“With the per capita income of the state standing at Rs 32,634, the proposed hike in the salaries of the representatives of the people is highly unreasonable,” the statement said.

According to the recommendations of the state assembly expert committee chaired by the former speaker Rokamlova, the basic pay of the chief minister, speaker, ministers, deputy speaker, ministers of state and deputy government chief whip would be hiked more than 50 per cent.

The committee recommended basic pay of Rs 90,000 for the chief minister, Rs 85,000 for the speaker, Rs 70,000 for the ministers, Rs 65,000 for the ministers of state and Rs 50,000 for MLAs.

Source: Indian Express

When 66 families were ready to return home Friday, hundreds of other refugees put up a blockade on the Tripura-Mizoram highway, protesting non-settlement of their eight-point demands.

“The police arrested 655 protesters and cleared the blockade. Subsequently, 48 refugee families left Tripura for their homes,” a Tripura official said.

Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana Tuesday alleged in Aizawl that militants of Reang tribals are intimidating innocent refugees in Tripura relief camps and are trying to spoil the repatriation process.

“There are some Reang tribal extremists who are intimidating and threatening innocent tribal immigrants and also indulging in illegal activities,” the home minister told reporters.

Lalzirliana said the security forces are prepared to take firm action against these guerrillas.

A Tripura government official, however, said there was no specific report of militants’ intimidating the home-bound refugees.

“The refugees have been demanding an eight-point rehabilitation package, including formation of an autonomous district council in Mizoram, and reservation for them in government jobs and state assembly. They (refugees) want a four-partite written agreement involving the central, Tripura and Mizoram governments, and refugee leaders,” Kanchanpur Sub-divisional magistrate Dilip Chakma told IANS on phone.

“There might be a splinter group of militants. But we have no specific reports of militants’ intimidating the home-bound willing refugees,” he added.

In April 2005, the Mizoram government and the militant Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) signed an agreement after 13 rounds of talks to solve the decade-old ethnic crisis, leading to the surrender of about 1,040 militants of the BNLF and Bru Liberation Front of Mizoram (BLFM), another separatist outfit.

Both the rebel outfits have been fighting for setting up an autonomous council for the refugees.

Over 41,600 Reang tribals, locally called Bru, have been living in six camps in north Tripura’s Kanchanpur sub-division since October 1997. They fled western Mizoram after ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos following the killing of a Mizo forest official.

Source: IANS

Vice Chairman, State Planning Board Lalkhama who graced the occasion as Guest of Honour also spoke on the occasion.
Mizoram Tourism Department that organises this festival, highlighted that the purpose of this festival showcasing the rich Mizo customs and traditions is to draw more inflow of tourists to the State. The Department in fact earned as much as Rs. 123 lakhs during the past year and the State received 58, 314 tourists including 675 from abroad. At present, the Department has 42 units, 352 rooms and 759 beds.

Source: Newmai News Network, via: http://www.morungexpress.com

Khuangchera was gunned down British Army during a guerilla war and refused he refused to abandon his wounded friend. He fought the British soldiers with only a knife and the soldiers had no choice but to shoot him down.

Source: PTI

Among the ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, state transport minister PC Zoramsangliana topped the chart with Rs. 5, 09,497 while Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary S Laldingliana came bottom with just Rs. 13,172.

Giving the detailed figure of the expense during their tour, the department said state home minister R Lalzirliana traveled three times spending Rs. 26,278 while agriculture minister H Liansailova spent Rs. 1,29,357. State education minister Lalsawta had spent Rs. 2,88,022 during the stated period traveling 12 times outside the state.

On the other hand, state health minister Lalrinliana Sailo while traveling eight times outside the state spent Rs. 2, 308,77. Among the Parliamentary Secretaries, Lal Thanzara topped the list with Rs. 2,23,955 by his name while his colleague Lalrinmawia had spent a mere Rs. 29,665.

Source: Newmai News Network

Other documentary proof like job cards under MGNREGS, ration cards would also be scrutinised. The state government was also aware that there were many refugees in the Tripura camps coming from Assam to avail free rations and other benefits provided by the Union Home Ministry, he said.

