Despite presenting a picture of homogeneity to the outsiders, Mizoram has in the past witnessed identity-based politics of various forms, which at times created a great deal of apprehension among political and intellectual class. Hmar insurgency in 1990s, demand for separate Union Territory(UT) by United Lai-Mara-Chakma UT Demand Commitee in 2000 and Paite Tribe Councils demand for Autonomous District council comprising Paite dominated areas in North Eastern parts of Mizoram are a clear indication of the extent to which identity politics has entrenched itself in the state.
Language, culture and identity politics in Mizoram
By MH. James, JNU, New Delhi.
Despite presenting a picture of homogeneity to the outsiders, Mizoram has in the past witnessed identity-based politics of various forms, which at times created a great deal of apprehension among political and intellectual class. Hmar insurgency in 1990s, demand for separate Union Territory(UT) by United Lai-Mara-Chakma UT Demand Commitee in 2000 and Paite Tribe Councils demand for Autonomous District council comprising Paite dominated areas in North Eastern parts of Mizoram are a clear indication of the extent to which identity politics has entrenched itself in the state.
A section of intellectuals time and again raised their opposition into any kinds of identity based politics. At the time of Assembly elections Young Mizo Association(YMA) would urged various political parties not to enter into any electoral alliance with ethnic based parties. Yet,no serious attempt has been made to understand the root cause of identity politics and to promote unity and integration amongst various ethnic groups in the state.
While there was a great deal of attention towards a wide range of sensitive issues including the question of railways entering Mizoram or boundary dispute with Assam, there seems to be not much public discourse on the whole question of identity politics and for this matter Mizo identity itself. No significant attention has also been paid in academic domain other than few articles in school textbooks or magazines and newspapers. Certain individuals, Mizo Zirlai Pawl(MZP) and literary bodies like Mizo Academy of Letters(MAL) of course on many occasion engaged themselves with the complex issues of Mizo integration. Yet, in a peaceful state with a relatively homogeneous ethnic composition like Mizoram, the identity question generally failed to dominate the public domain.
The very fact that identity based politics in Mizoram has in real sense does not pose any challenge to the territorial integrity of the state or disturb the communal amity in the state may explain this lack of attention towards identity politics. The Chakma and Bru issue may at times tend to flare up communal tensions. Yet, inter-ethnic groups relation or minority-majority relation in the state by and large remains cordial thanks to the overall peaceful environment and a relatively higher state of development as compared to other NE states and the rapid evolution of Duhlian as Lingua franca even as Mizo as a common nomenclature is still an issue of contestation. The aspiration of certain political elites in the three ADCs for UT for instances may appeared to be only rhetorical given lack of bargaining capacity at their hands and the possibility of creating a separate politico-administrative unit in the near future by carving out Mizoram seems quite remote.
The economic backwardness or feelings of negligence by state government certainly gave rise to chibing politics in Mizoram. However, identity politics in Mizoram as in other parts of the North East has to do with a multiple factors which have interrelated linkages with one another. Doubtless, the alleged negligence by state government have many times lead to resentment among the leaders of three Autonomous District Councils who have now demand greater financial autonomy in the form of direct financing from centre. Nonetheless, ethno-cultural factors including the perceived sense of exclusion and difference from mainstream Mizos also gave impetus to the growth of chibing politics or sub-regionalism in Mizoram.
The argument here seeks to locate identity politics or sub-regionalism in Mizoram around two issues-a sense of economic alienation coupled with a feelings of exclusion from the mainstream Mizo culture and the fear of being submerged into the same identity.
Mizo: An inclusive nomenclature for all Zo-ethnic tribes?
In the Mizo nationalist imagination, the generic term Mizo would includes all the Zo-ethnic communities spreading across three countries of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. A section of academics, historians, non-governmental organisations and political class also subscribed to this notion of Mizo. At the height of insurgency when Mizo National Front (MNF) launched a violent armed struggle for a sovereign Greater Mizoram this notion of Mizo appeared to received wide acceptance and enjoyed certain legitimacy among non-Duhlian speakers. The fact that the movement was able to draw a significant number of volunteers from outside the then Lushai hills district especially Lamka (Manipur) signified this enthusiasm with Greater Mizoramand a sense of belonging to the greater Mizo identity.
The process in which Mizo identity has been constructed in the post-insurgency era however brought a different pictures. Today there was a visible trend where Mizo fast appears to include only Duhlian speakers even as at the theoretical level Mizo consists of Lusei, Ralte, Hmar, Paite, Lai(Pawi), Mara(Lakher),Thadou, etc. This is also one reason, apart from geo-political factors, why Zo kindred tribes from Manipur, Assam and Tripura find it extremely difficult to accept Mizo as a common nomenclature for all Chhinlung/Khul originated Zo-tribes. The dubious tags like Mizo Diktak lo(Impure Mizo) or Half Mizo( Mizo chanve) is another manifestation of this growing exclusivity associated with Mizo identity at the ground level which often tended to excluded non-Duhlian speakers from the category of the so called Mizo diktak or Mizo pangngai.
This exclusive notion of Mizo as confined to Duhlian-speaking communities often leads to emotional barriers between Duhlian and non-Duhlian speakers. A Mara speaking man from Saiha may identify himself as a Mizo but to many he is the other. Likewise a Paite speaking lady who speak fluent Lusei at the first impression may be thought to be a real Mizo but after her true identity came to be known she may be known as Mizo diktak lo. All these leads to a situation wherein many non-Duhlian speakers often hesitate to call themselves a Mizo.
