June 26, 2025
Naypyidaw
Former Chairman of the Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD), U Zo Zam, has stated that the peace process in Myanmar should be restarted from the ground up, including direct engagement with ethnic armed groups operating in remote and mountainous areas. He made these remarks during an interview with Voice of Myanmar (VOM), while attending the Peace Forum 2025 in Naypyidaw as an individual observer.
The forum, organized and led by the military council, brought together a range of stakeholders to discuss pathways to lasting peace in the country.
“What we want is change. Everyone in Myanmar feels trapped in the current situation. Over the past four years, there’s been a breakdown in mutual understanding. That’s why I believe we must restart the peace process from the beginning. We need to send representatives into the jungles and mountains to meet these groups directly,” U Zo Zam said.
He emphasized that Chin armed youth should be approached with patience and understanding. By listening to their beliefs and negotiating sincerely, he believes they can be guided toward the right path.
“As Chin people, we’ve grown up with a fascination for firearms. Traditionally, a man without a gun is not seen as a ‘real man.’ That mindset has been deeply ingrained through generations. But I’m not worried. If we respect their perspectives and engage constructively, they’ll eventually find the right path.
The problem is that some of my Chin friends abroad don’t share this view. They lack the open-minded approach I believe is necessary. But with sincere and transparent dialogue, especially with youth who respect me as one of their own, progress is possible. We need proper methods — simply pushing them won’t work,” he added.
U Zo Zam previously served as a state parliament representative for Tedim Township in the 2010 elections and was also a signatory witness during the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015.
The Peace Forum 2025, held under the theme “Towards a New Nation of Peace, Democracy, and Federalism through Peace, Elections, and Unity,” is taking place from June 25 to 27 in Naypyidaw. The event includes representatives from ethnic armed organizations, political parties, prominent individuals from various sectors, local and international experts, NGOs, and diplomatic envoys from China, India, and Russia, among others.
