Mizoram Election Update: Nov 11

Mizoram polls: NLUP, Illegal Immigration key issues

By Biplob Ghosal

The Assembly Elections in Mizoram will take place on November 25. Here are the major issues around which the political parties will woo the electorate:

New Land Use Policy (NLUP)
The incumbent Congress government is heavily banking on the NLUP to attract the electorate. The chief aim of the NLUP is to develop and give all farmers in the state suitable, permanent and stable trades. The Policy also aims at giving all the village farmers self sufficiency and providing them with financial help along with necessary guidance.


Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration from neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and especially Myanmar is another issue that will be highlighted by the opposition parties to hit four-time Chief Minister PU Lalthanhawla. According to the New York-based Human Rights Watch, there are as many as 70,000 to 100,000 ethnic Chins from Myanmar in Mizoram, who fled to India in the last two decades to escape massive human rights abuse in western Myanmar.

Reang refugees’ rehabilitation
The return of the 37,000 tribal refugees from Tripura is yet another issue that would have an impact on the result of the Assembly Elections.

The tribal Reang refugees, locally called ‘Bru’, had fled their homes in several villages in Mamit district in western Mizoram in October 1997 after ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos flared over the killing of a Mizo forest official.

In Mizoram, the estimated population of Reang tribals is 100,000. Besides, there are Chakmas and other tribals living in the mountainous border state, whose total population is about one million.

Unemployment
Though the literacy rate in Mizoram is very high, yet unemployment remains an acute problem. Kolasib, Mamit and Serchhip districts fall under the jurisdiction of Aizawl and Aizawl Employment Exchange houses the highest number of registered unemployment youth in Mizoram. Recently, Haukhuma Hauzel, member secretary of the state Planning Board and chairman of the Mizoram Skill Development Society (MSDS), referred to records of the employment exchanges while saying said that there were more than 50,000 unemployed youth in the state.

Development
Development is one of the main issues in the state as more than 70 percent of the people of Mizoram are dependent on Agriculture. The incumbent government has worked hard for accelerating development in the state by implementing NLUP and policies to develop both land and water routes for trade.

Drug abuse
The use of drugs amongst the youngsters has become a serious issue for the north-eastern state. The Mizoram government is mulling a new drug policy to combat increasing number of drug abuse deaths. All the political parties stand united in combating this grave problem.

Corruption

Like any other Indian state, Mizoram is troubled by rampant corruption. The delay and suspension of several projects by the government has gained huge criticism from people.

Perhaps, Mizoram is facing cultural degradation due to immense influence of outside world, which has become a much talked about ‘ill’ for long. The state is also disturbed by the strife between different tribes and the dominant Mizos calling the shots, while a few smaller tribes feel insecure.

Taking note of the prevailing issues, it is imperative for political leaders to get their act together and fulfil the demands of people. 

Ex-Speaker R Lalawia is the richest candidate to have filed nomination

And Biakmawia of the BJP contesting from Aizawl North -III is the poorest, with assets worth a little more than Rs 10,000.

Former Speaker of state Assembly R Lalawia of Zoram Nationalist Party is the richest among the the 141 candidates who have filed nomination for the Mizoram polls on November 25.

Lalawia is a contractor by profession and has assets worth over Rs 69 crore, his affidavit said. He has filed his nomination from the Serlui seat in Kolasib district bordering Assam.

Meanwhile, Biakmawia of the BJP contesting from Aizawl North -III is the poorest, with assets worth a little more than Rs 10,000.

Among political party chiefs, Chief Minister and state PCC chief Lal Thanhawla is the wealthiest with assets over Rs 9.15 crore followed by former chief minister Zoramthanga of the Mizo National Front with assets valued at Rs 2.16 crore, the affidavits said.

According to the affidavit filed by the candidates, Lal Thanhawla has Rs 89,86,247.50 in bank deposits and his wife Lal Riliani has property worth Rs 85,59,733.69.

Lal Thanhawla has landed property worth Rs 7 crore and the valuation of his wife's landed property is Rs 40 lakh, the affidavits said.

Mizoram People's Conference chief Lalhmangaiha Sailo, a retired Indian Revenue Service officer, was worth more than Rs 2.1 crore while Zoram Nationalist Party chief and former Lok Sabha member Lalduhawma was the poorest among political party chiefs with assets valued at Rs 1.7 crore, the affidavits said.

