The Accords continues....

After the recapture of Aizawl and other areas from the Mizo insurgents,

the security forces conducted operations that were ruthless and brutal.

There were stories of atrocities committed by the forces on the Mizos which

were unbelievably horrendous. The displacement of people from their

original habitats was a security step ostensibly to protect the local people

from the insurgents. Under this scheme, almost eighty per cent of the

Mizos were shifted out of their villages and relocated elsewhere. The real

object of this displacement policy was to isolate the insurgents and deprive

them of local support. Of course, the security forces could gain control

over the Mizo population and keep away the insurgents.

But the large-scale displacement of the people from their natural habitats, the frequentarrests and torture of suspects, tight security surveillance and atrocities on

the people by the security forces led to total alienation of the Mizos in the

late Sixties. Understandably, it gave a fillip to insurgency. When the security

operations began in full swing in 1966, Laldenga and his men retreated to

the Chittagong Hill Tracts and started operating from there. In 1967 the

MNF was outlawed.

Laldenga and his MNF commanded the loyalty of the Mizos. Security

operations, no doubt, weakened the MNF as many of his men were

ruthlessly eliminated. Further, after the formation of Bangladesh in 1971,

the MNF ceased to get military aid and training from that country.

Nevertheless, the insurgency continued for two decades.

The sense of alienation among the Mizos was so deep that they were

no longer prepared to remain within the state of Assam. Therefore, the

demand by the moderates for a separate state was also gaining momentum.

Recognizing the support of the people for this demand, the Government

of India declared the Mizo Hills a union territory in 1972.

To be continued.....