Lest We Forget The Bitter Struggle Of The Civil Society And Women During The MNF Movement

— Zarzozuali

 

The entire region of north-east India is a centre of enthno-political tensions of which Mizoram is not an exception. The Mizo National Front ( MNF ) Movement, on February 28, 1966 was launched by the Mizo National Front Army under the leadership of Mr. Laldenga demanding for nothing more, nothing less than a complete independent state for the Mizo’s . The movement lasted for over twenty years and ended with the signing of the Peace Accord on 30th June,1986. Throughout the movement, the civil society, that is, the religious leaders, the student and women had been playing a decisive role. Therefore, this paper attempts to highlight the valuable contribution of the civil society towards the success of the famous ‘Peace Accord’.

 

Keywords: MNF movement, civil society, religious leaders, students, women, peace accord.

 

Mizoram and its people, who right from their ancestors has never been under any foreign rule could not tolerate the Colonial Rule nor the Indian Government. The Mizos are peace-loving, close-knitted society and was marked by high self-sufficiency with simple economy. Things began to change with the British intervention within their territory around the mid 19th century. In 1919, Mizoram was declared as ‘Backward Tract’ under the ‘1919 Government of India Act’ and was declared as ‘Excluded Area’ in 1935.  Moreover, after independence a document was signed by Mr.LL Peters, the Deputy Commissioner at that time that clearly mentioned that ‘Mizoram should be a part of India just only 10 years upto 1957’1. Under all these circumstances, the Mizos, thus started to demand for an Independent Mizoram against the Indian Government as ‘annexation by India was looked upon by them as another form of colonial rule’2. 

 

The MNF movement at it’s earlier stage, gained popularity among the people and was also highly supported by many religious leaders as they hopefully believed that God would liberate the Mizo people from the cruel domination of the ‘Vais’ (the Indian people). Thus , the MNF movement was regarded as God’s instrument to bring about freedom for the Christians in Mizoram. Those who were killed in the fighting with Indian soldiers were regarded as ‘religious martyrs’. Some members of the Manaseh Church, the Church of Ephraim, the Maicham Kohhran and Ramthuthlung Church took active part in giving advice to the MNF President and members of his cabinet. They even went underground and served as the spiritual guides for the underground army.

 

However, some prominent religious leaders like Rev. Zairema, Rev. Lalsawma and others tried to pull back the MNF movement to go underground. Rev. Zairema even insisited the MNF to contest in the District Council election instead to going underground.

 

The MNF movement, in course of it’s action, had started to lost it’s popularity among the civil society. People lived with fear from both the insurgents and the Indian Army. Many innocent lives and properties had been lost. The army even burnt some of the churches, defiled sacred property, tore and burnt copies of the Holy Bible, Hymn Book etc. Poverty, fear, confusion and death was seen everywhere.

 

Therefore, the Presbyterian Church took the first initiative to maintain peace within the region. They issued a pamphlet expressing disapproval of violent activities saying that it is against the will of God. A Christian Peace Committee (C.P.C) was jointly formed by the Presbyterian and the Baptist Churches on 15th July, 1966.

 

The Church leaders realised that their peace efforts through the CPC was insufficient. Therefore, a wider church organisation known as “Mizoram Church Leaders Committee” (MCLC) was formed by nine churches comprising of the Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Salvation Army, the Roman Catolic, the United Penticostal Church, the Seventh Day, the Assembly Of God, the Lairam Baptist and the Isua Krista Kohhran. They had a series of talks on both sides, that is, the MNF leaders as well as the Indian Government. They even held a secret meeting to far off places like London to meet Laldenga.

 

A number of memorandum requesting to have a peace talk have been submitted by the MCLC to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s Government. They even went to New Delhi many  times requesting to have a peace talk and a fresh negotiations. The MCLC even convened an all-party meetings at Aizawl on 31st May, 1983 which was attended by four political parties viz, the People’s Conference, The Mizo Union, the Mizo convention and the Mizoram Congress (I).

 

Finally, almost a decade after, the ‘Peace Accord’ was signed between the Government of India and the MNF on 30th June,1986. All the churches personnels were rejoiced by the Peace Accord and thanks giving service was observed throughout Mizoram. In this way, the religious leaders with their persuasive power played a significant role for the maintenance of peace and orders in Mizoram.

 

Throughout history, students, being an educated class has been playing a dominant role in government’s affair. Being a pressure group, they have the advantage to force the government to accept the societal needs and ideals by means of strikes, picketing and so on. The students union of Mizoram, particularly the MZP (Mizo Zirlai Pawl) has also played a dynamic force in counter-balancing the roles of both the Government and the MNF.

 

The MZP was officially formed on 27 October,1935 in Shillong by the educated Mizos. They have played a crucial role during the most sensitive period of the initiationof peace process and at the same time, several students were imprisoned whereby the state Government did not permit the establishment of MZP branch. A number of educated students also joined the underground army and some have come up as a successful politicians till date. In 1979, the MZP leaders namely, Lalthangliana Sailo, K.Hrangthankima, Vanupa Zathang and C.Thuamluaia went to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi and the MNF leader, Laldenga. This talk in 1979 was a milestone for the MZP in such a way that they werw so much influenced by the answers given by the Prime Minister that when they go back home to Mizoram, they openly exhibited their support to the MNF stand in the peace talk and strongly confronted  the P.C Ministry led by Brig. T. Sailo to step down in favour of peace settlement. They even boycotted the 1981 Indian Independence Day celebration . They sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister condemning Brig.T.Sailo as ‘anti-students’, ‘anti-teachers’, and ‘anti-peace settlement’(3). There was also a report that some of the Pro-MNF students leaders were equipped with arms by the MNF.

