ABSTRACT: Rambuai, the twenty years of troubles that started from 1966 has touched everyone living in Mizoram one way or another. The time has also produced rich writings in the form of different types of literatures. The Gorkhas, who has been living in Mizoram for more than a century, were also a part of the Rambuai movement though their stories are hardly known. This paper tries to bring out the voices of the Gorkhas who have remained a silent subject in Rambuai history.
Rambuai has been the darkest period in Mizoram history that engulfed all the people living in Mizoram. It has contributed varieties of narratives from different angles. In many of these narratives, we find a number of references to the Gorkhas. However, every so often it seems that the narrators are often confused between the civilian Gorkhas from Mizoram and the Gorkha soldiers that arrived later as reinforcements.
The bulk of the Gorkha soldiers mentioned in these narratives belonged to the Gorkha Rifles or Assam Rifles who arrived afterwards. For instance, R. Zamawia, in his book states that when the people living in Aizawl fled for safety, the Gorkhas started looting the deserted houses (Zofate Zinkawngah Zalenna Mei a Mit Tur a ni lo, 351). When reading this statement, one may conclude that since the Gorkhas were in great number in Aizawl, they must have been the raiders. In reality, the looters must have been the soldiers in the 1st Assam Rifles as the civilian Gorkhas must have fled for safety as well.Many instances are seen in these narratives where the Gorkhas soldiers are ruthless and cruel while the stories of the civilian Gorkhas are silent. They have suffered as much as the Mizo in the troubled years and their stories ought to be told as they are also a part of Mizoram history.
There were Gorkhas who went underground along with the Mizo youths and went as far as Arakan. Some narratives mention few Gorkhas who went underground without actually describing their story.As a matter of fact, the wave of the Mizo National Front (MNF) movement did not differentiate the Gorkhas from the Mizo as it transcended over the whole Mizoram. The Gorkhas, having felt that they too belonged to Mizoram, were also very much under the influence of the MNF movement.This paper attempts to reflect the recollection of Gorkhas in the earliest phase of Rambuai and stories of four Gorkha Mizo National Army (MNA) through oral interviews.
Lalrawnliana says that on the outset of Rambuai, the MNF Vice President, Lalnunmawia made an appeal to the Gorkhas to stand and fight with the Mizo. The appeal was translated to Nepali by his friend, Kalu Singh. The translated work was then distributed among the Gorkhas. The appeal had a positive impact and many Gorkhas sided with the MNF. (interview) However, when Rambuai broke out and reinforcements arrived, the Gorkhas became perplexed. Uday Kumar Jaishi states that the vai soldiers (Indian soldiers) regarded them as Mizo and on the other hand, since they could speak Hindi, the Gorkhas were scared that the MNF might consider them differently. They felt that they were caught between a rock and a hard place. Apart from this, they were also scared for their life just like everybody else. As a result, quite a number of Gorkhas fled to Assam and Burma as refugees. Many of these refugees came back to Mizoram and only few families did not come back. (interview)
The operations against the government started from 1st March 1966 in different parts of Mizoram. These operations were named Operation Jericho. In Aizawl, the Mizo National Army (MNA) started their movement against the government by firing the 1st Assam Rifles on 3rd March 1966. On 5th March, the Indian Air Force Jet Fighters arrived and started bombing Aizawl, trying to wipe out the bivouacs occupied by the MNAs. As a result, the people of Aizawl started fleeing for their lives, including the Gorkhas. In an oral interview, some Gorkhas recollected their memories of the beginning of Rambuai.
