A case study of MNF movement for independence in Mizoram
Counter-Insurgency Operation and Human Right Violation
- Part 5 -

Dr Th Siamkhum *

Mizo National Front Emblem:: Pix - Wikipedia/

Turning their wrath on the male members, give them third degree tortures, and shoot to death those who look a little bit wild, saying they were killing MNA. Then turned their wrath towards dwelling houses, loot and take whatever they want, and burn them down to ashes. There are some villages which were burned down by the army for as many as 17 times. Burning and looting of houses, today, in normally done by terrorists, in Mizoram in those days, it was being perpetrated not by the insurgents, but rather, by armed forces of the so called largest democracy, said to be professing democratic principle of liberty, equality, freedom etc. Security forces in those days in Mizoram were virtually acting as Forces of Insecurity.

There was an instance in the living memory of the present writer that in a Pamchung village, all male members were confined in a school building at night. They were told that the MNF insurgents would come and fire upon them. By 8 to12, they (army) shoot them indiscriminately from outside killing 9 innocent villagers and injuring the rest. The injured were airlifted to Aizawl for treatment. The army, it was said, reported the incident to their higher authority that they have killed 9 MNF insurgents. This particular incident is one of the many incidents in Mizoram in those days. On 13th January, 1967, the army committed mass killing at Buang Village, and on 9th June, 1967 another mass killing was committed at Chalkhawlhavillage. Mass killing of the same and more magnitude were committed by the army in many other places. Heaven was a witnessed to this man made horrifying tragedy, said an elderly man from the village.

This extreme form of repressive counter-insurgency operation was counter-productive as there was a growing hatred for the Vais (Indians) and more and more young-men started joining the MNF, though many of them did not subscribe to the MNF ideology and principleof political freedom from India. People were further alienated by this ruthless military operations and they started developing the feeling that, even if they remain loyal citizens, the army would not spare them, anyway, and, therefore, it was better for them to join the insurgent and take revenge on the army at an opportune time and moment.

The tragedies befalling on the Mizos during counter insurgency operations were never highlighted to the outside world. There was no media, both print and electronic, in those days in Mizoram. Therefore, in the absence of media, there was practically no agency to highlight the plight and suffering of the people to the outside world. The only source of information that one could get from was the army who gave fabricated and biased reports they have given to their higher authority to hide the crime they had committed on the people of Mizoram.

With the failure of the army to effectively contain the MNF movement even after employing all kinds of suppressive and oppressive measures to subdue the MNF, another still more harsh measure, "Village Grouping "or what the effected Mizos, called "Concentration Camp". The Scheme was introduced in 1967 with the aim to subdue the MNF by denying them of food and shelter. The Scheme was carried out in four phases and the first phase was carried under the scheme of 'Protected and Progressive Villages 'under the provision of the Defense of India Rule, 1962.The second phase of grouping was launched in1969 under the scheme of 'New Grouping Centre's'. It was introduced under the provision of the Assam Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1953. The third phase of village grouping called, 'Voluntary Grouping Centre' under the same provision of the same Act was ordered in 1970. The fourth and the last grouping called, 'Extended Loop Areas' was ordered again in the same year i.e. 1970 under the same provision of the same Act.

The village Grouping or what the people referred to as 'Concentration Camp', directly affected 80% of the total population of the district or 5200 villages, causing immense human trauma to the villagers. The scheme was enforced not by civil authority as there was literally no civil administration, but by the ruthless army with zero sympathy for the affected people. The ruthless nature of the army during the operation resembled the Nazis concentration camp in which millions of Jews were killed and slaughtered without slightest mercy and humane consideration. The aim of the scheme was to physically eliminate the MNF volunteers and its supporters. While enforcing the scheme of village grouping, the army would move and surround the notified villages before dawn, issue quick notice to the villagers to take their belongings, and move to the new site.

The old abandoned villages with their granaries were burnt down by the army. The conduct of the army involved in the operation was similar to the conduct of today's terrorists who had no mercy for innocent civilians. Dr. Vumson, a Ziomi/Mizo scholar describes the situation, thus…… In many instances villagers were forced to move out of their old dwelling at gun-point because they (villagers) were reluctant to leave where they had been living for generations. In most cases, the villagers had to leave on one day notice. There was no time to pack their belongings and it not possible to carry everything at one time. Animals had to be killed and food grains had to be hidden in the forest. If there was no time to hide their food grains they were "burnt down with the house". This was done not by the insurgents or terrorists, but by the standing army of the world's largest democracy who proclaimed democratic principle of individual liberty and freedom as its guiding principles. As soon as the people lift there, the army personal ransacked the house, keep the valuables for themselves, and then burnt them down to ashes.

The forcible resettlement of villages greatly destroy the traditional economic system having adverse effect on social structures of Mizo society. The Village groupings brought down the economy of the people to knee and the entire District faced man-made famine. No step was taken for rehabilitation of the affected people. The period between 1966 and 1970, therefore, was referred to as "the darkness period" in the history of Mizoram as most of atrocities and horrifying tragedies happened during this period.

6. The Peace Making Process

The intensity of the MNF movement for independence was on a decline because of a number of reasons, including the split in MNF rank and file, Liberation of Bangladesh and the intervention of church leaders like Rev. Zairema, Rev. H.S luaiva, Rev. Lalsawma and Rev. R.N Ralte for urging the MNF to abandon the path of violence and start negotiation with the Government of India. Consequence upon this development, the Government of India also decided to significantly scale down military operation and decided to make structural changes aimed at changing the political framework.

