By NE NOW NEWS
Aizwal: Mizoram’s largest civil society organisation, the Young Mizo Association (YMA), and major church bodies in the state have agreed to strengthen cooperation in tackling the growing menace of drug abuse and narcotics trafficking, a YMA leader said on Tuesday.
The decision was taken during a meeting between the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), an umbrella body representing the state’s leading churches, held in Aizawl.
According to CYMA General Secretary Malsawmliana, both sides stressed the need for greater community participation and enhanced church involvement to address the increasing threat posed by drug addiction and trafficking across the state.
While appreciating the efforts already undertaken by various churches to combat substance abuse and its social consequences, CYMA leaders called for more intensive and coordinated action, citing the serious impact of narcotics on young people and families.
As part of the proposed initiative, the CYMA urged churches across Mizoram to organise mass prayer programmes under a common theme aimed at strengthening public awareness and collective resistance against drug abuse.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of vigilance in the issuance of official church documents, including baptism certificates. Church leaders were advised to ensure that such documents are not provided to non-local residents or foreign nationals without proper verification.
In addition, CYMA leaders reiterated a resolution adopted during the YMA’s general assembly last year, which called for measures to prevent ethnic divisions among different Mizo communities living in the state. They appealed to churches to actively promote social cohesion, discourage alienation, and foster unity and harmony among all Mizo groups in Mizoram.