Tomorrow is the last date for withdrawal of candidates for election to the 40-member state Assembly.

Mizoram CM candidate profile - Lal Thanhawla

By Neha Attre

Lal Thanhawla

One of the main contenders for the Mizoram Assembly polls is Lal Thanawla - the current Chief Minister of the Mizoram and a member of Congress. After almost a decade, the veteran Congress leader brought the party back to power in the state in the 2008 Mizoram Assembly Elections, and is currently elected from Serchhip and South Tuipui constituency.

A journalist by profession, Thanawla's political journey started when he joined the underground regional political party – Mizo National Front in 1966. However, he quit the party a year later and joined the Indian National Congress (INC) where he was appointed as the Chief Organiser of the Aizawl District Congress Committee.

He was elected as the legislator for the first time in 1978 from Champhai seat. In 1979, he was elected from the same seat once again. The senior Congress leader was elected as the Chief Minister for the first time in 1984. However, he decided to step down and instead became the Deputy Chief Minister to make way for Laldenga.

This is not the first time that the senior Congress leader has been voted to power. He has served as the Chief Minister of the state three times earlier as well. He has served the state as the CM from 1984-1986, 1987-1998 and in the year 2003.

In 1987, he once again won the seat from the Serchhip constituency and was appointed as the Chief Minister of the state for the second time in 1989. He won the elections in 1993 again and formed an alliance with the Mizoram Janta Dal.

However, the winning streak of the veteran leader was halted when he was defeated in the Sechhip in the 1998 Assembly polls. For the next decade, he donned the role of the Opposition leader in the state. He is also known to have initiated peace process between the Government of India (GoI) and the National Front of Mizoram during the two decades of trouble in the state.

Bru voters to vote for Mizoram assembly polls on Nov 19-20

Bru voters lodged in the six relief camps in north Tripura district, who are bona fide residents of Mizoram, would cast their votes through postal ballots in the camps on November 19 and 20, state election department officials said.

Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly would be held in Mizoram on November 25.

Following instructions from the Election Commission, the polling of Bru voters would be conducted by election officials sent from Mizoram.

As per the arrangements made by the EC, the Bru voters would exercise franchise at the Postal Ballot Facilitation Centre where they would receive forms from the Nodal Officer of the centre.

They would again approach the desk officers of their respective polling stations for postal ballots and submit the postal ballots in the drop boxes.

Though the student bodies and the civil societies objected to the Bru voters casting their votes outside Mizoram, chief election commissioner V S Sampath said that the Bru voters were allowed to vote for the Mizoram polls from outside the state following Gauhati High Court order in 1999.

At least 11,500 Bru voters in the relief camps have votes in nine Assembly constituencies covering three districts Mamit, Kolasib and Lunglei.

Mizoram Assembly Election – State profile

By Manisha Singh

Introduction

Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister states of North-East India. It shares its borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Its capital is Aizawl and it became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987.

Politics

Mizoram has two seats in the Parliament, one each in the Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha. The main political parties in the state are Congress, the Mizo National Front and the Mizo People's Conference. Lal Thanhawla is the current Chief Minister of the state. He was the CM from 1984-86, 1987-1998 and since 2008. He joined the Congress in 1967. His rival in the state is Zoramthanga, who joined the MNF in 1966. He led his party to victory in 1998 and 2003 but lost his seat in 2008.

History

People living in the Mizo Hills were mostly referred to as the cucis or kukis by their neighbouring ethnic groups. Before the Britishers came to India, the various Mizo clans lived in autonomous villages and the tribal chief of these villages wielded a certain amount of power and were absolute rulers of their respective clans. However, they remained under the nominal political jurisdictions of the Rajas of Manipur, Tripura and Burma.

The Mizo Hills formally became part of British India in 1895, and a part of the Assam province in 1895. When the British left India, the number of tribal chiefs had increased over 200. The educated Mizos started a campaign against the tribal chiefdom under the banner of Mizo Union. As a result, the rights of the 259 chiefs were abolished under the Assam-Lushai District (Acquisition of Chief's Rights) Act, 1954. Later the representatives of the Lushai Hills Autonomous District Council and the Mizo Union pleaded with the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) to integrate the Mizo-dominated areas of Tripura and Manipur with the District Council in Assam.