Gorkhas in the beginning of Rambuai:
Nirmal K. Pun recall that his family ran to Tuikual along with other families. On reaching Tuikual, his family moved into a big house with some other 10 families. It was the night when the MNA started firing the Assam Rifles. They were terrified and could not sleep. On the next day, they all moved out again to Rangvamual where they were met by J. Manliana, the first Vice President of the MNF, who assured them that no harm would come to them. J. Manliana could speak Nepali and he also promised them that the MNF would look after them. (interview)
In an oral interview, Uday Kumar Jaishi say that his family were living in Bawngkawn when the insurrection broke out. They fled to the nearby forest but soon moved back to their house. They did not face any difficulty from the MNA. However, they started having problems after the reinforcements arrived. Since they could speak Hindi, the vai soldiers naturally thought that they would help them in capturing the MNAs. However, they could not betray the MNAs, so they left Mizoram and stayed in Silchar for two months. (interview)
Manu Chetry said, “We were staying in Lawipu when the shooting started. At this time, there were four houses in Lawipu, three were owned by Gorkhas and there was only one Mizo family. The Mizo family hid in the forest, and we stayed on. During this time, we did not have any troubles both from the MNA or the Indian Army. We felt that it would be wise to stay as neutral as we could be, in order to survive. So, when the MNA needed something, we provided the best we could. Likewise, when the Army were patrolling the areas, we provided drinking water or milk to them, and we tried to stay ignorant about the political condition, and remained silent. I believe our staying ignorant was the key to our survival”.(interview)
Gopal Limbu remember that at the night of the first shooting between the MNA and the Assam Rifles, those who were living in Maubawk, both Mizo and Gorkha gathered together in the biggest house – the smithy. They all left Maubawk early in the morning to search for a better hiding place. His family and others stayed in a cave for three days. After three days, the Indian Army notified that each family should go back to their own houses, carrying a white flag. Thus, they went back to Maubawk. He added that his house was almost collapsed due to the firing. So, they went to their relative’s house and stayed until a new house was built. When some Gorkhas left Mizoram, his parents did not want to go with them as they felt they belonged in Mizoram. He also said that they did not face any trouble from the MNA, on the contrary, they felt a bond with them and supported their cause.(interview)
In many places, the Mizo people, especially the village leaders, were the ones to tell the Gorkhas to stay on as they regarded them as their own. Such is the case of N.L. Jaishi and his family, who wanted to leave Mizoram for fear of being killed in the midst of Rambuai. However, they were assured by Tanhril local people that no harm would come to them. (interview)
M.K. Jaishi, another Tanhril local, said in an oral interview that in the beginning, the MNA seized his father, A.P. Jaishi, just for the reason that he owned a hunter boot. The MNA believed that the hunter boot was given by the Indian soldiers perhaps in exchange for some secrets. He was taken to the deep part of the forest where another group of MNA were stationing. Fortunately for him, there were MNAs from Tanhril who knew him well. They vouched for him and was released the next day. However, this incident made them move to Aizawl where they started a grocery store in Dawrpui. The grocery store became a blessing to many as there was shortage of food, and the Army controlled all the movements. Since they could speak Hindi, they were able to get essential goods from Silchar without much difficulty. (interview) As a matter of fact, when people started moving back to Aizawl from their hiding places, Tamlal Lohar say that Gorkhas such as Chetan Kumar Chhetri, Binu Kumar Thapa, K.B. Sarki, A.P. Jaishi and Kapoor Chand Thakuri were the first to open shops to cater the needs of the people. (interview)
Purna Prasad, a resident of Thuampui recall that when Rambuai started, they were living in Bawngkawn. Bawngkawn at that time was highly populated by Gorkhas. When the shooting started, many families fled to the nearby forest and hid for 5 days. Since there was shortage of food, they ate once a day. When the reinforcement arrived, they were told to come out of the forest with a white flag. Purna Prasad added that when they reached their house, they found that it was occupied by the Army, so they lived with their relatives. The residents were quite fortunate in a sense that the reinforcements that stationed in Bawngkawn were the Gorkha Rifles. He also said that as far as he remembers, none of the Gorkha in Bawngkawn faced hardship from the MNA. (interview)
Sialsuk village was burned by the Indian Army on 15th June 1966. The people moved out of the village the night before under heavy rainfall. Parvati Jaishi recall that her family left Sialsuk and went to Aizawl by foot where they took shelter in Maubawk. They were scared of the Army as well as the MNA, they were scared for their lives. They dared not show any of their feelings due to the fear that it might cost their life. (interview)
The above stories reflect what the Gorkhas felt when the movement broke out. They were scared and felt disoriented just like the Mizo. They had to flee for their lives, and had to search for a safe place to hide.The following stories of the four Gorkhas also reflect how the MNF movement affected them.
