Aizawl, June 30, 2015: Various political parties celebrated the 29th anniversary of the Mizo Accord that ended two decades of insurgency in what is now Mizoram.
Even the ruling Congress held functions to mark the day in Aizawl and other towns even as an association of former insurgents urged a re-look of the agreements that deal with their rehabilitation.
The Mizo National Front, which formed the insurgent army before emerging from the jungles to join mainstream politics, held formal celebrations at 14 different towns across the state with senior party leaders leading the ceremonies at various places.
The party’s senior Vice President, Dr R Lalthangliana, said in Aizawl the Mizo Accord was a joint effort of church leaders, community-based organisations, various political parties and student groups.
“Our men were still willing to fight for the community and our land, but it was because of the collective pleading of the Mizo people for an end to the violence that they put down their guns with tears in their eyes,” he said.
He recalled how, during the 20th anniversary celebrations in 2006, both then PM Manmohan Singh and then Home Minister Shivraj Patil offered messages of happiness and camaraderie with the Mizo people for the lasting peace, while then state opposition leader and current CM Lal Thanhawla rejected it as “an anniversary of the Mizo people’s surrender” and declared the Congress never celebrates the day.
The Mizo Accord was signed during the Rajiv Gandhi regime, which ensured a power-sharing arrangement between it’s state unit led by Lal Thanhawla and the MNF leadership during the period in which the insurgent army gave up arms and returned from their bases in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The Congress uncharacteristically held functions to mark the anniversary in Aizawl and other places as well, with Home Minister R Lalzirliana explaining the party has not always been in the mood to in earlier years but is in the mood to this time around.
The Zoram Nationalist Party also marked the day with a function in which party president Lalduhawma, a former Congress leader, condemned the largely Congress narrative that the Mizo Accord was possible only because the state Congress leadership was willing to let go of the reins of power and said any elected government has to step down during a transition from a District Council to Union terrioty or from UT to statehood (Mizoram, then a UT, became a state with the signing of the accord).
The ZNP also held a minute of silence to mourn all those who lost their lives during the insurgency years (which includes civilians, officials and insurgents).
The Peace Accord MNF Returnees Association or PAMRA meanwhile passed a resolution saying the terms of their rehabilitation need to be relooked because they have not been given even the housing allowances they were promised when the accord was signed.
Source: Indian Express
Even the ruling Congress held functions to mark the day in Aizawl and other towns even as an association of former insurgents urged a re-look of the agreements that deal with their rehabilitation.
The Mizo National Front, which formed the insurgent army before emerging from the jungles to join mainstream politics, held formal celebrations at 14 different towns across the state with senior party leaders leading the ceremonies at various places.
The party’s senior Vice President, Dr R Lalthangliana, said in Aizawl the Mizo Accord was a joint effort of church leaders, community-based organisations, various political parties and student groups.
“Our men were still willing to fight for the community and our land, but it was because of the collective pleading of the Mizo people for an end to the violence that they put down their guns with tears in their eyes,” he said.
He recalled how, during the 20th anniversary celebrations in 2006, both then PM Manmohan Singh and then Home Minister Shivraj Patil offered messages of happiness and camaraderie with the Mizo people for the lasting peace, while then state opposition leader and current CM Lal Thanhawla rejected it as “an anniversary of the Mizo people’s surrender” and declared the Congress never celebrates the day.
The Mizo Accord was signed during the Rajiv Gandhi regime, which ensured a power-sharing arrangement between it’s state unit led by Lal Thanhawla and the MNF leadership during the period in which the insurgent army gave up arms and returned from their bases in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The Congress uncharacteristically held functions to mark the anniversary in Aizawl and other places as well, with Home Minister R Lalzirliana explaining the party has not always been in the mood to in earlier years but is in the mood to this time around.
The Zoram Nationalist Party also marked the day with a function in which party president Lalduhawma, a former Congress leader, condemned the largely Congress narrative that the Mizo Accord was possible only because the state Congress leadership was willing to let go of the reins of power and said any elected government has to step down during a transition from a District Council to Union terrioty or from UT to statehood (Mizoram, then a UT, became a state with the signing of the accord).
The ZNP also held a minute of silence to mourn all those who lost their lives during the insurgency years (which includes civilians, officials and insurgents).
The Peace Accord MNF Returnees Association or PAMRA meanwhile passed a resolution saying the terms of their rehabilitation need to be relooked because they have not been given even the housing allowances they were promised when the accord was signed.
Source: Indian Express