But the tribal leaders in the northeast, who were unhappy with the final SRC recommendations, formed a new political party in 1955, Eastern India Tribal Union (EITU) and raised a demand for a separate state comprising all the hill districts of Assam, Their demand was not accepted by the government. Later, the Mizo National Famine Front, a body formed for famine relief in 1959, developed into a new political organisation, the Mizo National Front (MNF) in 1961 and it sought sovereign independence for the Mizo territory. The front was outlawed in 1967. However, in 1971, the government agreed to convert the Mizo Hills into a Union Territory, which came into being as Mizoram in 1972. It was declared a full-fledged state of India in 1987 following the Mizoram Peace Accord in 1986 between the government and the MNF.

Geography

Hills, valleys, rivers and lakes – this is what Mizoram comprises of. There are as many as 21 major hill ranges or peaks of different heights run through the length and breadth of the state. The Blue Mountain or the Phawngpui Tlang is situated in the south-eastern part of the state.

Mizoram's biggest river is Chhimtuipui. It is also known as Kaladan. It originates in Chin state in Burma and goes back to Burma's Rakhine state. The important rivers of the state are the Tlawng, Tut, Tuirial and Tuivawl which flow through the northern territory. As for the lakes, the Pala is the biggest in Mizoram. It is situated in Saiha district which is part of southern Mizoram covering 30 hectares. On the other hand, the Tam Dil Lake is a natural lake situated 85 kilometres from Aizawl. The lake is an important tourist attraction and a holiday resort.

Demographics

As per the 2011 census report, Mizoram has literacy rate of 91.58% and has the second-highest urbanisation rate in India with 22 towns included. Majority of the population of the state consists of several ethnic tribes who are either culturally or linguistically linked and they are collectively known as Mizos, which include Lushei, Paite, Lai, Mara, Ralte, Hmar, Thadou and several other tribes. Further, these tribes are divided into numerous clans within themselves, and these clans are further sub-divided into sub-clans. These clans may have slight liguistics differences at times.

Religion and culture

Majority of the Mizos are Christian and Hindus are in minority. There are also Buddhists and Muslims in the state. The official language of the state is Mizo. However, English is widely used for administration, governance and education. Mizo is one of the languages with official status in India (at the state level). But Hindi is a compulsory subject for all students up to eighth standard.

Migrants in Manipur Wary After Series of Blasts Targetting The Community

Policemen speak to the injured victims of the blast in Chandel

Imphal, Nov 11 :  Manipur's Home Minister and Director General of Police visited an Imphal hospital where victims of Manipur's latest explosion targeting migrant labourers in Chandel are hospitalised. One person died in the explosion and six others were injured in the blast. The visit means little to 28-year-old Nirmal, a migrant daily wage labourer from Assam's Silchar town who was injured in the attack.

"We were in a room. We had slept and then there was a loud explosion. We realised it was a bomb and my cot overturned too," says Nirmal, who has been living in Manipur's Chandel district for the past three years.

Over the last two months, insurgent outfits in the state have stepped up their attacks on migrants, including labourers, asking that all migrants leave the state by December 31. The most vicious attack took place on September 14, when an Improvised Explosive Device or IED exploded inside a tin shed in Imphal. Of the nine people killed, eight were migrant labourers

Since June this year, more than 15 migrants have been killed in explosions and many more attacked and injured.

With the migrant community being targeted, people like Satya Deo Yadav, a daily wage labourer from Gorapkhpur who's spent more than 10 years in Imphal now, want to head back home.  "We will pack our bags and leave soon. The government is not doing anything. They can't catch the insurgents and they can't convince them not to attack," he says.

Manipur's Home Minister Gaikhangam says the government and the police are acting and trying to control the situation. But when asked to specify these steps, he refused to share the details.

For many migrants in Manipur, staying on in Imphal is more a matter of compulsion and employment than choice. Insurgent outfits in the state say they are only targeting illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh and not legitimate Indians. However, the evidence on the ground, seems to point to the contrary.

