The Maras had political consciousness in the early forties of the 20th centuries. When they learnt that India was about to attain freedom from the British dominion, the Maras Chiefs Conference was convened at Saikao in January 1945. In this conference they had unanimously adopted a solution demanding a separate administration and according submitted a representation to the Superintendent, South Lushai Hills, Aijal.

One of their memorandums reads as follows,
“To the Superintendent,

Lushei Hills, Aijal

DateD the Saikao. December 1945,

from the Lakher Chiefs”.
“We, the Lakher Chiefs would like to express to you what we want most for your sympathetic consideration and immediate order”.

“As we have been demanding so many times, Government may please give us Lakher Hills District, and also one English Officer may be appointed to conduct our Administration.

This is what we want most; we would like to be under either the Burma Government or Crown Colony. We want that the Lakhers should be placed under one separate District administration, but not under the Lushai Hills District,”

This clearly shows that the Maras had demanded separate administration to the British India several times by their Chiefs for the sake of their subjects.

Dwelling in the Southern tip of Mizoram state of India the Mara constitutes a District tribe and are an off-shoot of the Kuki-Chin group of Tibeto-Burman family. Though nothing definite is known about their original home, their ancestral homeland appear to have been somewhere in Southern China. They then migrated from there via-Tibet entering the hills of Northern Burma and settled for sometimes in Chin Hills.

Thence, in the latter part of the 17th century, they have migrated to their present Mara land. It is generally believed that they have settled in the land now occupying for about three centuries. Encircling by the blue Kolodyne (Beino) river which makes the Mara land appears like semi-Island. The geographical area of the Mara land is 1445 Sq Kms. with a population of 51,073 as per latest Census.

The Mara land is bounded by Burma in the East and South and Lai Autonomous District Council in the North and West.

Before the advent of the British to India, the Mara enjoyed natural independent of their own and ruled over the land by their chiefs. With the advent and extension of British Empire to their border the Maras frequently encroached the British Empire by head hunting and looking the British subject. Reputation of such incident was intolerable to the British rulers and they were ultimately subjugated by the British in 1924 but no local self Government was constituted nor the political autonomy granted for the management of their local affair.

Briefly, the British Superintendent and the Mara chiefs used to rule over the Mara people as virtual dictator. When Mara land was annexed and brought under the Indian British way, the homeland of the Maras was partitioned for administrative convenience- one part was annexed to the East Bengal province which after a gap of 20 years again included in the South Lushai (Mizo) Hills under the Assam province where- as a major portion went to Government of Burma (Myanmar). This is a historical fact and as a result a smaller portion of the Mara inhabitant area remained within the union of India today.

Formerly the Maras and their frequent successful raids on their neighbouring tribes proved to be the powerful, mighty and brave warriors of those days. Colonel Phayre in a letter to the Government of India gave a very vivid picture of the warlike nature of the Maras. “I have known all the tribes personally except the Shindu [Maras] for many years. The Mara tribe has always been spoken of as powerful and as being much feared —— (A Mackenzil’s “The North East frontier of India” P-351).

The above remark clearly indicates that the British rulers had very vague knowledge about the Maras before the Maras were brought under their control. The reason is clear. It was because of their warlike natures which cause them difficulties in clearing with them.

Maras were known by various names by outsiders:
Again, it was because of their isolationistic manner that the Maras were given different names from a Distance by the early writers, scholars and their neighbours The Maras were known as the “Lakhers” to their North-Western neighbours mostly by the Lushais (Mizos). They were also known as “shendus” or “shindus” by their Southern neighbours mostly by the Khumis and Arakanese’s. Shendus or Shindus in Khumis means a people wearing a bit of rag around the top knot, which constantly fight and makes others restless. They were also known as the ‘Miram’ by their northern neighbours, Hakas. The term Miram was nothing but the Hakanised from of Mara. They were again known as “Zo” to their North Eastern neighbours, the Chins, This the early British Writers who firstly contacted the Khumis and Arakanese’s, their Southern neighbours , adopted the term shindu while the Lushais (Mizo) adopted the term Lakher to refer to the Mara people till date . Inspite of the above foreign names coined by their immediate neighbours and early writers scholars and Historians, the Maras never designate themselves, Lakher shindu or shendu , Zo or Miram but MARA.

The religion of the Mara people:
The Maras were animists by religion. By the year 1907 a couple of British Missionaries from London landed in Mara land who fortunately deduced Mara language into writing.They composed manuscripts and opened school for the children. Hence, gradually all the Maras embraced Christianity.

Mara language:
The Maras speak a language of their own, different from that of their neighbours i.e. Mizos, Bengalis, Nepalese, Lai, Chakmas and Burmese. They have their own Bible and Hymn Book etc.

Mara Church:
The Evangelical Church of Maraland and Congregational Church of India [Mara land] are the major church of the area.

