The origin of the Mizos, like those of
many other tribes in the North Eastern India is shrouded in mystery. The generally
accepted as part of a great Mongoloid wave of migration from China and later
moved out to India to their present habitat.
It is possible that the Mizos came from Shinlung or Chhinlungsan located on
the banks of the river Yalung in China. They first settled in the Shan State
and moved on to Kabaw Valley to Khampat and then to the Chin Hills in the
middle of the 16th century.
The earliest Mizos who migrated to India were known as Kukis, the second batch
of immigrants were called New Kukis. The Lushais were the last of the Mizo
tribes migrate to India. The Mizo history in the 18th and 19th Century is
marked by many instances of tribal raids and retaliatory expeditions of security.
Mizo Hills were formally declared as part of the British-India by a proclamation
in 1895. North and south hills were united into Lushai Hills district in 1898
with Aizawl as its headquarters.
The process of the consolidated of the British administration in tribal dominated
area in Assam stated in 1919 when Lushai Hills along with some other hill
districts was declared a Backward Tract under government of India Act. The
tribal districts of Assam including Lushai Hills were declared Excluded Area
in 1935.
It was during the British regime that a political awakening among the Mizos
in Lushai Hills started taking shape the first political party, the Mizo Common
People's Union was formed on 9th April 1946. The Party was later renamed as
Mizo Union. As the day of Independence drew nearer, the Constituent Assembly
of India set up and Advisory Committee to deal with matters relating to the
minorities and the tribals. A sub-Committee, under the chairmanship of Gopinath
Bordoloi was formed to advise the Constituent Assembly on the tribal affairs
in the North East. The Mizo Union submitted a resolution of this Sub-committee
demanding inclusion of all Mizo inhabited areas adjacent to Lushai Hills.
However, a new party called the United Mizo Freedom (UMFO) came up to demand
that Lushai Hills join Burma after Independence.
Following the Bordoloi Sub-Committee's suggestion, a certain amount of autonomy
was accepted by the Government and enshrined in the Six Schedule of the constitution.
The Lushai Hills Autonomous District Council came into being in 1952 followed
by the formation of these bodies led to the abolition of chieftanship in the
Mizo society.
The autonomy however met the aspirations of the Mizos only partially. Representatives
of the District Council and the Mizo Union pleaded with the States Reorganization
Commission (SRC) in 1954 for integrated the Mizo-dominated areas of Tripura
and Manipur with their District Council in Assam.
The tribal leaders in the North East were laboriously unhappy with the SRC
Recommendation s : They met in Aizawl in 1955 and formed a new political party,
Eastern India Union (EITU) and raised demand for a separate state comprising
of all the hill districts of Assam. The Mizo Union split and the breakaway
faction joined the EITU. By this time, the UMFO also joined the EITU and then
understanding of the Hill problems by the Chuliha Ministry, the demand for
a separate Hill state by EITU was kept in abeyance.
Interested
? Book Tour through our Members
