The following article explores the possibility of Chin migrants to live peacefully in Mizoram owing to various factors that bind the people of Mizoram in India and Chin state in Myanmar.
“HOW CAN THE CHIN MIGRANTS LIVE IN MIZORAM?”
Introduction
Migration from one place to another place is the basic nature of all living beings including human beings. However, there must be the reason(s) how and why they are migrating from their old place to the new place. Due to socio-religious and economic-political crisis, the Chin people from Myanmar have been migrating to Mizoram State of India day and night. “How can the Chin Migrants live in Mizoram State?” is a big question for both the Chins themselves and the native people of Mizoram. I did a research on this topic in 2007 throughout the State. I found the following five grounds that the Chins can live in Mizoram State. They are 1) Mizoram Tradition of Tlawmngaina/ Tlyhngiahna, 2) Blood-relationship between the Chins and the Mizos, 3) Christianity, 4) Geographical connection, and 5) India tradition of Tolerance.
1. Mizo Tradition of “Tlawmngaina” & "Tlyhngiahna”
The words “Tlawmngaina” in Mizo language and “Tlyhngiahna” in Mara language have the same concept and meaning. Their meaning is “love and compassion towards the strangers”. Both of them are the traditional social ethic code of the Mizos and the Maras. Every Mizo and Mara people are expected to have inherited them automatically from their parents and taught at their homes from the very beginning of their early childhood. These Tlawmngaina and Tlyhngiahna traditions are accommodating all strangers including the Chins migrants coming from Myanmar to Mizoram.
2. Blood-relationship
The relationship between the Chins and the Mizos is not just merely relationship between one another. Their relationship is blood-relationship. In another word, their relationship is life-relationship which cannot be separated by any cause because the blood is the blood. The true blood of the Mizos can never try to harm the true blood of his/her brothers and sisters of the chin migrants. Their blood relationship is accepting each other with true trust and love. Pu. Lianhmingthanga, Senior Officer in Tribal Research Institute, Aizawl : Mizoram, also affirmed that the Chins are living in every part of Mizoram State because of this blood relationship.
3. Christianity
All Mizos in Mizoram State of India and all Chins in Chin State of Myanmar belong to the same religion (Christianity) which made them one in Jesus Christ. Mizoram is one of the most peaceful Christian States in India while the Chin State is one of the Christian States where the severe religious persecution of the military dictatorship is going on. It is not sorry to say that the Christianity in Mizoram is warmly welcoming the Christians from the Chinland to live in its land. Dr. Zohra, the Lecturer of Gov`t Saiha College, Mizoram State also agrees to this opinion and saying that if the Mizoram State were not the Christian State, the Chin migrants cannot come into Mizoram State easily. It is true to say that the Christianity in Mizoram is one of the factors receiving the Chins to Mizoram.
4. Geographical Connection
Geographically, the Mizoram State and the Chin State are connected with each other. They share 404 km long international borderline. This long geographical connection contributes a strong feeling of neighborhood between each other and it is giving space and places to the Chin migrants. Rev. N.C. Vabeilua from Evangelical Church of Maraland in Saiha also affirmed that geographical connection is not only the best way but also God’s preparing way for the Chin people to escape from the political oppression of the military government in Myanmar.
5. Indian Tradition of “Tolerance”
It would not be wrong to say that Indian tradition of tolerance is one of the best traditions all over the world because it is a wonderful tradition that India has and practices from the time immemorial. The word tolerance means “willingness to acceptance or not interference, or understanding”. It can be said that it is the Hindu tradition as well. Due to this tradition, the land of India can accommodate all of the four major religions. At the same time, it is accommodating different kinds of people from different countries. Dr. Manivanna from University of Madras also affirmed that Indian tradition is accommodating thousands of refugees from our neigbouring countries. It would be very good to say that Indian tradition of “tolerance” is also the one which is receiving the chin migrants from Chin State in Myanmar to Mizoram State of India.
Conclusion
Many of the Chins never feel that Mizoram State is a foreign State. They feel it as their original home and their ancestor’s land because the Mizoram and the Chinland were one country before India and Burma got their respective independence from the British colonial in 1947 and 1948. It seems there is no international boundary line in their minds and hearts so far. Some of the Chins are also feeling that they come to the land of their parent; uncle and aunty as well. I also found the same feeling in the mind of the Mizo people. Due to the above mentioned reasons, the Chin migrants from Myanmar can live in every parts of Mizoram State peacefully. It would be very nice if the Mizos and the Chins can promote the above mentioned reasons together at their level best.
Thank you.
May God bless all the Chin migrants and Mizoram State of India.
Moses C. Tehlo
Chennai.
Note: Puhpa Moses C. Tehlo is a post-graduate research scholar at the University of Madras, Chennai, India. Maraland.net thank him for contributing this article.
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|2010-10-02 14:23:04 Mara PawReih apha kaw, Mizo or Tlaikao nawta tlawmngaina ama tahpa he Mara pata veiseihna eima tahpa he cha veima?? Tlyngiahna ta pa Tlaikao nawta avawpuapachhua laipa haw cha vei ma?? L. Amie roh aroh Veiseihna - Mara Hrongia ngaitapa atah pahe vaw mo pachhi hra ma ei.
Mara Pawngiapaw
Delhi
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|2010-10-03 21:46:08 Moses C.Tehlo
To,
PATZZZ,
Thanks for your comment. I also really respect for your observation.
To
Mara Pawngiapaw,
Na Comment hmo nata ei ly kaw. Tlyngiahna eita pa he, kypachana eirei kho pa a cha. Veiseihna tapa he cha, kypachana hmeseih y tlolei pata kypachana ahnei pa khiepa hawta ei pacha. Nareipa Chabu he vaw rei ba tla tlai vana. Arei lei pa ta eivaw rei hra pa chhie kho y.
Moses C.Tehlo
Chennai
But I for some reasons do not agree with the Conclusion... BECAUSE one would not KILL or RAPE a fellow Blood relative... Of course there may be some exceptions. According to my observations, most of the raping is done by Silchar plain wallahs and the so called Blood relatives.
I'm not totally against the article... but i'm just observing from another side...