THE DAY OUR JERUSALEM BURNED!!-Dr. J.V.Hluna

The World Trade Centre bombing by the Al Qaeda in 2001 wasone of the worst tragedies in recent times. But however harsh therealities of September 11 were, we could still say the 'percent' of theloss was not enough to handicap a great nation like the US, nor was itenough to kill the beauty and glory of New York City. NYC still remainsthe hub of the world's business, the headquarters of the UNO and theUnited States continues to hold out the 'Great American Dream' to allwho dare. It is this great nation that yearly holds a touchingcommemoration to the WTC bombing in sanctified ground now called'Ground Zero' while the world watches with deep sympathy.In Taiwan, the memory of February 28, 1947 has given them theNational Unity Day. It was the day when Chiang-Kai-Shek'sKuamingtang soldiers shot down 25,000 civilians and though it used tobe the day people remembered the Taiwanese-Chinese enmities, it isnow observed yearly as a day for unity among the people. The Japanese have made World Peace Day an internationalevent. On August 6, people remember the bombing of World War II andspread messages of peace the world over. Even here in Aizawl, the YMCA observes this event and holds Prayer meetings every year. In Japan, people honour survivors of that fateful day and pay tribute tomartyrs- to those whose lives were lost. They flock in groves to theMartyr cemetery, pay floral tributes and it becomes a day to instill inyoung hearts, feelings of patriotism and sense of pride in the country. The world has also learnt to see it the Japanese way and Governmentshave pledged to fight against atom/nuclear bombs on this day...theyhave even managed to get the great United States Government toapologise to them!! From that terrible bombing, Japan has never had amilitary might to compete with but since self-government in 1952, they

have driven themselves to prove that victory over the world does notrest in the might of arms and military alone and have insteadovertaken everyone else in ‘Economic/Electronic might'.And us- we who were living in an Excluded Area, one smalldistrict in the state of Assam never had the strength to fight back theauthority. But those holding the helms were oppressive, hemming usinto a corner with no escape, with no inroads from outside, nodevelopments, dirty and primitive, no better than showpieces andentertainment on display for the more ‘civilised’ world. This was acondition unacceptable to the few who were educated and widerexperienced than the rest- leading to the birth of a group wishing tofight for independence (MNF).'Leave us and let us now rule ourselves'was the cry they threw at the oppressive authority, the next step wasto pick up arms for the cause of freedom. They never had any intentionof harming those outside Mizoram, nor had they the idea of disruptingthe Indian Government. Their arms, though, were pointed towardsthose representing the oppressive government in the state. Thesearms were small and few in numbers. The entire Mizo population at thetime was only roughly around 1,50,000- those with arms were a smallgroup out of that, those too without any sophisticated technology nortraining in the techniques of warfare.Can one forget then, how the great and powerful IndianGovernment- a terror to Pakistan and a threat to China-on March 5,1966 used Jet Fighters, something they had never done against Chinaand Pakistan, to bomb our very own Jerusalem, our beloved Aizawl?Our Jerusalem, the only town of note in all the Mizo hills burned thatday, burned to ashes and her people had no choice but to run from herto safety. The majority of the population fled to the villages while a fewwho were able fled to Shillong, Haflong, Manipur and some even toBurma. Like the Israel slaves at Babylon who yearned for home, therewere some who stubbornly stayed on but these were oppressed,

tortured. Night curfews were declared, the Indian soldiers opened'checks' on their houses at their whims and fancies, picked up and tookas their own from these houses. Those they felt were showingresistance were sent off to Karimganj Jail, Shillong and Gauhati Jails-some of the lucky ones got to be sent to Nowgong Special Jail. Theywere horded like cattle in the army Shaktimans and were taken overdifficult and rocky roads without a care for their comfort- without foodor water and were often physically abused even on the journeys. If aNaik wanted to relieve himself, they would stop for ages on the road-sometimes it even turned out that these stops were made when thesoldiers found women to rape on the way!! But no one cared that theprisoners shoved in these vehicles also had very natural human needsas well. Aizawl, of whom Pu Rokunga had sung, “

O Zawlkhawpui, theland of my birth, I cannot let you be defeated/Your glory must not fade”

was on that day in abandoned ruins! There was no YMA, theGeneral Headquarters of the MZP was shifted to Shillong. “

Remember,O Lord, what has happened to us;/ look and see our disgrace,/Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, our homes to foreigners./ We have become orphans and fatherless, our mothers like widows…Those who pursue us are at our heels;/ we are weary and find no rest.”

(Lamentations 5:1-5) became the cry of those who chose to stay. There were no lawyers then among us, no human rights activists.Governed by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and theAssam Disturbed Areas Act, 1955, the politicians were as good asgagged. Communication like Telephone, Television and the Internet hadnot even entered the people's imagination. At Chanmari was PuA.Thanglura's house called 'Romei' which was used as a TelegraphOffice from where short messages could be dispatched. There was noone to hear the frustrated cries of our people- the only ones withinhearing distance were the oppressive forces of the army- those whoseonly reason for being there was to carry out the then Union Home