AIZAWL, March 20 - The Mizoram Government will sign a peace agreement with the Hmar People�s Convention-Democratic (HPC-D) in April, Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana informed the State Assembly today.
HPC (D) is a faction of the HPC which had signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Mizoram Government in 1994. Dissatisfied with the peace agreement, some leaders had formed the HPC (D), which later launched an armed struggle for Hmar autonomy in the north and north-eastern parts of Mizoram.
Now, the HPC (D) and the Mizoram Government have reached an agreement after talks.
�The Mizoram Government and HPC (D) will finally sign an agreement,� Lalzirliana said today. He did not mention the exact terms and conditions of the agreement and the date on which the peace accord would be signed. The accord is expected to bring lasting peace and address the demands of the Hmar tribes in Mizoram.
A few years back, the HPC (D) had split into two factions � one led by Zosangbera and the other presided over by Sanate. Sanate was arrested by Assam Police last month on murder charges.
It may be mentioned here that the parent organisation, the erstwhile Hmar People�s Convention (HPC), was formed in 1986 soon after the Mizo National Front led by Laldenga and the Indian Government signed the Mizo Accord. Some Hmar leaders felt that the Accord did not address the creation of a greater Mizoram comprising Hmar-inhabited areas in Mizoram, Assam and Manipur.
The HPC laid down arms in 1994 following a peace accord signed with the Mizoram Government to establish the Sinlung Hills Development Council. Dissatisfied with the accord, a section of the outfit took up arms again a year later and formed the HPC (D).
