TUIKUK (BRUS) WHO FALSELY ACCUSED THE MIZO

- (The Zozam Weekly)

On September 23 & 24, 1997, the Bru National Union (BNU) held a conference at Saipuilui, delegations from Tripura also attended the conference. Around 400 delegates attended.

At this time the BNU decided to take steps for the establishment of Autonomous District Council in Mizoram, which extremely shocked the Mizo people. During this time, creation of Union Territory for the Chakmas was being recommended by the Parliamentary Committee on Petitions, and the Mizo people blatantly refused to slice out Mizoram for foreigners, and there was much worry in the air.

In pursuance of their resolution, the Bru National Union (BNU) and the Bru Students’ Union (BSU) travelled to different Tuikuk villages instructing their people to leave Mizoram and that they would be demanding an autonomous district council, and in their pursuit they would even take up arms to realise their cause. The then BSU president Bruno Mesha, A Sawibuanga Riang and R. Laldawngliana were the main usurper according to police information.

Under the umbrella of the BNU, the arms division namely the Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) was subsequently founded. The first instance when this Front came to be known was after the brutal murder of Lalzawmliana on October 21, 1997.

The Bru Students’ Union at this time instructed their people to leave Mizoram before March 22, 1998, the instruction was literally a threat rather than an instruction!

The Tuikuk (Bru) Village Council Presidents received instruction in writing to leave Mizoram before March 22, 1998 saying: “On receiving this letter, you are to discreetly disseminate this information to all our fellow Bru tribesmen. Anyone refusing to obey this order will be regarded as traitors, and BSU will take action as deemed necessary. Even if they face death they will be forsaken by the Bru tribe. You will be regarded as Mizo, and there will be no leniency; if shot even, they will have no say.”

Following that order, they fled. Though there were some that went to Cachar, most headed for Tripura. And on their way to Tripura, they attacked the Mizo living in the Jampui-Sakhan area, and roughly 81 households fled their homes.

The Government of India then regarded these Tuikuk (Brus), who left Mizoram willingly, as refugees and created six (6) relief camps for them and started attending to them since then.

Immediately, the Bru National Union (BNU) submitted a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with the assistance of the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. A copy of the memorandum submitted to the National Human Rights Commission was also sent to the Union Home Minister and the State Government of Mizoram. In their submission, it was reported that the Mizo burned 1,391 houses in 41 Tuikuk villages, and that 44 Tuikuk women were raped by the Mizo, 29 mandirs/temples were destroyed, 8 Tuikuks were killed, and 8 Tuikuks disappeared without a trace.

The Mizoram Police then investigated these allegations; of the 44 alleged rape, the 28 supposedly rape victims were interviewed, and 12 women who themselves claimed to have been raped were also interviewed. However, in all these investigations, there was no credible evidence found, and these women had hardly anything reliable to say when cross examined by the investigating police. It was concluded by the investigators that it was just an attempt to shame the Mizo to the outside world.

Eight Tuikuk names, who purportedly died in the hands of the Mizo, submitted in the report to the National Human Right Commission were investigated into by the police, but was found baseless. It was proven that those who allegedly died in the hands of the Mizo had actually died because of some diseases.

Though there was not a speck of evidence found, the allegations levelled against Mizoram were quite damaging as the Government of India readily believed that the Tuikuks fled because of the Mizo. However, as time passed, the Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF), the arm wing of the Bru National Union (BNU) eventually came to terms and settled their differences with the State Government of Mizoram, after which they visited the office of the Mizoram Zirlai Pawl, the largest students body in the state of Mizoram and apologised by saying that they had made false accusations against the Mizo.

The following is the content of the Bru Students’ Union letter given to the VCPs:
“On receiving this letter, you are to discreetly disseminate this information to all our fellow Bru tribesmen.

Adjacent to River Tlawng is the Hachhek range which belongs to us, the Bru. Due to assimilation by the Mizo we are pushing for a District Council, and due to the manner in which problems are created by the Mizo in our pursuit to occupy our land, the Bru Students’ Union convened and passed a resolution, which shall be followed by all our tribes.

Venue : Riffle Mara (Cachar)
Time : Dt. 8.3.1998
Member Present : 40 (forty)

Agenda
i) All Brus shall leave Mizoram before Dt. 22.3.98.
ii) Grievous hurt inflicted by the Mizo and loss of properties shall all be reported to BSU.
iii) Those not obeying this order will be regarded as traitors. BSU will take action as deemed necessary. In case of death, the Bru tribe will forsake them.
iv) They will be regarded as Mizo, and there will be no leniency and if shot they will have no say in the matter.

This is a secret letter, if the Mizo learn of it, it could jeopardise the steps taken, and in such a case you will be held responsible on behalf of your village.
Let us all bear together for our land and people for a brief period.”

The letter was signed by president Bruno Msha and the secretary of the Bru Students' Union.
(Excerpts from the 1st week issue of December 2009 Zozam Weekly)