Addressing party workers, former chief minister Zoramthanga said the MNF declared independence on March 1, 1966, as the Mizos regarded the Constitution as an imposed one. "We, the Mizo people, were not represented in the constituent assembly which drafted the Constitution in 1947," added Zoramthanga.
He said Mizos have the right to self-determination and that's why they had declared that they were free.
He, however, admitted that the Mizos did not have any political experience at that time. "The British government gave permission to form a political party in 1946, one year before giving independence to India," he added.
He said the MNF tried to achieve independence with non-violent means, but the government sent armed troops which compelled the party to take up arms.
The MNF declared independence on February 28 midnight when the cadres of Mizo National Volunteer (MNV), later rechristened as the Mizo National Army (MNA), overran many Army and Assam Rifles camps in different parts of Mizoram.
The MNF led by former chief minister Laldenga signed the historic "Mizo Accord" with the Centre on June 30, 1986, and Mizoram, which was disturbed for 20 long years, became peaceful.
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