Hmar Choir Wins North-East India Choral Singing Competition 2013

Photo: Wungram Raikham

By Joyful Thiek, for Sinlung

New Delhi, 10 November 2013: The Hmar Christian Fellowship Delhi (HCFD) Choir is winner of the 2nd Annual North-East India Choral Singing Competition, held at Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi this evening, taking away with them the prize money of Rs. 3 Lakhs.

The Evangelical Baptist Convention Church (EBCC) Choir, who came in second, took home Rs. 2 Lakhs while the Poumai Baptist Church Choir bagged the Rs. 1 Lakh third prize.

Started in 2012 and aptly themed 'TOGETHERNESS', this one-day socio-religious event is organised annually by the Tangkhul Christian Charitable Trust (TCCT) and draws participation from various North-Eastern community based fellowships and churches in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The event also serves to host a combine fellowship of the NE Christians in and around Delhi and to display musical talents and individual performances from different communities.

Some members of the HCFD Choir

This year's edition of the North-East India Choral Singing Competition saw participation from 13 choirs while an audience of over 4000 people clapped, cheered and praised God in the indoor stadium of Delhi's premier sports complex.

Shri Nabam Tuki, Hon'ble CM of Arunachal Pradesh graced the occasion as chief guest and Shri U K Sangma, IAS, Secretary to Ministry of DoNER, Government of India was the guest of honour.

The event also witnessed special performances from The Epistles, Leno Jamir, David Mate, Aching Shaiza, Amongbi Jamir, Fiona Pachuau, Maggie Lhouvum, the Ao Naga Baptist Church Choir and the Tangkhul Church Delhi (TDC) Choir. Renowned minister Mr. J Varadaraj, National Director, Alpha India presented a short talk.

The competition song for the event 'Amazing Grace', a popular Christian hymn composed by John Newton, was beautifully performed by all participating Choirs and a panel of four judges from the US, Korea, Germany and Australia was entrusted with the difficult task of determining the winner.

It should be pointed out that each team was allowed to make modifications and variations to the original tune of the song unlike last year's "God is Love" in which the tune and melody was pre-set by the organising committee.

The 54 member choir of the Hmar Christian Fellowship Delhi was conducted by Mr. Francis Lalnunmawi Zote who also did the tune modification of the song for his team. The Hmar Choir was 1st runners-up in the previous edition of the competition held last year at the same venue.

The HCFD choir members and church leaders with their trophies.
Photo: James Pusing Sanate

Consolation prizes and certificates were awarded to each of the participating Choirs.

Spirits were high and the excitement soaring even as the event drew to a close in the cold of the November evening, marking once again a special landmark in the unity and cultural diversity of the North-Easterners.

Photo: Leishiyo Keishing

2nd Edition of North East India Choral Singing Competition in Delhi

The Tangkhul Christian Charitable Trust (TCCT) is once again organizing the 2nd Annual North East India Singing Competition at Thyagaraj Stadium on 10th Nov. 2013 on the theme "TOGETHERNESS".

This will be a one day event with a participation of about 13 Choirs (each choirs comprises of minimum 20 and maximum 60 members) of North Eastern community bases fellowships of NCT.

This event will confine not only to Choir competition but also include display of individual singing & Musical talents from different communities.

Venue: Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi
Date: 10th November 2013
Time: 12:30 PM IST

This event will consist of two sessions:

First session: 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm.

A combine fellowship of the NE fellowships/churches based in NCR, J. Varadaraj a renowned Minister and National Director, Alpha India will deliver a special talk.

And special performances from The Epistle group, Ms. Leno Jamir, Ms. Amongbi Jamir, Ms. Azing Shaiza, Ms. Fiona Pachua, Mr. David Mate, Ms. Maggie Lhouvum & Ao Choir will lead the Singspiration. Indigenous cuisine & exotic menus from different NE region will be available.

Second Session: 5.00 pm to 8.30 pm.

The second session will be confined to the singing Competition on the Hymn "Amazing Grace".

The following attractive prizes are offered to the winner and the runner ups:

i) The winner ----- Rs. 3.0 Lacs.
ii) Second Place-----Rs. 2.0 lacs.
iii) Third place ----- Rs. 1.0 lacs.

Besides these consolation prizes to all participating teams are offered. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh Shri. Nabam Tuki will grace the occasion as Chief Guest and Shri U K Sangma IAS, Secretary to Ministry of DoNER Government of India will be the Guest of Honours.

