Aizawl: Former Mizoram chief minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga on Monday hailed the Mizoram peace accord between the Centre and the erstwhile underground MNF as “inclusive” because not only the Centre and MNF were involved but also the entire Mizo people.
“The Mizoram peace accord was signed in 1986 by Union Home Secretary R.D. Pradhan on behalf of India and Mizoram chief secretary Lalkhama on behalf of the Mizo people. Laldenga signed it on behalf of the MNF cadres. Therefore, all involved in the peace process and we have an important responsibility to safeguard the peace accord,” Zoramthanga said while addressing a function to celebrate ‘Remna Ni,’ the anniversary of the signing of the historic Mizoram peace accord.
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The MNF on Monday celebrated the Remna Ni as the actual day, which is June 30, fell on Sunday.
The former rebel leader turned politician said that the MNF and the Mizo people, in general, have undergone several hardships towards signing the historic peace accord.
“The Mizoram peace accord was not up to the satisfaction of both the MNF and the Union government. However, the terms of the peace accord were drafted on the grounds that they were acceptable to both sides,” he said.
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When article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the BJP-led NDA government, every Mizo people were worried about article 371 G, a special provision for Mizoram, which is the byproduct of the Mizoram peace accord, Zoramthanga said.
However, the Centre can’t easily abrogate or amend Article 371G as it is not similar to other special provisions given to other states on compassionate grounds, he said.
“The MNF gave a huge price for the peace accord, which led to the birth of Article 371G. We did not surrender our arms but hand over them to the Centre in return for peace. If the Centre think of abrogating or amending Article 371 G it has to give back the price. There is a huge price to be paid back and the Centre is unlikely to do so,” the MNF chief said.
If the Centre fails to return the price the MNF gave it for peace, they will have to approach the Supreme Court or the International Court of Justice and the judgment will be in favour of the MNF, he said.
Zoramthanga also hailed the Mizoram peace accord as an intact, lasting and most time-tested exemplary accord not only in the country but also in the world.
The Mizoram peace accord was signed between the Centre and the MNF on June 30, 1986, ending two decades of insurgency in the state.
The MNF was founded by former Mizoram chief minister Laldenga to protest against the inaction of the Centre towards the famine situation in the Mizo areas of the Assam state in the late 1950s.
After a major uprising through peaceful means, the group took up arms and became involved in underground activities between 1966 and 1986.