Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Friday said his government is set to sign a peace deal with a faction of Hmar militants, aiming to restore peace in the state’s Hmar-inhabited areas.
Speaking at the general assembly of the Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) and the Sikpui Ruoi festival in Kolasib district, Lalduhoma said negotiations are underway with the Lalhmingthanga Sanate-led faction of the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D) to facilitate the return of its cadres to the mainstream.
“We are hopeful that we can soon sign an agreement to restore peace in Mizoram, particularly in Hmar-dominated areas,” he said.
The HPC(D), formed after the split of the erstwhile Hmar People’s Convention (HPC), had long demanded a Sixth Schedule autonomous district council by carving out Hmar-majority villages in northeastern Mizoram near the Manipur border.
A separate faction of the group, led by H Zosangabera, signed a peace accord with the state government in April 2018, paving the way for the formation of the Sinlung Hills Council (SHC). However, the Sanate faction—based largely in Assam’s Cachar district—remains active and has been linked to multiple cases of extortion and other crimes in Mizoram, police said.
Lalduhoma urged the Hmar community, which he described as one of the major tribes within the Mizo fold, to continue playing a leading role in fostering unity among diverse groups. He also praised the HSA as one of the oldest student bodies among the Mizo tribes for its service in education, cultural preservation and social development.
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The chief minister reiterated his government’s focus on supporting farmers, noting that procurement of key cash crops would continue under the state’s flagship ‘Bana Kaih’ initiative. He added that the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government had filled several vacant posts and created new jobs over the past two years.
Lalduhoma attended the programme along with Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama and Revenue Minister B Lalchhanzova.
