AIZAWL, Oct 21? ?One of our prominent Mizo rebels has been rehabilitated in the Chief Minister?s office?, quipped a senior Mizo government officer when asked about the rehabilitation of the former Mizo underground cadres after the signing of the successful Mizo Accord of 1986.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga, a close aide of the Mizo rebel leader Laldenga who signed the Accord with the Central government has been leading the Mizo National Front (MNF) after the demise of Laldenga. The transition of the rebel group to a political party participating in electoral politics has not proved to be difficult as evident from the support of the people.
Though the number of rebels who finally gave up arms under the Accord was about 800, there is still resentment about non-fulfilment of the terms of the Accord. Says Denghnuna, a former retired IAS officer and editor of a local weekly, ?Even after 18 years of the peace accord, some provisions are still to be fulfilled namely? rehabilitation of the underground MNF personnel, the border trade and transfer of resources to cover the revenue gap?.
According to Denghnuna, the Central Government has not paid adequate attention to the healing of the wounds of insurgency. It has not compensated the Mizo people for the land occupied and houses destroyed in the process of re-grouping of villages by the security forces during the insurgency days.
Elaborating on this sad episode of the 20-year-long Mizo insurgency (1966-1986) Denghnuna said, ?we have the distinction of being the only insurgency infested state in the country to suffer the re-grouping of 736 villages into 102 grouped centres, a security operation of a magnitude and atrocities not carried out in other parts of the world by any nation against their own citizens except against the Malayan squatters by British counter insurgency operations.?
Though there are grievances, the Mizo people today are a happy and contended as the Accord has ushered in peace and development to the State with an area of 22,000 sq km and a population of 9 lakh. With literacy level at 88.49%, Mizoram today is only next to Kerala in the all-India literacy race. However, literacy has also brought in its wake the problem of educated unemployed with about 80,000 educated in the unemployed list.
Ironically, the Mizos who once fought the Indian government are today grateful to the Indian Constitution which has given them protection to grow and develop in their own pace. Chief Secretary H V Lalringa said, ?The Indian Constitution has helped us to grow undisturbed as per Nehru?s plan to allow us to grow according to our own genius. During British times, the Mizos were kept isolated. After independence, the same protection has been extended to us in the form of Inner Line Permit (ILP). No outsider is allowed to purchase land. Initially, there were anti-India feelings because of fears about the big Indian society. But now it has changed.?.
Moreover, the fact that the Mizo society is homogonous with one language, one religion and one common culture have acted as positive factors. There is cooperation among the people to sort out problems and the land is fertile, Lalringa said.
The capital city Aizawl itself is a picture of unity and integrity. All business is controlled more or less by the local people. Mizo youth and women do most of the jobs. Even they cut their own hair. The city, itself is kept clean while government offices are professionally run with lot of commitment and involvement. With no serious problem confronting the State, it is no wonder that Mizoram today is in the forefront of the NE States in the road to development and progress.