Home Department, Mizoram in 25-11-2011 nia Hmar raltlanhai chungthua DC tinhai kuoma thupek ansuo chu zanikhan Mizoram Home Minister le Home Department hnuoia Officers han meeting an neia, order a “Hmar hnam” ti po chu peiin Mizoram sawrkarin thupek a lo insuo tahai chu siem that a nih.
Post Bureau, Aizawl (July 17): Mizoram government on Tuesday clarified that the Hmar families who took refuge in Mizoram in the wake of ethnic violence in Assam during the last two years were given protection a s per the “standard operation procedure” and that there was no discrimination based on communal lines.
The Mizoram state government’s statement was in reaction to the recent Hmar Students’ Association’s recent memorandum to the state government to stop “segregating” the Hmar people.
A meeting of home department officials chaired by home minister R Lalzirliana on Tuesday reviewed t he government’s order of December 25, 2011 that directed all deputy commissioners not to issue family ration cards and NREGS job cards to the Hmar refugees.
The Mizoram state government maintained that the order was issued based on the all-India standard operation procedures (SOPs) for protecting internally displaced persons (IDPs). As the Hmars also a tribe of Mizo, the HSA considered the Mizoram government’s order as discriminatory of Hmars from the rest of Mizo tribes living in Mizoram.
However, the Mizoram government admitted its mistake in terming the refugees as Hmar refugees which could be construed as discrimination against the entire Hmar community. Therefore, the word Hmar was deleted from the government’s order.
“The government deeply regrets that the order has hurt the sentiments of a section of the people,” said the official statement. The official statement also stated that the Mizoram government’s stand is that Mizoram is a home for all Mizo tribes within and outside Mizoram.
