A case study of MNF movement for independence in Mizoram
Counter-Insurgency Operation and Human Right Violation
- Part 3 -

Dr Th Siamkhum *

Mizo National Front Emblem:: Pix - Wikipedia/

To prove this, let facts be submitted to candid world:

1. They have instituted government to rule over us in our own country without any respect for Human Rights and Dignity even in the face of the present candid world which is committed to these rights and dignity.

2. They have been pursuing a policy of exploitative measures in their attempt to wipe out Christianity, the sole religion, and no consideration has ever been paid to our national way of life.

3. They have been preaching throughout the world as if they have instituted a separate administrative machinery in conformity with the principles of Democracy to conceal their policy of degeneration of our national morality and of assimilation while what and been instituted for us is a pattern of colonial administration.

4. They refuse not only to procure supply of food and arrange other forms of assistance in times of famine, but also prohibited us from seeking and receiving assistance from friendly countries, which resulted in the death of many people.

5. They have established a multitude of offices and sent swarm of India officers, who had an immoral life, cruelly appeasing our womenfolk to commit immorality with them by taking advantage of their official capacity and of the position they occupy in the administrative machinery.

6. Taking the advantage of economic frustration of the people they subjected us to economic slavery and forced us to enter into the door of poverty.

7. Curbing freedom of expression, our patriots are arrested and kept in jails without displaying any form of justice.

8. The export facility which we used to enjoy before the pre-Indian domination has been totally closed.

9. Without exploring our country's economic resources in agriculture, industries and mining and giving no consideration for their development, they maintain suppressive measures against our economic right.

10. Realizing the importance of our country to India in its defense strategy, the Government of India is establishing military bases throughout our country and thereby creating an atmosphere of cold war while nothing is done for its economic and social development.

11. In spite of our repeated appeal for peaceful settlement of our rightful and legitimate demand for self-determination, the Government of India is bringing exploitative and suppressive means employing their military might and waging war against us as done in the case of the Nagas and Kashmiris.

12. Owing to absence of medical facilities in our countries, our people died without having no treatment and attention.

For these and all other innumerable causes, we declare to the candid world that India is unworthy to rule over the civilized Mizo people who are created and moulded into a nation and nurtured and endowed with territorial integrity by Nature and Nature's God.

We, therefore, the representatives of Mizo people, meeting on this day, the first of March, in the year of 1966, appealing to the supreme judge of the World for the rectitude of our intention. So, in the name and authority of the good people of this country, solemnly publish and declare, that Mizoram has the right to be, free and independent, that they are absolved from all allegiance to India and its Parliament and all people connections between them and Government of India is and ought to be dissolved and that as a free independent state, they have full power to declare war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish committee and to do all other Acts and things which independent state may. And for the support of the Declaration, we mutually pledge to each other with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence lives, our fortunes, and our sacred Honour. We appeal to all freedom loving nations and individuals to Human Rights and Dignity and to extend help to the Mizo people for realization of our rightful and legitimate demand for self-determination. We appeal also to all independent countries to giver recognition independence of Mizoram.

The declaration of independence was followed by simultaneous attacks on military and para-military installations and police outposts in all major towns and villages of the District. Except Aizawl Assam Rifles Brigade Headquarters, that too were surrounded by the MNA and MNV fighters, all military and para-military installations, police out posts, BRT camps were captured by the MNF.

The MNF, then sieged civil administration too, and setup its own Government. In the meantime, intermittent firing was continuing in Aizawl, preventing personnel of the Assam Rifles to come out of their camp for food and water.They were in a desperate situation as they were out of water, ration ammunitions etc. Attempts were made to airdrop rations and ammunitions, but whatever were airdropped, they were collected by the MNF volunteers who were surrounding the camp. Re-enforcement from the ground was slow as road communication to the District from Silchar was blocked at many points by the MNF fighters. The camp was running out of food, water and ammunitions. SOS message was sent to Delhi for rescue mission, less they would surrender to the MNF.