Education in Mara Land:
After attaining India Independence the Government of Assam opened 23 primary schools up to Class-III and one middle school up to Class-VI in the year 1948. Even today the Mara language is the medium of education up to class IV. The Government of India was kind enough to make quota in the recruitment of Army for the Mara youth in those days. Even after conservation to Christianity the Maras have been very strict to their Custom. For example, The Mara girl’s price may be approximately estimate to more than ten thousand rupees (in cash and in kind)only while the girl of their neighbours is rupees three hundred to rupees five hundred (in cash and in kind) only.

Official Recognition as a distinct Tribe:
With the independence of India in 1947, Maraland in the British Lushai Hills became apart of Independent India. In 1950The Constituent Assembly of India Constitution organized the Mara as a Scheduled Tribe of India along with others Tribe of the North East India( Gazette of India Extra ordinary Part II Section 3 Page 118 dated 10th August 1950) The others Tribe appeared in the Gazette are Seven in Number (i) Lushai ( Mizo) (ii) Naga (iii) Khasi (iv) Garo (v) Mikir (vi) Cachari and Jaintia.

The Self-Governance:
The Government of India, in order to look into the grievance and affairs of the Tribal people appointed a sub-committee of the constituent Assembly known as North East Frontier ( Assam ) Tribal and Excluded Tribal areas Committee under the Chairmanship Gopinath Bordodoi, the then Chief Minister of Assam.

According to the recommendation of this Committee the Pawi- Lakher (Lai-Mara) Regional Council was inaugurated on 23rd September 1953. In 1972, while the Mizo District became a union territory, The Pawi-Lakher Regional Council was divided and Constituted as two separate Autonomous District Council within the Mizoram Union Territory. In 1987, Mizoram became the 23rd State of India. The Mara Autonomous District Council remains as it was within the Mizoram state.

However, with the Amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1988, and as per representation submitted by the Mara Leaders, The Mara Autonomous District Council was given enhancement of power with 21 subjects viz; Forest, Art & Culture, Rural Development, Agriculture and Horticulture, Soil & Water Conservation, Social Welfare, AH & Vety, Industry, Fishery, PHE, Sericulture, LAD, Road Transport, Sport & Youth Services, Cooperation, PWD, Soil &Water Conservation, Education and also by this Amendment act.

Changing of the name Lakher to Mara:
The Lakher, a name coined by the neighbours was substituted by the MARA and the same was published in the Gazette of India ( 19th December 1988.)

BY DR. K. ZOHRA, Ph.D
LECTURER, GOVERNMENT SAIHA COLLEGE
MIZORAM, INDIA.

NOTE: Also see at Saiha District Website at Saiha.nic.in

Mizoram Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Zodintluanga confirmed the news today saying that the stadium that would be built here would be the first full-fledged stadium in the state.

The construction of the stadium at Mualpui area inside the headquarters of the third battalion of the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP) began after 12th Finance Commission granted Rs 25 crore for the project, he added.

Sonia Gandhi is expected to return to New Delhi the same day. (ANI) – Source: Thaindian.com

Sources today said all the members of a family complained of pain in stomach since morning on February 27 after consuming meals.

They became weak and administered themselves dextrose injection at their residence, it was learnt.

Later the youngest in the family, three-year-old Thangveli, was found dead on her bed. The condition of two other family members – Delili (17) and Beiryuto (12), who were rushed to Saiha Civil Hospital, was stated to be stable, sources informed.

Medical Superintendent at Saiha Civil Hospital
Dr Harry said over phone that they would be released tomorrow.

On one hand, the family blamed the food items consumed during dinner that included mustard, tomato, dal and zawngtah (parkia roxburghii), commonly found in most families’ meals, for their illness.

On the other hand, the hospital officials said, ”There are reports that they consumed tumbu (banana flower) and khanghu (acacia pennata) cooked together, a leftover from previous meal, without properly heating them. This could be the reason.”

–UNI

Source: NewKerala.com

A joint meeting of all political parties in Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC), spearheaded by the Central Young Chakma Association at CADC capital Kalamanagar today passed a resolution condemning the killing of indigenous people by the Bangladesh army for grabbing the tribals’ land.
According to a statement, the Bangladesh Army personnel killed at least six Chakma tribals, injured 25 while many others have been reported missing.

The Army also allegedly burnt down 200-300 houses, including seven shops, a church, a Buddhist temple and a United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) run village centre in three villages in Rangamati district of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

”About 1500 indigenous people have been displaced, no rehabilitation provided to the affected people and majority of them are taking shelter in the jungles without proper food to eat,” the statement added.

The joint meeting also resolved to stage a peace procession in Mizoram on March 4 to express solidarity with their brethren and submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Mamohan Singh to urge him to talk to his Bangladesh counterpart to immediately solve the issue.