 

Finally, on 12th August, 1981 four MLA’s from the ruling party tendered their resignation as the MZP strongly urged all the Mizoram MLA’s to resign for the peace process. A Student Joint Action Committee (SJAC) was formed on the 7th May,1985 and with this, their political role as a final peace initiator became more effective as follows:

 

(1) The SJAC sent delegates namely, R.F Muana and Lalhmingliana to New Delhi to request the Prime Minister to call back Laldenga who was in London.

(2) The Prime Minister, however refused to meet them and thus threatened to fast in front of the Parliament building. Finally, they were given appointment on 10th March 1986.

(3) They also called for a total bandh for two days on 3rd and 4th June,1986 requesting Mr. Lalthanhawla to step down to enable a peaceful settlement.3

(4) On 23rd June,1986, the SJAC organized a fasting in front of the State Secretariat building as their request to resign the posts of the ruling MLA’s was denied.

 

Finally, on 30th June,1986 4:30 pm, that is, a week after their relay fasting, the famous ‘Peace Accord’ was signed between the MNF and the Government of India to end the insurgency and violence in Mizoram.

 

The valuable role played by women in the MNF movement has remained unrecognized by many scholars on insurgency. Many women fought along with men, taking up guns in the battlefield, and lived in the underground camps serving the soldiers. They took active role in the peace making process and at the same time badly suffered as victims of violence and anger. Surprisingly, women who had been hard-hit by the MNF movement tend to keep shut and avoid talking about their topic of sufferings clearly highlights that the pain still inflicts their heart so much so that silence is the only answer to ease their wounds.

 

Unfortunately, there has been no written records of the exact number of women volunteers. It has been speculated that over a hundred or so females had submitted their names. Mary Vanlalthanpuii , who has made an extensive study on the role of women in the MNF movement stated that ‘eighteen women entered the underground camp in East Pakistan (currently Bangladesh ) to serve as nurses and office staff and perform various supporting roles, some of them entered the battlefield to fight alongside men’4. The Zozam Press conducted a survey in 2006 recorded ‘that fifty seven surrendered as women volunteers and many women did not reach East Pakistan except nineteen single women along with few other women joined their husband’ 5

 

There are several heart-touching stories about their prime motives for joining as MNF volunteers as narrated by S. Ronghinglova,an MCS retired through telephonic interview who also served as MNF volunteers. He said that many women joined the insurgency in orders to save their lives and to avoid being raped or beaten by the Indian soldiers. Some had also joined the MNF movement in order to avoid imprisonment.

 

One striking example was Tinsangi, a trained nurse and a primary school teacher in Khawlailung said that the villages leaders suggested that she join the movement for her safety because the Indian Army had the habit of extorting money from the government servants.6

 

Women volunteers mainly performed the role of cooking, nursing the wounded soldiers, mending clothes, rolling tobacco for men, collecting woods, fetching water etc. One noteworthy role played by women was the ‘role of feeding the male volunteers and transmitting important messages from their hiding place’. 7

 

The sufferings and hardships faced by women was just unimaginable. The Indian Army raped women at gun-point. “The Indian Army personnel not only raped Mizo maiden, but also did not spare married women and under aged”8. As a result, the young girls lost their dignity and chastity and extra-martial affairs, no doubt, had increased within the Mizo people. Moreover, due to extreme poverty and insufficient foods, people, especially women had to go to army camp as daily labourers to earn money or food. Thus, poverty compelled women to earn money from the army by ‘any possible means’. All these social evils and immorality had taken it’s root due to the insurgency.

 

Re-Grouping of villages undertaken by the Indian army 1967 had also brought a great sufferings especially for women. According to professor Nunthara, women and pregnant women, in particular, were miserable. They had to carry heavy loads for their new villages, hunger, malnutrition, fears, killings etc were seen everywhere. Since the ratio of male to female had decreased women had to take care of their kids alone. They had to gather foods for their family in whatever ways possible. Sometimes, they had to go far off places in search of roots or any edible grass in the absence of their husbands who had gone underground, being killed or imprisoned.

 

The Mizo National Front (MNF) was born in October 22,1961 and lasted for over two decades, with the ‘Peace Accord’ signed on 30th June,1986. The signatories were Laldenga, The President of the MNF, R.D Pradhan, Home secretary and Lalkhama, Chief Secrectary. The movement did no achieve it’s ultimate goal, that is, a demand for sovereign state. On the contrary, Mizoram was upgraded to a status of union territory on January 21,1972. However, the movement marks the beginning of a new political era where peace was finally and lastingly achieved till date and the crucial role played by volunteers from various sections of the civil society needs to be highly appreciated.

 

 

 

Cite the original source:
Zarzozuali. “Lest We Forget The Bitter Struggle Of The Civil Society And Women During The MNF Movement.” Mizo Studies, IX, no. 1, Mar. 2020, pp. 121–128.