The structural changes that were brought about involved devolution of political authority by re-drawing the then existing map of Assam. On January 21.1972 the Mizo Hills District was plug-off from Assam and was made a Union Territory of Mizoram under the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organization) Act, 1971, and the Government of the Union Territories(amendment) act, 1971. The creation of Union Territory for the Mizo has, indeed, produced dividend. During 1972, a total of 500 MNF fighters surrendered to the Government, regular army were withdrawn from Mizoram. And were replaced by para-military. A number of grouped villages were allowed to de-group and re-settle in their old deserted villages. Dusk to-dawn curfew was lifted and the movement of people by permit-system was also abolished.

However, Mizoram was once again back to the square in 1973 when a group of hardcore MNF infiltrated into Mizoram from their hideout in Arakan Hills. They were headed by their chief hit-man, Lalhleia. During 1973, there were 40 such killings and 19 ambushes against security-forces. On January 10, 1974, the MNF ambushed SP. Mukherjee, the Lt. Governor of Mizoram. Though the Lt. Governor survived the ambushed, he suffered bullet injury. On January 13, 1975, the MNA Captain, Lalhleia, along with three associates carried out the most daring assassinations. They drove in a jeep into the police headquarters in broad daylight, shoot dead G.S. Arya, the inspector General of police, LB. Sewa, Deputy Inspector General of police and Panchanpagesan, superintendent of police.

As demand by the worsening situation, army had to be redeployed in Mizoram. However, with electoral intervention liberal economic assistance under the duly elected government, the number of people supporting the government's initiatives has been steadily growing. In the meantime, Laldenga started sending feelers to the Government of India from his hideout in Pakistan for starting negotiation within the framework of Indian Constitution. The government of India, reciprocating the good gesture of Laldenga, suspended military operation by October, 1975. However, the government of India insisted that if he peace talk was to begin, Laldenga should have the confidence of the rank and file of the MNF.

The Mizo Church leaders, along with Indian intelligence agencies, in the meantime, continued to work for peaceful resolution of the conflict. On January 24, 1976, Laldenga arrived in Delhi and a few days later, he and his negotiating team had five days of secret negotiation with the Home Secretary SL Khurana, Lt. Government of Mizoram, SK Chibher and joint Secretary (Home), ML Kampani. The MNF team led by Laldenga, acknowledged that Mizoram was an integral part of India, agreed to lay down arms and seek the solution of all problems within the framework of the Constitution of India. However, agreement could not be reached as Laldenga insisted that he would have to lead the provisional government before fresh election being held. Text of the proposed agreement was, nevertheless drafted in February, 1986 and signed in July the same year.

In March 1977, General Election to Loksabha was held and the Congress was defeated by Janta Party. The new government resumed talk with the MNF on May 18, 1976. However there could not be any break through on Laldenga's demand for heading the interim government. The MNF team, then was asked to leave Delhi, andLaldenga was arrested and imprisoned on the persistent pressure of Brigadier. Thenphunga Sailo, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Mizoram by the newly formed Government of PC (Peoples 'Conference). General election was held in 1980 and the Congress once again came back to power. The leaders of the Congress in Mizoram requested Indira Gandhi to resume, once again the talk. Laldenga was released from prison and all charge against him were withdrawn on January 30.1980. Counter-insurgency operation was also suspended.

A veteran journalist, G. Parathasasthy was appointed as the Chief negotiator Of the Government. The talk, however, once again failed on the demand of MNF for the creation of Mizoram state on the model of Jammu and Kashmir, unification of the Mizo-Kuki areas in Manipur and Tripura and withdrawal of Mizoram from sixth Schedule of the Constitution, incorporation of Inner line per-unit system as a constitutional guarantee and ouster of T.Sailo as the chief Minister of Mizoram. With the break-down of the talk for peace, there was an up surge of violent activities by the MNF. To counter this, the Government once again inducted a huge and formidable forces-four brigades of army. The entire Mizoram was saturated with troops, and in 1982, under the unlawful activating Act, the MNF was once again declared as an unlawful organization. Laldenga was asked to leave India and accordingly, he left for London on April, 1982.

The large concentration of military forces, renewal of restrictions on movement and dusk to dawn curfews were a grim reminder of the early days of the war. With many rounds of ceasefire and suspension of operation during the preceding years, people had become used to normal life. The renew restrictions and curtailment of liberties constituted a great psychological pressure from the population. People had no greater need and demand than normalcy and life without constant fear and insecurity. People were, therefore, clamoring for peace and development.

The Church, in the meantime, played its own role by making daily appeals for peace and normalcy. T.Sailo, the then Chief minister was held entirely responsible for the failure of talk between the two negotiating parties. The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee embarked on the ouster of T.Sailo's Government. As expected the Congress come to power in Mizoram on the platform of peace with overwhelming majority. The Congress, as per its campaign, immediately took initiatives to re-start the failed negotiation and operation against the MNF was suspended. The talk was resumed on the middle of 1985 and finally, the most enduring and the only successful 'memorandum of Settlement 'was signed on June 30, 1986.

To be continued ....