17 yrs after accord, Mizo ex-rebels still await compensation

While Zoramthanga was the Finance Minister in the first MNF government (1986-88), Tawnliia was the Minister for Rehabilitation. ‘‘The accord had provided Rs 60,000 for each of us to settle down. But even after 17 years, we have got only Rs 40,000 each,’’ Lalunguana added.

Lalunguana, who was a clerk in the then underground MNF, said while he got Rs 20,000 within months of the accord, the other two parts of Rs 10,000 each came in 1988 and 1995.

‘‘We are yet to receive the remaining Rs 20,000, and this is despite the state government stating in the Assembly that the entire amount had been released,’’ Lalunguana alleged. PAMRA members have also decided to stage a 12-hour hunger strike on Monday, coinciding with the accord’s 17th anniversary. They would attempt to hoist black flags in front of the Raj Bhavan here.

Of the 572 underground rebels who surrendered, some like Zoramthanga joined politics and others were left languishing, said Lalunguana.

CM Zoramthanga, for whose MNF the issue might pose a threat in forthcoming Assembly elections, admits the compensation and ex-gratia payments were yet to be completed. ‘‘While the first MNF government did not last long, subsequent Congress governments delayed the matter. When we returned to power in 1998, we did submit a list of people deserving payments and released more funds from the Centre,’’ he said.

Other accord clauses like setting up a separate High Court for Mizoram are still pending. The Congress meanwhile is waiting to rake up the issue as elections draw close. Mizoram is going for elections in October, and sources in the state Congress unit said, ‘‘We will definitely make an issue of the grievances of the former rebels.’’