Hmar political issues in Mizoram
- Part 3 -

Maria Pa *

Hmar Skirt - Hmarpuan - Tribal hand woven fabrics of Manipur :: Pix - Mutua Bahadur

Three policemen, all belonging to the 1st Battalion of the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP) – Sub-Inspector Zoramthara Khawlhring, Driver Lalchuailova and Constable Hmangaihmawia are killed and 5 others injured when the Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) ambushed them between Tinghmun and Zokhawthiang in Aizawl district of Mizoram, bordering Manipur on March 28, 2015. The Police team is accompanying the local MLA and Chairman of the Mizoram Assembly Committee on Government Assurances, RL Pianmawia and two other members of the Committee, Lalthanliana and the lone woman legislator of the state, Ms Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu and concerned department officials who were on official tour of the area.

The incident may be one of the major and fatal strike of the HPC(D) after their September 2, 2008 ambush of the 1st India Reserve Battalion near Saipum village in Kolasib district, also along the border with Assam in which 3 police personnel were killed and the same number injured. Killing of any form and anybody has to be denounced and condemned; all the more so, when it is between brethren sharing the same history, custom and culture but with little difference in dialect and political leanings and affiliations. Life is given by God, and there is no spare part to replace it. It is always agonizing to hear when young women are suddenly turned into widows and innocent young kids to orphan for no fault of theirs.

It may be noted here that from 1986, the Hmar peoples of Mizoram under the banner of Hmar People's Convention (HPC) led a peaceful and latter an armed struggle for an Autonomous District Council for the Hmar peoples of Mizoram settled mostly on northern side bordering Manipur and Assam. A Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the government of Mizoram was signed on July27, 1994 and a formal Home Coming ceremony for the HPC armed cadres was also held alongside the MoA. However, significant numbers in the party refused to accept the term of settlement and continued the struggle for autonomy under the Sixth Scheduled provision of the Constitution of India under the banner of Hmar People's Convention (Democratic).

The July 27, 1994 MoS results in the formation of Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC) with its headquarters in Sakawrdai which however is still in Aizawl. The MoS also clearly mentioned that, there will be 'an interim period of TWO years after which election to the members of the council will be held'. The main objective of the MoS is to give adequate autonomy to the SHDC for social, economic, cultural and educational advancement of the people under the jurisdiction of the Council.

The said MoS further states that, "With a view to satisfying the desires and aspirations of Hmar community in Mizoram, the State Government will initiate measures for use of Hmar language as a medium of instruction upto Primary level and recognition of the Hmar language as one of the major languages of the State of Mizoram".

The SHDC, as per the MoS was to be headed by the President of HPC and was to have any of the 3 sitting MLAs (of the Council area) as the Vice Chairman and the rest of the MLAs as Members besides 17 Nominated Members from the area (14 members by Chairman of the Council and 3 members by the Govt.). It was also stated to have representatives from Finance, Planning, Rural Development Departments as well as the Deputy Commissioner concerned and, Development Officer (Sr. IAS or MCS Officer) was to be the Member Secretary of the Council.

For reasons that can be best explain by the Mizoram government, the 2 YEARS INTERIM period still continue even after 20 years has past and none of the Chairmen of the Council whimsically appointed so far is President of the HPC. There is no specific tenure for them and are made to sit in the chair as long as they please those who appoint them. The SHDC is also for name sake run from a rented building in Aizawl with a meager amount doled out occasionally by the government.

The Chairmen, who are appointed by the government in power, need not bother to undertake any tangible development programs as the fund provided to them are not enough to do so and above all, there is no proper audit mechanism of its use or misuse. Non-implementation of such a high level agreement is no doubt the main grievance of the Hmar peoples of Mizoram in general.

On Sept 27, 2013, few months before the last Assembly election of the state, an order was issued by the GA Department of the state government which states that, election in SHDC area will be conducted during 2015. However, the said order is put under the carpet and there seems to be no substantial steps initiated to pursue and make it happen till date.

The reaction of the state government of Mizoram on the March 28, 2015 incident was prompt and forceful. The Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla audaciously stated that, "We've accepted the HPC(D)'s challenged and we will root out all their cadres and their support system", while the Home Minister, R. Lalzirliana, may be in his attempt to rouse the sentiments of the Mizo peoples claims that, "the HPC(D) are not even hesitant to kill all our MLAs and their parties, but by the grace of God, that does not happen".

The Chief Secretary of Mizoram was immediately sent to Manipur to convey the stated position of their state and their plans and programs with regard to the HPC(D). The government also contemplates to declare the Hmar's 'Demand Area' as 'Disturbed Area' and the HPC(D) as unlawful organization by initiating the necessary official formalities. Needless to point out here that, declaring any area of a state as 'disturbed' by the state automatically makes the area under coverage of the dreaded and redundant Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) 1958. To turn 'words into deeds' the Mizoram special police team in collaboration with the Assam Rifles arrested the Commander-in-Chief of the HPC(D) and two of his associates on April 16, 2015 surprisingly, not in Manipur but in Silchar, Assam.

The charges and counter-charges in the social media, Facebook in particular is disgusting and indigestible and not at all encouraging as it immediately goes on communal lines. Inspite of the repeated appeals made by the Administrators of the groups, reckless youths using fake IDs are hurling humiliating and hurtful vocabulary on communal lines as if the whole Hmars are at war with the Mizos. This has led to a huge chasm between the Lushai speaking Mizos and those speaking Hmar and will definitely led to further enmity if the trend is not arrested.

It may be mentioned here that the Lushai (Mizo) dialect are so close that outsiders will hardly be able to differentiate between the two in the first place. Many Hmars of Mizoram has already identified themselves as Mizos and are now deadly against Hmar political autonomy whereas there are also Lushai (Mizos) who identify themselves as Hmars and main proponents of Hmar political movements in Mizoram. It all depends on where one settles.

On the other side, The HPC(D) while claiming complete responsibility for the March 28 incident has boldly stated in their official Press Release that, they are not for disintegration of Mizoram or the Mizo society but only struggles for the Hmars of Mizoram to have an Autonomous Council like the Lai, Mara and Chakmas of Mizoram. They have also officially stated before that, their movement in Mizoram has never aimed to break up Mizoram or disassociate Hmars from Mizo ethnic nationhood.

Rather, it aims to strengthen the ethnic Mizo nation as a whole, to preserve and develop Hmar's distinct cultures and traditions, customs, dialects and languages, and to protect its ethnic interests, identities, land and natural resources. The same press handout also states that, "the HPC(D) never challenge Mr. Lalthanhawla led Mizoram government but only have demand like a son have to his father. The son can never challenge the father but can always make demands. If a father, instead of providing what his son asked for, beat him mercilessly, nobody will justify his action".

To be continued..