Gangtes to observe Aug 10 as Black Day
Source: The Sangai Express

CCpur, August 09 2019: The Gangte Youth Organisation has, today, urged the entire Gangte people to observe the 10th day of August with effect from 2019 as "Gangtes' Black Day" so as to pay fitting homage to the nine Gangte youths who were reportedly killed by the Army during the height of MNF movement.

The 9th Bihar Regiment of the Indian Army, on August 10, 1967 at Chongmun village (now in Noney district) entered the village and gathered all the villagers in front of the village Church to unleash terror, said a statement of the GYO issued today.

The army were pursuing MNF cadres led by 'Brigadier' Muankima and 'Major' Demkhosiek when they unleashed the terror on innocent villagers.

"The villagers were subjected to harsh interrogation.

They were tortured.

Even the Church Pastor and the Compounder stationed in the village, who acted as interpreters were not spared of the harrowing and agonising ordeal", added the statement.

Among the villagers, nine innocent young men, who had nothing to do with the Mizo insurgents, were pulled up despite proving their innocence, narrated Gangte Youth Organisation and added that the youths were then beaten mercilessly and left bruised inside the village Church.

After the unendurable degree of atrocity and brutality, they were dragged towards the cemetery with their hands tied at their back, it said.

Then the unfortunate incident happened- the corpses of the nine young men were collected by the helpless villagers from the place where they were shot and left.

Since then, August 10 is commemorated as Val 9 Ni (Nine Young Men's Day), it added.

This has been reflected in the volumes of elegy/lyric central to the incident being written and sung till now, added the statement.

Memorial stone for the nine lost souls is also erected at Chongmun Cemetery and the GYO decides to observe the Day as Black Day so as to seek justice for the departed souls, which the authorities have denied till date.

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