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The Chruch Role in the Mizoram Peace Accord
In 1966, when the Mizo National Front (MNF) took the stand to secede from India and fought for Independence, insurgency started; the Church then gave solace and hope to the terrified and suffering people and very soon is started to mediate and play the role of a peace-maker. It is with this background that the Zoram Kohhran Hruiatute Committee (ZKHC) was formed comprising representatives from different denominations.
Today it has become Mizoram Kohhran Hruiatute Committee (MKHC) or the Mizoram Church Leaders’ Committee and is an influential organization.
Birth of ZKHC
Towards the beginning of 1982, when peace talks (negotiations) between the Government of India and the MNF failed, the prospect of peace looked grim and dark. Gruesome killings started taking place again and people were utterly terrified. The then Lt. Governor Shri S N Kohli met the leaders of various Churches at the Raj Niwas wherein he appealed to them to work together to take steps to bring about peace and prosperity in Mizoram. In response to his appeal the leaders of various denominations in Aizawl met on the 15th of June 1982 at the Synod Conference Hall in Mission Veng. The meeting appealed to members of various denominations to hold special prayers on the 20th of June 1982 and the 17th of July 1982 so that peace could prevail in the state; to hold another meeting on the 30th of July 1982 with a wider representation from various denominations. The meeting requested the Government and the MNF to hold talks again and bring a settlement and lasting peace and also invited suggestions from the public to bring about peace.
A wider representation of Church leaders congregated on the 30th of July 1982 at Synod Hall. The meeting nominated Rev. Thangpuiliana, the Synod Moderator as the Chairman; Pastor V. L. Rawna of Seventh Day Adventist as the Secretary and 24 representatives from various denominations attended the meeting. The next meeting of the Church leaders christened the committee ‘Zoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (ZKHC)’ or ‘Mizoram Churches Leaders Committee’.
Efforts of ZKHC at brokering peace
ZKHC was formed with the primary aim of finding ways to bring about peace in Mizoram. The peace emissaries comprising of Pastor V.L. Rawna, Rev. Dr. P L. Lianzuala and Rev. Lalsawma met the leaders of the MNF and important officials of the Government of India by the end of August. They had a hard time in contacting the leaders of the MNF as reaching them was not an easy task but ultimately they managed to get in touch with them. On the 13th of September 1983, the Executive Committee of ZKHC selected three delegates to visit the capital headquarters of the MNF. The delegates, before their departure, met the Lt. Governor, the Chief Minster, the IGP and other Ministers and sought permission for the trip from the Government. However, due to intensive operations by the Army at the time, they were not able to proceed beyond the borders of Tripura and Bangladesh. Being unable to go further, they sought help from others and were able to get in touch with the MNF headquarters by mail.
Rev. Lalsawma and Rev. Dr. P. L. Lianzuala went to Delhi on behalf of MKHC to meet the Prime Minister; despite a week’s stay (3 -11 Oct 1982) they were unable to meet her. However, they met the then Home Minister Shri P.C. Sethi, the Special Secretary (North-East) of the Home Ministry Shri P.P. Nayyar and other important officials and apprised them of the yearnings of the Church leaders to bring about lasting peace and requested the authorities to give them permission to talk to the MNF leaders. They submitted their appeals in writing to the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, the Capital Headquarters of the MNF was also informed about the proposed steps that MKHC was planning to take for the peace dialogue. MKHC appealed to them to refrain from any violence during the initiatives of the Church leaders. The MNF felt that the initiatives and appeals of MKHC were important and a calm and amicable atmosphere managed to prevail. The MNF leadership conveyed that the final say on the matter rested with their President Pu Laldenga and that he would have to be met. The Secretary of ZKHC Pastor V. L. Rawna was delegated to hold talks with Pu Laldenga who was in London. He met Pu Laldenga on the 1st of March 1983 in London and conveyed to him the wishes of MKHC for the peace process.
To meet and apprise the Prime Minister of the proposed plans of the MKHC at brokering peace and about the talks held with Pu Laldenga, MKHC again sent peace emissaries to New Delhi. This time too they were unable to meet the Prime Minister but they met the Congress Secretary Shri Rajkumari Vaspayee and other impor
During President Giani Zail Singh’s visit to Aizawl on the 28th of April 1983, the MKHC submitted a memorandum to the President where they outlined the need for renewing peace talks between the Government of India and the MNF to usher in an era of peace.
To meet and apprise the Prime Minister of the proposed plans of the MKHC at brokering peace and about the talks held with Pu Laldenga, MKHC again sent peace emissaries to New Delhi. This time too they were unable to meet the Prime Minister but they met the Congress Secretary Shri Rajkumari Vaspayee and other important people.
During President Giani Zail Singh’s visit to Aizawl on the 28th of April 1983, the MKHC submitted a memorandum to the President where they outlined the need for renewing peace talks between the Government of India and the MNF to usher in an era of peace.
The Joint Memorandum:
Pursuant to the decision of the Executive Committee of ZKHC held on the 17th of May 1983, a meeting of the representatives of all the political parties was convened at the Vestry of the Mission Veng Presbyterian Church on the 31st of May 1983. The Joint Memorandum appealing to the Government of India and the MNF to find a solution and usher in peace was signed by all the Presidents of the political parties of the day. The Memorandum is quoted as under:
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‘On this thirty first day of May, of the year Nineteen hundred and eighty three, We, the undersigned, representing all political parties in Mizoram, do hereby declare our united stand in urging the Government of India and the Mizo National Front do enter into fresh negotiations and dialogue in order to arrive at a peaceful settlement of political deadlock in Mizoram. We affirm that all sections of people living in the Union Territory are in full accord with this plea, and we further declare our unanimous assurance of readiness to render any possible help towards creating a conducive atmosphere for peace talk to resume’ |
When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Aizawl on the 16th of April 1984, the Church leaders met her in the Lt. Governor’s Bungalow and discussed with her in detail the steps they wanted her to take. Soon after the meeting of the Church leaders with the Prime Minister, Rev. Lalsawma met Pu Laldenga in London to amicably reiterate the need of both parties – the Government of India and the MNF to come to the negotiating table for peace talks.
Due to the unfailing efforts of the Church leaders for the cause of peace, Pu Laldenga and his followers flew to Delhi towards the latter half of 1984 to start peace talks afresh with the Government of India. When the negotiations seemed to move ahead smoothly, events took an unexpected turn as the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was unfortunately assassinated on the 31st of October 1984. In April 1985 after negotiations were stalled for nearly five months, the Executive Members of ZKHC, based on the decision of the ZKHC Executive Committee of the 28th of March 1985 went to Delhi to meet the new Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pu Laldenga. The team of peace emissaries spent over eight days and managed to have hopeful talks with both of them. Soon after the peace talks commenced again and of the ten points under discussion; both sides agreed on six points.
Time passed and by the Grace of God, on the 30th of June 1986 the Peace Accord was finally signed and a new era of peace finally dawned in Mizoram.
Pratap Chhetri
