Aizawl: In a landmark step towards lasting peace in Mizoram, a total of 43 members of the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic), the last faction led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate, formally laid down their arms and returned to mainstream society on Thursday.
The homecoming and arms-laying ceremony, held at Sesawng near Aizawl and attended by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, senior ministers, legislators, top officials, and Hmar leaders, followed a peace agreement signed between the Mizoram government and the faction on April 14 at Sakawrdai village.
Addressing the ceremony, Lalduhoma said the development strengthened Mizoram’s identity as a peaceful state.
He credited sustained efforts by the government, particularly the Home Department, for successfully bringing the group into the peace process.
He said the shadow of the HPC(D) insurgency had long loomed over the state’s peace narrative.
“Whenever we speak of peace in Mizoram, HPC(D) comes to our minds. Today, we have reached a point where we can proudly say Mizoram is completely a peaceful state,” he said.
Urging various Mizo tribes to reunite, Lalduhoma emphasised that no single tribe stands above the identity of being Mizo.
“We are all Mizo. If sub-tribes within the Mizo community try to stand entirely on their own today, it is unlikely they would succeed. We must find contentment in our shared Mizo identity. We will thrive only through unity,” he said.
Highlighting the sacrifices behind peace, the Chief Minister described the act of laying down arms as one of courage, noting that only the brave take such steps.
“We value those of you laying down your arms today. Only the brave dare to surrender, and you are those brave people,” he said.
Lalduhoma reaffirmed that Mizoram no longer tolerates insurgency and called for collective commitment to safeguarding peace.
“The Mizo people no longer permit insurgency to resurface in our land. Let us all abstain from anything that can trigger discord and unrest. Let us distance ourselves from policies or opinions that spark conflict just for the sake of winning once, and let us unite to ensure lasting peace and stability in our land,” he said.
Home Minister K. Sapdanga described the day as “historic” and welcomed the returning cadres, attributing the breakthrough to the Chief Minister’s unwavering commitment to peace.
He assured full government support for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Speaker Lalbiakzama, who was elected from the Hmar-dominated Chalfilh constituency, also expressed satisfaction over the agreement, stating that peace in Hmar-inhabited areas had long been a key priority.
Speaking on behalf of the group, HPC(D) leader Lalhmingthanga Sanate acknowledged the government’s developmental initiatives and said they helped build trust, paving the way for dialogue.
During the ceremony, cadres handed over their weapons to senior police officials and took an oath renouncing violence.
Although it remained dormant for several years, the Sanate faction was considered the last surviving insurgent group in the state, involved in sporadic and frivolous criminal activities at irregular intervals.
It is also the last of three Hmar insurgent groups that have spearheaded a political movement in Mizoram since 1986, demanding the creation of an Autonomous District Council (ADC) under the Sixth Schedule, carved out of Hmar-dominated areas in northern and northeastern Mizoram.
The first group, named Hmar People’s Convention (HPC) and led by Hmingchungnunga, signed a peace accord with the Congress-led Mizoram government in July 1994, resulting in the establishment of the Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC), comprising 31 Hmar-dominated villages.
The second group, HPC(D) led by the late H. Zosangbera, finally inked a pact with the Congress government in April 2018 following a series of talks that began in 2016.
The 2018 pact gave birth to the Sinlung Hills Council (SHC) with enhanced autonomy under the SHC Act, 2018, replacing the existing SHDC.
Sanate, who founded HPC(D) due to disappointment over the 1994 accord, was impeached by the group in 2011 for signing a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Manipur with other Kuki armed groups, resulting in a split within the group.
The April 14 peace pact focused on a comprehensive development agenda for the Hmar-dominated SHC region, with key provisions including an increase in the council’s budgetary allocation, a special development package, infrastructure upgrades, enhanced connectivity, and official recognition of important Hmar festivals.