saying they would maintain their ancestral name when a nationwide census took place in 2014.
In a statement released last Thursday, ZCD said that an official letter requesting permission for the inclusion of ‘Zomi’ on the national ID card had been sent to Burma’s central government on 4 September 2013.
Previously named Zomi National Congress (ZNC), the party changed its name to ZCD by dropping the word ‘national’ following a rejection by Burma’s authorities on the ground that ‘Zomi’ was not recognized as an ethnic name in the country.
Meanwhile, some oppose the designation of ethnicity and religion on the national ID card, saying they could be used for discriminatory purposes while others welcome in a bid to protect their ethnic identity.
In Burma, the current ID card known as National Registration Card or Citizenship Scrutiny Card includes the bearer’s photo, left thumb print and other personal data including ethnicity and religion.#
[Note: The Chinland Guardian has corrected to read ‘Chin’ to ‘Zomi’, instead of ‘Zomi’ to ‘Chin’, in the first paragraph.]