(Photo of Chakmas protesting in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 22, 2010. Pic courtesy: Paritosh Chakma, link below).

Source: UNI via Deccan Times

More photos from the source: Paritosh Chakma blog

Related:

• Delhi Chakma Community Protest in Delhi – Mizoram Chakma Development Forum (MCDF)

Sunday is the third such incident of firing by BDR in this month. Earlier on February 4 and February 14, the BDR personnel had opened fire along the Meghalaya border. Recently, the Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr D D Lapang, while leading the North East Conclave at Dhaka, have apprise the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Shiekh Hasina about the last two incident of firing.

Meghalaya Times reported embedded in Muktapur added that, a group of Villagers had gone for fishing for the last two days, when BDR personnel first threatened them and later opened fire. BSF personnel rushed to the area and escorted the Indian villagers to a safer place.

The BSF did not retaliated the BDR, till all the local villagers were evacuated, and had restored to exchange of fire at around  2 PM and lasted for more then two hours. The site at the villages is like the battle field, with empty shells and others ammunitions. At Hawaitalla aroung 30 to 40 shorts were fired and more than 100 at Muktapur.

For the night, all the house hold, especially on the top of the hills and facing the border were requested to have a black-out, by covering all the windows and putting off all the electricity powers as precautions.   Till the filling of this report there were no other casualty reported, and cease fire was maintained. The situation is stated to be tensed but under control.All the educational institutions in this sector is yete to reopen, as all the schools’ building have been converted into relief camps.

Source: The Meghalaya Times

According to officials, the area is 14.98% of the total Mizoram area. The forest area which is exploited for road constructions, building houses and other sources accounted for Sq Km 147.85 which is 0.70% of the total land area of the state.

The figures were estimated by Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre with the help of photographs and spot visits of the area. The survey also reported that while there are 2628.08 sq.km medium dense forests (12.46% of total land area) and 3738.57 sq.km less-dense forest (17.73% of the total land area), 31.81% of the total land area is covered by bamboo which is 6708.37 sq.km.

Officials at the centre said that lots of forest areas have been exploited for jhum cultivation. During the survey, a whopping 3965.91 sq.km was cleared for jhum cultivation.

Project Director of Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre Dr. RK Lallianthanga said that all the data are based not only on satellite photographs but rather members from the centre have visited various places.

He also hoped that the data will be of great importance to government departments for taking up projects and other programmes. Stressing on the need to preserve forest, the project director said that more awareness campaigns on forest fire and prevention of deforestation should be encouraged in Mizoram.

Source: MorungExpress.com Newmai News Network

The Minister will deliver a talk on ‘Emerging business opportunities in Mizoram’ at the Conclave.

A meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni on the issues of border trade and Land Customs Station at Theghmukh and Demagiri and other relevant matters between the two sides is also scheduled.

Official sources stated that during his stay in Dhaka, Sailo will also call upon Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Commerce Minister Faruk Khan besides visiting various trading centres and Chittagong Port.

Source: Assam Tribune/Newmai News.

(Photo, Picture, Pic - Helicopter services, Mizoram. Pawan Hans Dauphin helicopters will be used in Mizoram. Photo courtesy: Samaw.com)

‘Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla held a meeting last week with the top official of state-owned helicopter services company Pawan Hans. Another meeting between officials of the state government and Pawan Hans would be held to finalise the details of the chopper services,’ a senior Mizoram transport department official told IANS.

Read more from Sulekha news

(ACHR publication on Mizoram Brus or Reangs)

In this fact finding report, ACHR urges Union Government of India to provide the Bru IDPs the same facilities it provides to the Kashmiri Pandits as well as the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and the Sri Lankan Tamil displaced persons.

Read the findings at www.achrweb.org/ (PDF file)

The Cabinet meeting held today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr. Lal Thanhawla also approved Mizoram State Cooperative Service Amendment Rules 2009 and the Mizoram State Government Employees Proficiency Apprisal Report Rule 2010.

Decision could not be made on four more agenda items listed for today’s Cabinet meeting and these are creation of Pualreng Widlife Sanctuary, revision of pay of teachers and the equivalent cadre in the University and Colleges on the recommendation of the 6th Central Pay Commission, amendment of operational guideline of selected Centrally Sponsor Scheme proposed for adoption under NLUP and lifting of ban on Leave Travel Concession for the employees of Mizoram Government.

On completion of 10 months long basic training, 18 Assistant Sub Inspector of Police had passing out parade in PTC Lungverh today.

Addressing the new Police officers, the DGP, Mr. Lalrokhuma Pachuau underlined the need for honesty and dedication in the service of the Police. He also asked them to discharge their duties to remember that the job of the Police is not easy.

The Chief Guest also gave away prizes to the 3 cadets who performed well in various competitions during their training period.

Source: Zonet Today.