Stories of the four Gorkhas:
Kalu Singh:
It has been mentioned before that the MNF appeal to the Gorkhas was translated to Nepali by Kalu Singh. Kalu Singh was a Vernacular (Hindi) teacher in Government Mizo High School at that time. He was friends with Laldenga and Lalnunmawia. The MNF decided to make an appeal to the Gorkhas of Mizoram to support the cause of the MNF and stand with them. Lalnunmawia then requested Kalu Singh to translate the appeal and he was also promised a Captain rank after Mizoram got her independence. After the translation was finished, it was distributed among the Gorkhas. The Government regarded this action as a breach to the Government’s policy and issued a warrant that read to ‘shoot on sight’.
He was arrested on April 1966. Fortunately for him, the officer in charge was a Gorkha acquaintance who pleaded for him to be imprisoned. So, he was put behind bars in Aizawl where he was assaulted by the soldiers. He was later transferred to Masimpur Jail in Silchar. He kept on pleading to the Government and he was released after 18 months. However, he was forbidden to enter Mizoram. The prohibition was lifted in 1977 only. He entered Mizoram only to find he had lost everything. He lost his job, his house and his wife. He requested the Government many times to reinstate him to his previous position as a teacher since he felt that he was wrongly imprisoned. Finally, the Government reinstated him as a teacher. Kalu Singh felt that he had lost too much to the cause of the MNF. (interview)
Man Bahadur Karki (Zokailiana):
Man Bahadur Karki (Mizo name – Zokailiana) was one of the first Gorkhas who had accepted and followed the MNF ideology. He was a resident of Thenzawl village. He owned more than 40 horses which were used for carrying goods from Sairang to Thenzawl, Lunglei and Tlabung. While supplying goods, he covertly acted as a runner for the MNF since 1961. He then joined the MNF underground in 1966.He was the Medical In-charge of the Z Battalion. He also took part in about 47 MNA operations and encounters. He visited his family once during the ceasefire of 1976 and left again after one week. He was captured in 1979 and put behind bars in the District jail for 46 days. He again joined the underground as soon as he was released from prison and stayed till 1986 peace accord. (interview)
V.L. Ringa Sailo wrote in his book that Zokailiana, despite being an active member of the MNF for a long time, was not promoted to higher rank in spite of his hard work. So, he promoted himself to a Sergeant at some point. The Commanding Officer of Z Battalion, Halleluia apologized to him and blamed himself, saying that he had failed to notice Zokailiana’s works and confimed his new rank. (Chengrang Chawilai Ni Te, 187-188) Vanlaldawta feels that his father did not get his due promotion most probably due to his being a Gorkha as those Mizo who joined after him received promotion faster than him. (interview)
Captain James Lalhmingliana Adhikari:
James Lalhmingliana Adhikari was 23 years old studying in Shillong when the MNF movement started. During this period, the MNF ideology had influenced students in Shillong tremendously. James and his nine Mizo friends were also greatly influenced and his rented house became the headquarters to discuss their plans to join the MNA. When Rambuai started, James and his friends could not go to Mizoram as every movement was controlled by the Army. Therefore, they decided to go to East Pakistan in order to become a freedom fighter for Mizoram. On 11th April, 1966, James and his friends met in Malki, where another Mizo friend joined them. They requested their Khasi friends to take them to the East Pakistan border. On the border, they met a group of Pakistan soldiers who then took them to one of their headquarters.
After five days, they were told to go back to India since they dared not to keep them without proper authorization. So, they were asked to go to the nearest India border military post where they could report themselves. On their way to the India border, James decided that they should split up and try to reach Sylhlet from where they could go to Mizoram to join the MNA. James and one of his friends, then went on towards Sylhlet, overcoming many difficulties, finally reached Rangamati. The two friends stayed in Rangamati for five days before boarding a bus to enter Mizoram. In the bus, they met Rev. Sakhawliana who was on his way to meet Laldenga in Chittagong. So, they went back to Chittagong and met Laldenga. They left for Mizoram the next day.