5. State's response to the Declaration of Independence and Human Right Violations.

The Central Government, soon after receiving the desperate call of the Assam Rifles Brigade Headquarter, Aizawl, sent Air force to strike Aizawl, Hnahlan, etc. The India Air force, engaged a squadron ofToofan Jet fighters for a bombing mission to Aizawl, Hnahlan, Tlabung, Sangau, Khawzawl, Hmuntlang and Bunghmun villages causing large scale destructions, deaths and injuries to a number of civilians who had nothing to do with the MNF. Aizawl was inflame, houses gutted and residents had to flee to the nearby jungle.

Sapkhumi narrates about the death of her sister 'Maruat' in the airstrike-thus "I asked my little sister who was only 7 years old, 'Maruat'; is it so painful and she turned her dim eyes towards me and said, 'my side really hurts, I cannot even breath properly, it's really painful. What wrong have we done to them they drop the bomb on us, they are really cruel, are not they? ................ closing her eyes and clenching her fists with fear, blood was still flowing down from her wounds. Some people brought water and she thirstily drunk one cup in a single gulp, she reached out and held my hands; thank you so much, the planes are really bad, don't you think?", said she and then slowly closed her eyes never to open again. I cried, Maruat, don't leave me, don't leave me, please stay, please live and I hold her in my arms. It was like a God's forsaken place. We all cried over our loss and cursed the wretched planes.

Thangbawia, a resident of Aizawl narrated that he saw tiny planes climbing the Sky like a steady stream of droning beetles. Within minutes, they look bigger, seconds later, all of them drops "things" that now, exploded after hitting the ground. That was March 4, 1966. Narrating his emotional recollection of the bombing of Aizawl, Thangbawia said "Closing my eyes, the deafening claps in the wail of those hurt. The handful of local administrative officials told us that the planes belonged to the MNF allies. Later, we understood it was a bluff".

The air force attack of Aizawl and other major towns and villages came in three waves. In the first, the planes used machine guns 'before dropping the bomb on the second day i.e. 5thMarch, 1966, the bombing lasted for five hours" said Andrew Lalherliana. Lalhmingliana, a retired wing commander of IAF said, "It was the first time the Centre used its air power to quell a movement of any kind among its citizens. Goa was a different story-it was a move to drive away the Portuguese".

The Government of India, in its desperate attempt to deny the use of air power, issued several press statement saying that the air-craft were used only to drop men and supplies of ration to soldier trapped in their camps. This seems to be far from fact. To substantiate the bombing, DD Nichols Roys and Hoover Hynniewto, members of a team of Assam Legislative Assembly, sent to Aizawl on a fact finding mission, produced a photograph of un-explode bomb and said, "we touched it we measured it and we took photograph of it. We have fragments of bombs. We have the testimony of hundreds of people who have heard the sound of the explosion, the burning of houses etc. the movement the planes flew over Mizo Hills. If you were to suppress the MNF rebellion, ordinary bullets are sufficient from any point of view, military, physical or economic, these weapons should never have been used. In a written report submitted to Assam Legislative Assembly, the two legislators stated that bombardments claimed civilian lives as it was not possible to distinguish from the air who was loyal to the government or who was MNF rebel.

In the history of independent India, the use of airpower remains the only instance of the Government of India resorting to airstrikes in its own territory and on its own citizens. The Mizos claimed that Rajesh pilot and Suresh Kalmadi were among the IAF Pilots who strike Aizawl and other place in Mizo Hills, Pu, Zoramthanga, the former Chief Minister of Mizoram, once said that he joins the MNF because of the relentless bombing of Aizawl in 1966.

The Government of India, denying the use of airpower in Mizoram, stated that aircrafts had been sent to Mizoram to airdrop rations. However, this seems to be far from truth, and to substantiate this, and to testify the bombing incidents, the present writer was told by his village elders that, jet fighters flew over their village with thunderous sound after completing its bombing missions at Hnahlan village.

To be continued ....