Two Chin sub-tribes erected a pillar of reconciliation on 25 November to show that they have no hard feeling over wrongs committed over 100 years ago.
The Sukte sub-tribe group from Tidim Township in Chin State, Myanmar and the Champhai sub-tribe group from Mizoram State in India erected the pillar in Champhai District in Mizoram State.
The pillar was erected to reconcile the Laitui Villagers in Tidim Township and the Khuangleng villagers in Champhai District.
In 1871 the Sukte tribe from Laitui Village raided the village of Khuangleng while the men of Khuangleng were away fighting with Indian invaders on the bank of the River Tuirial.
The Sukte killed the remaining women villagers and burnt down their houses. During the attack Pu Zapauva, the Sukte Tribe Chief killed the wife and children of the Khuangleng Tribe Chief, Lal Thanhranga.
Laitui villagers believe that because of these wrongs committed by their ancestors Laitui Village and nearby villages have suffered from a higher number of accidental deaths than normal, an increased rate of death amongst youths, uneducated youths and many other social ills.
They even highlighted these problems on a Mizo Special Report page on Facebook.
Sukte tribal leaders met with Khuangleng Village leaders on 31st March 2015 to ask for forgiveness for their ancestors’ bad deeds against Khuangleng Village.
The Khuangleng Village leaders told them that they had already forgotten the incident, but they agreed to the Sukte leaders’ request to erect a pillar of reconciliation made by the Sukte tribes’ people in Khuangleng village.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
