Aizawl: The historic Mizo Peace Accord, marking its 39th anniversary on Monday, was unequivocally declared a “collective mandate of the Mizo people” by Mizo National Front (MNF) president and former Chief Minister Zoramthanga. Speaking at a commemorative event in Saitual, Zoramthanga countered narratives that attempt to confine the 1986 agreement to a mere pact between the Centre and the then-underground MNF. He underscored the crucial detail that while Laldenga signed on behalf of the MNF, then Chief Secretary Lalkhama represented the non-insurgent Mizos, thus cementing its broader societal endorsement.
The MNF observed Peace Accord Day across the state with various celebrations, even as the state government chose not to organise any official functions for the occasion. Zoramthanga, himself a prominent rebel commander during the insurgency, highlighted that the accord was forged from a position of mutual strength. “We were economically and organizationally strong when we negotiated peace,” he stated, adding that this parity ensured a balanced agreement.
He further emphasised the constitutional significance of the accord, which propelled Mizoram to statehood in 1987 and introduced the crucial Article 371G into the Indian Constitution. This provision acts as a bulwark, safeguarding Mizo religious and social practices, customary laws, administration of justice, and land ownership, by requiring state legislature approval for any applicable Parliamentary Act. In a symbolic gesture to highlight this protection, the MNF youth wing unveiled a hoarding of Article 371G in front of their headquarters, Mizo Hnam Run, in Aizawl. The unveiling was performed by Lalkhama, the signatory on behalf of the Mizo public in 1986.
Addressing the gathering, Lalkhama paid rich tributes to the sacrifices made by MNF cadres and martyrs, acknowledging their pivotal role as the true architects of peace. He stressed the imperative of educating future generations about the protections enshrined within Article 371G. Adding to this sentiment, MNF legislator Robert Romawia Royte recounted that the peace accord directly led to the 53rd Constitutional Amendment, which formally cemented Article 371G as a safeguard for the Mizo people. Signed on June 30, 1986, the accord brought an end to two decades of insurgency, paving the way for Mizoram’s elevation as India’s 23rd state on February 20, 1987, a transformative moment in the region’s socio-political landscape.
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