Rengtlang was the underground headquarters at that time. On reaching, James finally joined the MNA formally. He was given a Captain rank. He took part in many operations and stayed underground for 7 years. He proved to be useful since he could speak multiple languages. In 1973, he developed an eye problem that needed to be treated. So, he left their headquarters and reported to Rashtriya Rifles in Pharva. He was then escorted to Lawngtlai and then to Pukpui. From Pukpui, he was taken to Aizawl and was kept in a makeshift prison in Tuirial for a month. Fortunately, he was not assaulted while in prison. He was then shifted to Aizawl Jail where he was confined for another two weeks. Even after he was released, he had to appear in the court every week for three years. He felt that unless he formally surrenders to the Government, he would not be able to have peace. He said that his submission was due to the fact that he wanted to live normally, without getting being suspected and being checked by the Government all the time. He added that he had supported and fought for his beloved Mizoram. (interview)
Ramfangzauva:
Ramfangzauva changed his Gorkha name to a Mizo name when he joined the MNF, which had become his official name. He was a resident of Chungtlang village where there were no other Gorkha family. He was around 16 years of age when the MNF movement started. His family was greatly influenced by the MNF ideals and supported the movement.
Since his family could speak Hindi, the patrolling armies would make their house a halting place. During this time, the MNAs had to be given food and other things in secret, whomever caught supplying goods to the MNA were beaten mercilessly and very often killed. Ramfangzauva was able to get pass the Army guards without getting suspected as the Army trusted his family. He later joined the underground MNA as a private in Z Battalion and took part in a number of operations. He proved to be useful since he could speak different languages. (interview) Mostly he operated in the tactical headquarters under Col. Lalrawnliana. In 1984, the tactical headquarters was assigned for a bank job since there was shortage of money. They went to Sairang Bank where the vai manager was killed and the bank money was looted. In this operation, Ramfangzauva took an active part. (Zoramin Zalenna a Sual, Vol – 10, 301) When the peace accord was signed, he was among the selected to escort the remains of the deceased MNA. He came overground in 1986. He says that he fully supported the MNF movement and he feels that he had done his best to serve Mizoram. (interview)
On 1st May, 1982, Quit Mizoram Order was issued from Arakan Headquarters, signed by Zoramthanga, Vice President of the MNF. According to this Order, all non – Mizo, including government officials were advised to leave Mizoram by 21st June 1982. However, the Order came with a relaxation. The Gorkhas who settled and born prior to 1966, Christian workers and people from Mongoloid race were not included. (Mizo Hnam Movement, 189) The Gorkhas were the only non – Mizo who were excluded as a community.
Prior to 1966, it seems that majority of the Gorkhas did not pay much attention to the MNF movement owing to the fact that the MNF were keeping their actual intention a secret. Though an appeal was made to the Gorkhas, the declaration of independence must have caught many of them by surprise. They were caught off guard so much so that some of them even left Mizoram in order to stay safe. However, majority of them showed their support to the movement either by joining the underground or by helping the MNA overground. A remarkable fact is that in the Rambuai narratives, there has never been any mention of Gorkha as an informant/ pointer.This fact also shows that they do not differ themselves and regard the Mizo plight as their plight as well. It is also clear that they wish for their stories to be known as they feel that they truly belong to Mizoram.
Works Cited:
- Lalrawnliana, Col. Zoramin Zalenna a Sual, Vol -10, Aizawl, RD Printtech, 2002.
- Ringa, V.L. Chengrang Chawi Lai Ni Te, Aizawl, LV Art, 2008.
- Zamawia, R. Zofate Zinkawngah Zalenna Mei a Mit Tur a Ni Lo, Aizawl, Lengchhawn Press, 2007
- Zoramthanga, Mizo Hnam Movement, Aizawl, Dingdi Press, 2016.
- Adhikari, James Lalhmingliana, Interview, 22nd March, 2021.
- Chetry, Manu, Interview, 15th October, 2018.
- Jaishi, M.K. Interview, 7th March, 2021.
- Jaishi, N.L, Interview, 3rd June, 2018.
- Jaishi, Parvati, Interview, 8th June, 2018.
- Jaishi, Uday Kumar, Interview, 24th July, 2018.
- Lalrawnliana, Interview, 16th March, 2021.
- Limbu, Gopal, Interview, 5th September, 2020.
- Lohar, Tamlal, Interview, 18th March, 2021.
- Prasad, Purna, Interview, 5th April, 2018.
- Pun, Nirmal K, Interview, 22nd June 2018.
- Ramfangzauva, Interview, 24th March, 2021.
- Vanlaldawta, Interview, 9th February, 2021.
Cite the original source:
Pachuau, Zoremsiami and Hmingthanzuali. “Gorkhas during the period of Rambuai in Mizoram.” Mizo Studies, X, no. 3, Sept. 2021, pp. 554–564.