Given this exclusivity associated with Mizo identity at the ground, it is no exaggeration to argue that to become a pure Mizo(Mizo Diktak/Mizo pangngai) one has to abandon his/her sub-identity. In other words, one has to speak Duhlian or be a part of a singular Mizo identity instead of having a dual identity as in the case of Nagas. An Angami tribal while maintaining his primary attachment to Angami identity still identify himself as a Naga. Perhaps this logic does not work in the case of Mizo identity.
It is precisely the reluctance to submerge ones sub-identity to mainstream Mizo identity that prevents many Maras, Paites, Hmar, etc. to fully identify themselves as a Mizo. To a section of Paite or Mara elites becoming a Mizo would necessarily means losing ones primary identity. Submerging ones identity to Mizo identity at the cost of losing ones maternal language or culture is neither desirable nor feasible as ones dialect or language constitutes one of the most precious elements of ones identity which gives meaning to ones existence as a human being.
Cultural insecurity and elite assertion
The sense of exclusion and fear of culturally submerged into mainstream Mizo identity thus played a crucial role in growing sub-regional assertion in Mizoram. It is unlikely that had social and political elites among the Maras, Pawis, Paites and Hmars fully identify themselves with the larger Mizo identity, there will be demands for ADC or UT. It is a common knowledge that a section of these elites in the three ADCs do not feel a sense of belonging to the government of Mizoram which in their view is a government essentially dominated by mainstream Mizos. This may also explains why these elites still nurture a dream of greater autonomy in the form of Direct funding or Union Territory.
At the same time the growing wave of what could be called as Duhlianization also seems to create a sense of cultural insecurity amongst non-Duhlian speakers and in the process fueled ethnic assertion which in turn posed a great hurdle in in promoting Mizo integration.
This fear of being culturally assimilated into the mainstream Duhlian culture thus often leads to assertion of separate identity by local elites. In other words, chibing politics in Mizoram could not be explained vis a vis Mizo identity alone. Rather, it has more to do with the ethnic consciousness and the subsequent realisation on the part of non-Duhlian speaking groups that failure to protect themselves politically would mean an erosion of cultural identity. In fact, it is this factor that fueled similar kind of sub-regional movement in other parts of North East India. Bodo Movement for instances was a largely a result of Assamese chauvinism which created a sense of cultural insecurity amongst non-Assamese speaking groups particularly the Bodos.
Emotional Integration: The need of an hour
` Clearly, Psycho-cultural barriers between mainstream Mizos and non-Lusei speakers is here to stay. The efforts of MZP though paid dividend to some extent by and large failed to fully bridge this gap. So long as Mizo remains an exclusive ethno-cultural category denoting only Duhlian speakers, this barrier will remain persist.
What is therefore require is to forge a new definition of Mizo which would also accommodate non-Duhlian speakers on the ground. This will require a collective efforts on the parts of intellectuals, NGOs and even the government to promote emotional integration which will bridge the existing divide between the two groups.
At this juncture the aspirations of Zo Reunification Organisation(ZORO) and MZP for territorial unification with other Zo-kindred tribes living in Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Myanmar and Bangladesh may be a distant dream. Yet emotional integration amongst all the Zo-hnahthlak communities is not only possible but an urgent need of an hour. In this regards, the steps taken by MZP in the form of Zo-Fest or seminars organised by MAL in various district Headquarters is worth mentioning for it instilled a new understanding and a sense of common brotherhood amongst the Zo-ethnic people.
It is not clear whether this inclusive definition of Mizo would be acceptable to all the mainstream Mizos as well as non-Duhlian speaking groups in the future. Yet, more efforts could be made in this direction so as to promote an inclusive Mizo identity whereby the existing tendency to associate Mizo with Duhlian language would be abandoned. This will turn enable non-Duhlian speakings groups to fully integrate themselves with greater Mizo identity while still preserving their own culture and languages.
The way out therefore lies in integration rather than assimilation. Unless Duhlian-speakers(Mainstream Mizos) give up the exclusive idea of 'Mizo', the popular MZPs slogan Insuihkhawm zai i rel ang u will remain a mere rhetoric. Emphasis on unity through voluntary assimilation as in the case of many Hmars, Pawis, Paites, etc. adopting Duhlian language instead of solving the problem would heightened the cultural insecurity and the resultant ethnic assertion amongst ethnic minorities. Unity in diversity therefore should be the guiding principle in building a stronger and more unified Mizo Nation.
(The article is a slightly edited version of the same article that has appeared in the recently published 'Chhoreivung' - Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl annual magazine, 2010-2011). The writer is a student of MA Third semester at Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is hailing from New Colony, Siaha).
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|2010-11-15 16:57:00 JK Chozah : ATC Aizawl.. - Its really infromative thought......Mr James ...
I do really appreciate ur writting skill. Indeed, we can see that is come out from a wonderfull thought, we can also see your such concerned for your people. Your critical way of analysing is most interesting part of this writtings (article). It gives me abundle of insights...thanks for ur Article do keep in touch....
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|2011-03-17 20:43:48 mr solo - thre are so many....There are so many different kinds of writing and so many ways to work that the only rule is this: do what works. Almost everything has been tried and found to succeed for somebody. The methods, even the ideas of successful writers contradict each other in a most heartening way, and the only element I find common to all successful writers is persistence-an overwhelming determination to succeed....
JK Chozah : ATC Aizawl.. wrote:Mr James ...
I do really appreciate ur writting skill. Indeed, we can see that is come out from a wonderfull thought, we can also see your such concerned for your people. Your critical way of analysing is most interesting part of this writtings (article). It gives me abundle of insights...thanks for ur Article do keep in touch....