According to the MBDPF President Elvis Chorkhy, there were 31,703 Bru refugees belonging to 5,448 families in six relief camps in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district. The refugees migrated to Tripura in 1997 and in 2009, due to communal tension created by killing of two Mizos by Bru militants.

Source: PTI

“We are fortunate to be a peaceful state and this is primarily because of the comprehensive socio-economic development measures executed sincerely by the government,” Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla told IANS.

Separatist insurgency in the northeast first started after the Mautam famine in 1958-59, with guerrilla leader Laldenga forming the Mizo Famine Front, which finally led to the formation of the Mizo National Front (MNF), one of India’s most organised rebel armies.

The MNF waged a violent bush war for over 20 years against the Indian state for secession before signing a peace accord with New Delhi in 1986 during the adminstration of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

“Undoubtedly Mizoram is now the most peaceful state in the whole of the northeast. The government, church, civil society, and youth groups played a major role in the transformation,” said T. Sailo, a community elder.

The predominantly Christian state of a little under 900,000 people is the second highest literate state after Kerala with a literacy rate of about 89 percent.

“The high literacy rate is another factor contributing to the overall transformation – people by and large realised that insurgency and violence would lead us to nowhere; hence the change in mindset for peace and stability,” Zaaithanchungi, a well-known writer, told IANS.

“Whether we accept it or not, the mindset of the people of Mizoram has changed and that is one of the reasons why no insurgency group is able to take root in the state after the MNF came overground,” said Lalinpui, a young doctor.

Mizoram may not have big industries – but economically the state is growing, with the per capita net state domestic product at current prices pegged at Rs.29,576.

“Development is the cornerstone for peace and stability and we believe despite not much industrial growth, Mizoram is on the road to progress, with people behind the government, whether it is the Congress or the MNF. We support any government’s constructive plans,” said Sanzuwala, a youth leader.

While Mizoram does not have any separatist group now, the other northeastern states are considered a hotbed of militancy with more than 30 rebel armies active in the region and demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy.

Former chief minister and MNF second-in-command Zoramthanga was among the best sharpshooters during the insurgency. He is today better known for his role as a peacemaker in the region, having opened channels of communication with at least five different rebel groups in the northeast.

However, he adds: “There is a feeling among people that the only language New Delhi listens to is that of rebellion and so there is this language of revolt in the region. For decades New Delhi treated the northeastern states rather shabbily and this resulted in a sense of frustration among the people. This, in turn, bred insurgency.”

But he does not talk of guns and violence any more.

“By and large, almost all the underground groups in the northeast are beginning to realise the necessity of solving their various grievances through peace talks and not through the barrel of the gun,” the former chief minister said. Zoramthanga ruled Mizoram for 10 years, but his party, MNF, was routed by the Congress in 2008.

Source: IANS (Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)

A total of 22 wooden tombs and five tombstones were recovered by local Young Mizo Association (YMA) volunteers as heavy monsoon continue to lash the state.

“The ground at the burial place was still moving and measures are being taken to prevent seepage of water in the soil,” President of Dawrpui Vengthar YMA branch Lallianzuala said.

Besides the tombs a number of skeletal remains were also recovered, he said.

Source: PTI

Zosiamliana of Government Aizawl North College and R.L.Thianga of Government Hrangbana College also joined the symposium by elaborately discussing the Mizo style of grave digging as well as marriage rituals like the bride’s prize.In the second session, Prof. Laltluangliana Khiangte released a new book I Thu Ni Se by R.C. Lalruatchhunga who is a teacher of Zemabawk HSS.

Talking about the new book, Prof. Khiangte made a comprehensive estimation of the released book. He praised the book where five short plays have been recorded systematically by the author. At this point in the function, K.Biakthianghlima and P.Lalremliana introduced two other cultural topics for discussion in the symposium.

The programme has been highly appreciated by culture specialists and teachers of Mizo language and literature. Representatives of women’s group (MHIP Hqrs.), elders’ group (MUP Hqrs.), students’ group (MZP) as well as one of the largest Mizo youth groups, Central YMA also participated in the discussion.

Source: NNN