Korean Band Biuret To Visit Nagaland And Manipur

Korean pop rock trio Biuret will be performing in India for the first time. The tour is an initiative by Korean Cultural Centre India, in association with Sevendiary.com (for the Northeast dates) to celebrate 40 years of Indo-South Korean friendship.

The full tour dates are:

November 29 – South Asian Bands Festival, New Delhi
December 01 – Hornbill Festival 2013, Kohima
December 03 – Maramfest 2013, Maram (Manipur)

They will officially launched the most awaited Hornbill International Rock Contest at Solidarity Park, Kohima on December 1, as the national level rock music contest set to go global starting this year. This is also the first time for any K-pop band visiting the Northeast landscapes, a region where Korean wave is extremely popular. The band has previously toured UK, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and China.

The group is led by the stunning Hye Won Moon (Lead Vocal, Guitar, Songwriter), Jai Hyun Ahn (Bass Guitar) and Gyo Won Lee (Lead Guitar). Formed in 2004, the band has performed in over 600 live shows from clubs, college festivals, TV appearances, musical theatre productions, rock festivals to opening for the famous british rock group Oasis.

Biuret were the winners of SUTASI Pan Asian 2009, an Asian Talent reality-show held in Singapore. Stream their winning LIVE performance on YouTube below.

Aamir Khan Celebrates Wife's Birthday in Assam

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and his entourage, which includes directors Karan Johar and Ayan Mukherji gave a surprise visit to the tea plantation town of Tezpur in Assam on Wednesday.

According to DNA source, the 3 Idiots celeb is reported to be holidaying in a private resort inside Nameri National Park in Sonitpur district, near Tezpur with his family and close friends to celebrate his wife Kiran Rao’s 40th birthday on November 7.

Aamir, who is on a five days Assam trip to visit different tourist destinations including the Kaziranga National Park, was also spotted playing with his toddler son Azad in the grounds of the resort today.

Aamir Khan drinking the traditional rice beer Apong of Mising tribe in Assam
Khan and his entourage earlier today visited a Balipara Mising village in Sonitpur district, where they were treated with the traditional rice beer called Apong of Mising tribe.

Bollywood Still Averse To Casting Faces From Northeast: Mary Kom

NEW DELHI: Boxing icon MC Mary Kom considers the northeast "one region". She now aims to bring home a bigger accolade than her Olympic medal, but also wishes to mentor young talent from the region who can carry forward her legacy. At the North East Festival 2013 on Saturday, she poured her heart out.

She said she misses watching Bollywood movies in Manipur because of the ban on screening of Hindi films, and fears that people back home may not be able to watch her biopic which is set to release. Kom and three other sporting and cultural icons from the northeast shared their journeys of making it big and their hopes and concerns for the region at the festival.

"As a child I had no one to guide me. I used to go to Imphal from my village where I was introduced to women's boxing. I did not tell my family what I was up to because if they had stopped me from boxing, my morale would have really gone down," she says. Her friends discouraged her because boxing is "not a woman's game". "If a man can fight, why can't a woman? I have proved myself," she said.

Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, the maharaja of erstwhile kingdom of Tripura and member of Tripura Congress Committee, spoke about his journey as an entrepreneur: "When we started our heritage hotel in 2002, people asked us who is going to come to the northeast. We have proved them wrong by running it extremely successfully." Deb Barma also said that despite being a member of Congress, his personal thoughts on AFSPA are separate from his party's.

"I am against AFSPA. We need some moderate voices from the northeast to come to the fore. Our story is not only about failures and pain but about so many other positive things," he added.

Larsing Ming Sawyan, vice president of All-India Football Federation shared his experience of creating a football team that represents the entire northeast region. "Through the 60s, 70s and 80s we did not see much of northeast in national football. We began scouting for young talent in different parts of the eight states and formed a team that qualified for I League. We realized we didn't know much about each other in northeast. There is a need to create an identity that is pan-northeastern," he said.

Actor Adil Hussain, who belongs to Goalpara in Assam, impressed everyone off-screen too. Reacting to a question on why there have been fewer faces from northeast in Bollywood after Danny Denzongpa, he said, "It (Bollywood) is an industry. They don't cast faces from the northeast because it will not sell. I am probably here because I have some Aryan features."