A militancy free year for Mizoram

AIZAWL, Dec 30 — In a welcome break from the past, Mizoram was largely free from militancy throughout 2002 but collapse of peace talks with Bru militants and frequent agitations by state government employees demanding pay hike from a cash-strapped administration remained areas of concern during the year, reports PTI. Stray militancy-related incidents hit some of the state’s areas bordering Manipur but no civilian or security personnel lost lives due to militant activities, in sharp contrast to previous years. However, more than 70 associations of state government employees frequently launched agitations paralysing the functioning of the government. Their demands ranged from pay hikes to accord of gazetted status and they resorted to mass casual leaves, pen-down strikes and sit-ins as the state government, burdened with massive fiscal crunch, watched helplessly the stir even though fresh assembly polls are due next year. Attempts to solve the Bru insurgecy problem failed despite several rounds of talks between the state government and the underground Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) at Aizawl. BNLF delegations refused to come to the negotiating table in the first week of December as the outfit’s demand for creation of a Bru Area Development Council was rejected. The BNLF, which demanded a separate autonomous district council for the Brus in Mizoram, came down to creation of an autonomous regional council and then to Bru area development council. Mizoram government linked the issue of repatriation of Brus from six refugee camps in Tripura with the BNLF coming overground. Security has been tightened in the north-western belt of Mizoram following the break down in Mizoram government-BNLF talks. While the Mizo government’s initiative to solve the Bru problem was not a success, chief minister Zoramthanga, as requested by both the Centre and the Naga rebels to broker peace deal, met NSCN(I-M) leaders in Bangkok in May and October. Zoramthanga said his peace missions to the Thai capital were successful and expressed the hope that political-level talks would soon be held in New Delhi between the Centre and the NSCN. The Centre also aksed the Mizoram chief minister to initiate moves to bring the other underground organisations of the north-east region to the negotiating table. At home, however, Zoramthanga, a former rebel leader, faced strong criticism from his former comrade-in-arms who accused the government of swindling around Rs 116 lakh meant for rehabilitation of former Mizo underground personnel. The controversy over payment of rehabilitation to the 581 former Mizo National Front (MNF) underground activists who came overgound following the Mizo peace acccord in 1986 could not be settled by institution of an inquiry committee by the state government. The former militants claimed they received only Rs 40,000 each while government records showed that they received Rs, 60,000 each. A second first information report (FIR) was lodged by Rev. Zairema against Lal Thanhawala in in July alleging the former Chief Minister, while in power, swindled crores of rupees in awarding contract works of two small hydel projects to a Mumbai-based firm. A corruption case was registered and investigations launched which prompted the Congress party to issue a strong-worded press release saying party workers were ready to face any eventuality if Zoramthanga was arrested. Police also sought permission from the governor to prosecute Lal Thanhawla in a graft case registered back in 1996 so that the former Chief Minister could be chargesheeted. In an unprecedented move, six Congress MLAs boycotted the customary gubernatorial address delivered by the Governor Amolak Rattan Kohli in the State Legislature on March 11. Zakhu Hlychho, leader of Congress legislature party alleged the six Congress legislators boycotted the Governor’s address claiming he ‘did not have any respect for popular and elected government.’ Mizoram lost a number of its wellknown leaders including Ms Gwen Reef Roberts (86), fondly known by the Mizos as Pi Teii, the last Christian missionary to leave Mizoram, who died on January five at Bala in Wales. Kawlvela (78), a former Colonel in the erstwhile underground Mizo National Army (MNA) and portrayed as ‘Mizo Robinhood’ by the national press expired in Aizawl on April five.