[5] The Zo identity for the Kuki-Chin language speaking people spread across Northeast India and Myanmar's Chin State began to take shape soon after World War II.

[6] In 1953, the Baptist Associations of Tedim, Falam and Hakha in Myanmar's Chin State adopted Zomi ("Zo people") as their "national" name (subsuming the various tribal identities).

It had the professed objective of unifying all the Zo people divided across national borders (India, Myanmar and Bangladesh) under a united "Zomi" identity.

[9] With these antecedents, seven Zo tribes of Churachandpur district in Manipur, that had previously declined to accept a Kuki identity, agreed to come under the banner of Zomi Re-unification Organisation in 1995.

[10] At the time of the formation of ZRA, the tensions between the Kukis (mainly Thadou-Kukis) and the tribes belonging to the Zomi grouping were on the rise.

In 2005, the Vaipheis who were not happy with the treatment given by the Zomis formed their own armed group called United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA),which latter led to be joined by many Vaipheis youth who were in others arm group and the Hmars formed Hmar National Army (HNA).

All the groups resorted to extortion, drug trade, kidnapping for ransom, forced recruitment of young children as cadres, denial of voting rights to unarmed sections of the community etc.

The militant groups agreed to abjure the path of violence, and refrain from unlawful activities such as killing, kidnapping, extortions, intimidations, carrying of arms in public, and the imposition of 'taxes' and 'fines'.

[17] The ZRA mainly conducts operations in the majority areas of Paite, Simte, Vaiphei, Zou, Mizo, Chin, Gangte, Thadou and other tribes under the Zo umbrella, in the Churachandpur and other districts in Manipur.

[5][35] The ZRA's maintains close alliances with the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM).

The group also has a memorandum of understanding with the Kuki Liberation Organization (KLO) that promises "full cooperation in all spheres, with the objective of strengthening the blood ties among the Kuki-Chin-Mizo/Zomi peoples".

[35] In 2019, ZRO was reported to be part of United People's Front, an umbrella group of six or seven ethnic organisations with armed wings which were formed in the 1990s.

The ZRA also said that they had "viewed the steps taken by the Indian government in this regard as a positive approach towards the better understanding of our unique history, and the realisation of the need for a permanent solution to the long standing aspirations of the Zomi people".

[40][37] In late August and early September 2023, the Chinland Defense Force claimed that two of their soldiers were killed after the ZRA-EC attacked bases in Tonzang Township.

[41] In May 2024, battles again broke out in Tonzang township between Chin resistance forces consisting of CNA and CDFs against ZRA-EC and its allies, the Myanmar military.