Two Mizo women have been told to leave hometown Bairabi for marrying non-Mizos. The village in Kolasib district is 130km north of Mizoram capital Aizawl. A coordination committee of local NGOs had on October 18 issued the quit notice to Mapuii and Zorampari, both in their 30s. They were found guilty of marrying traders from outside the state, one of them hailing from Rajasthan. 

According to C Lalbiakenga, president of the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA), the two had been asked to leave in September but stayed on. “They were asked to leave as per a resolution passed in 2001 regarding women who marry non-Mizos,” he said, insisting they were not excommunicated.

Pleas from the women’s kin made the district authorities intervene. “This is not a one-off case. We have pointed out to the NGOs that such a diktat is unconstitutional and against the rights of women targeted for marrying who they choose to. We home the issue will be resolved soon,” Kolasib deputy commissioner Niharika Rai told HT.

Kolasib additional deputy commissioner Zairemmawia and sub-divisional police officer Francis L Ralte have been entrusted to hold meetings with the NGOs.