Aizawl | Tuesday, Jun 30
Mizoram, which stands out as a land of peace amid an ocean of insurgency will maintain the priceless peace at all costs, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana said here today.
Speaking at an observation of Remna Ni or Peace Day that marked the historic Mizo Peace Accord signed on June 30, 1986, at Congress Bhavan here today, Lalzirliana said, ''The peace we have been enjoying for the last 23 years had been earned with toil and blood and it is priceless. The Congress government will spare no efforts to preserve the hard-earned peace.'' ''The government will not allow any part of Mizoram to be used by underground elements as safe haven or even for a temporary shelter.
There will be no leniency on anti-social elements such as armed militants, unlicensed arm holders and gun runners,'' he said.
''As peace is pre-requisite for all forms of development, there is no room for insurgency in Mizoram. We will not allow any Mizo youth to take up arms, neither we will allow armed militant from the neighbouring states and countries to use Mizoram even as a route,'' he said.
On this day, the home minister said, the people of Mizoram remembered the sacrifice made by then Congress Chief Minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla who sacrificed his chief ministerial seat to end the 20-year-long insurgency and usher in permanent peace in this northeastern state.
''There could not be peace without surrendering something. Had Lal Thanhawla refused to step down from his seat, there could not be peace we are enjoying today,'' Lalzirliana said.
The Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), who had signed the Peace Accord under the leadership of the legendary Laldenga with the Rajiv Gandhi government 23 years back, also organised a separate function at its headquarters office here in observation of the Peace Day.
Addressing a huge gathering of party workers, MNF chief Zoramthanga said the Mizo Accord was neither the satisfaction of the Indian government nor the MNF, but a compromise between both the parties.
However, the former chief minister added the Mizo Accord went on to be one of the most successful peace agreements not only in the country, but in the whole world. ''We have seen a number of peace accords which the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed with insurgent groups in the country, but none of them has been as successful as the Mizo Accord,'' he said. ''Ours is a time-tested peace accord,'' he added.
''As those who have never been in the dark cannot appreciate the value of being in the light, the new generations who had not witnessed the Mizoram disturbances cannot appreciate the peace. ''It is a must for each and every one of us to preserve this peace,'' Zoramthanga said.
The political disturbances started during the tribulation of the bamboo flowering (Mautam) famine which left a deep scar in the minds of some Mizos and was interlinked with a secessionist movement that was to follow.
A voluntary organisation Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) took up arms on February 28, 1966 in a bid to achieve its goal to separate the state from India.
Mizoram was immediately declared a 'disturbed area' and security forces were inducted to maintain law and order.
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