Sawlakia.com

It always makes a good read when two religions are pitted against each other. That is what some organisations and bloggers are doing, fueled by the latest arson and violence against Reangs/Brus of Mizoram in Northeast India; after a Mizo youth was allegedly killed by Bru militants.

Brus – the name and their aspirations:

Reangs of Mizoram who wanted to identify themselves as Brus, though Mizos called them Tuikuk, have been a thorn in the flesh of Mizoram government. They are the second largest tribe in Tripura after Debberma (Kokborok speaking people) – the original inhabitant and native of Tripura. They belong to Tibeto-Burman group of people and their appearance is Mongoloid (Asian) like most typical Tibeto-Burman people.

Over 35,000 Reang (locally called Bru) tribal refugees have been living in six north Tripura camps since 1997 after they fled Mizoram following ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos. In Mizoram, they live in no proper demarcated area to claim as Bruland or Reangland. They are mostly found in two districts of Mamit and Kolasib, before they fled to Tripura border after the surge of Bru militancy in the area. The two districts are adjacent to North Tripura district and the southernmost part of Assam.

They have been demanding an autonomous government for themselves where they are more populated. Lately, they have specifically asked for Autonomous District Council (ADC) which are already accorded to Chakma, Lai and Mara ethnic groups in southern part of Mizoram. The difficulty in conceding to their demand is clearly about the area allocation. Chakmas, Lais and Maras live in a clearly contiguous  area, which makes sense for the administration of their people. In fact, those Chakmas, Lais and Maras who live outside the contiguous area have not been administered by the district councils too.

Though Brus live mostly in the two districts they live in scattered villages of Mizos. The land they may claim as their own are all disputed by the Mizos, since they all live together. If they are given the autonomy covering certain villages, it will create enormous problem for other Mizo people living in the area. This is common man’s understanding of the problem. Beyond this is for politicians and other forces to discuss and settle the matter.

Not only Brus, Hmars and Paites in northeastern part of Mizoram are also demanding the same thing. Their problems are not too different either.

The latest incident:

Last month, an enraged mob set fire over 400 houses (more like huts) after a little known militant outfit- Bru National Army (BNA) shot dead an 18-year-old Mizo youth at Bungthuam village, near the Tripura border. Over 5000 Brus fled to Tripura for fear of further backlash.

The general populace in Mizoram have strongly condemned the murder of an innocent youth and have equally chided at the violence against the Brus. Most comments in popular Mizo websites like Misual.com, Lawrkhaw.com, etc have been negative too. And the state government has also condemned the violence and ordered a shoot-at-sight for quite sometime.

The situation is now under control and Mizoram Home Minister was quoted by PTI as saying that No Autonomous District Council will be given to the Brus.

Hinduism and Christianity among Brus:
Brus are more like animists, their religion is an indigenous one; Hinduism and Christianity are relatively new to Brus. However, whenever any violence is met out at the Brus due to the handiwork of the militants, some organisations have defended them on the ground of them being Hindus. As there are as many as Bru Hindus, so are Bru Christians. If violence is met out against their community, not only Bru Hindus suffer but also Bru Christians.

Therefore, to give a religious angle to this conflict and to say that this is a religious-centric problem is nothing but to sow the seed of hatred among the two religious communities.

Blogger Rajeev blogged the related news as Christian dealth cult stalks Reang tribals of Mizoram and quoted the posts made by Assam Sentinel and The Organiser, the mouth-piece of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Riangs, like Kashmiri Hindus, have been hounded out of Mizoram, a Christian majority state, for refusing to convert to christianism superstitious belief and escape mainly Christian missionary-backed atrocities. In 1997, ethnic cleansing of Reangs, 45,000 were forced (Organizer) into Tripura by Christian terrorists. In this year 2009, the Christian fanatics have again forced 5,000 Reangs to flee to neighbouring Tripura. Source: Organiser.

What is disappointing is that the latest incident has nothing to do with religion.  Brus are not 100 percent Hindus either. Let’s repeat, as there are as many as Bru Hindus, so are many Bru Christians.  If Brus suffered as a community, both Hindus and Christians suffer together.

One must know the ground reality in order to write something like this from the comfort of one’s air-conditioned room.  This is something very sensitive; and one must not put at risk the lives of thousands of people by a stroke of pen. Let us be careful. If we want peace, we need to know the truth.

Note: The editorial contributor is from South Mizoram.