REPUBLIC VENG JAC LEH DAN

"Republic Veng Joint Action Committee chuan Pu Sangliansiama te chhungkua that mangtu Laltlanchhuaha chu khaihlum ni ngei rawh se an ti. Laltlanchhuaha hi Republic veng khua leh tui nihna an hlip a, a thiin emaw a damin emaw Republic veng leilungah a lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo an ti" tiin Dingdi chanchinbu editor Pu Lalhmachhuana Tochhawng chuan Dingdi facebook group ah a ziak a. Republic Veng hruaituten Pu Siama te chhungkua chunga chhiatna rapthlak tak thleng chungchang an ngaihtuah khan an rilru tur chu kan hriatthiampui theuh awm e. Kan khawtlanga thil duhawmloh tak tak lo thleng ta te hi engtia hmachhawn tur nge tih uluk deuhva kan ngaihtuah a pawimawh hle, a bikin dan mit atanga kan thlir thiam a pawimawh zual awm e.

Mizote kan behna ram India dan hian Republic Veng JAC ten tualthattu hrem an duh dan ang capital punishment hi misual hremnan a phal a. India Penal Code (IPC) Section 302 ah hetiang hian ziaka dah a ni:

"Punishment for murder.—Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or 1[imprisonment for life], and shall also be liable to fine."

Amaherawhchu, he tualthattute hremna dan hi hman mai mai loh tur tiin Supreme Court chuan 2008 khan a rel a. Tualthahna thleng zen zen lo (“rarest of rare”) ah capital punishment hmang hian tualthatte hrem theih an nih thu a sawi a ni.

Chu'ng "rarest of rare" case thenkhat te chu han tarlang ta ila:

1) Low-caste mi emaw religious minority mite thah an nih a, khawtlang thinrimna lian tak a chhuah in.

2) Inneihna man (dowry) thuhlaa a hmeichhia thah a nihin.

3) Mi pakhat mai nilo thah an nihin. Entirnan, chhungkaw khata mi te a thah an nihin.

4) Nupui dang neih duh vanga mahni nupui thahin.

5) Naupang (child) thah a nihin.

6) Hmeichhe tanpuitu neilo, mahni invenghim zo lo ("helpless woman”) thah a nihin.

7) Kum lama upa emaw rualbanlo thah an nihin.

8) Inhmelhriat thain a mihriat that tak chu a thahin.

9) Mipui rawngbawlnaa inhmang mipuiin an ngainat politics thil avanga thah a nihin.

He’ng bakah hian India ram laka indona puangtute hi capital punishment hmanga hrem theih an ni a. Mumbai-a Taj Hotel beitute zinga mi Pakistan terrorist Ajmal Kasab kha India ram dotu/beitua puh niin 2012 khan khaihlum a ni.

Chulo lehah chuan, evidence diklo pek avanga thiamlohna neilo thiamloh chantira tihhlum a nihin evidence diklo petu chu khaihlum theih a ni bawk.

Pi Zokhumi thattu pawh hi Supreme Court in capital punishment hmanga hrem theih a tih zingah a tel ngeiin a lang.

Pu Siama te chhungkaw thattu phei chu IPC Sec 302 hmanga hrem a nihlohna chhan tur hi a ukil ten an sawithiam a ngai khawp ang.

Roreltu hriathlawh Pu KL Liana pawhin January 10 khan he tualthahna chungchangah heti hian a facebook status a ziak a:

“...Nizanah Republic lamah Zoram khawvel thil thlenga rapthlak ber pawl thawm kan han hre zui leh nghal a, thinlung hi a ngui nghuai mai zawng a nih hi. Hetiang ema mi nunrawng leh mi nunna engahmah ngai lotute hi chung lam leh danin an phu tawk hremna a la pe ngei ang, kei chuan khatianga chhung khat thah mang pawh pawi ti lotute kha chu dan anga khaihlum an phu hian ka hria, Kristian ram intia thil thlengah chuan a van rapthlakin a van zahthlak ve aw.”

A tukah heti hian a ziak leh bawk:

“Republic Veng thil thlengah mitthite Zoram mipuiin kan khawngaih a, kan lainat a, kan tuarpui a, hrehawm kan ti, rapthlak kan ti em em a, khatiang thil kha thleng leh tawh lo se kan duh. Chutihrual chuan a thattu kha kan dem a, ka hre sual a nih loh chuan a pa phei chuan keiman ka sat hlum nghal dawn tiin a fapa kha sah hlum a tum a, mahse an dangbet ni awm tak a ni, a nu leh pa, chhungte tan pawh a hrehawmin a zahthlak ngei ang tih pawh hriatthiampui an ngai ve tho mai. Danin tualthattu chungah ro a la rel ngei ang, kan Police fel tak tak leh thiam takte hian finfiahna tha tak nen case an siamsak ang a, keini mipuite chu kan police-te chungah rinna nghat ila, a tibahlah tur zawngin tumah i khawsa lo hram ang u aw”

Tualthattute hremna dan lam chu a chiang turah lo dah ta ila, Pu Parzuala te rilru tur pawh kan dawn thiam awm e. Republic Veng JAC te thinrimin thuchhuah an siam hnuhnung lam erawh hi chu dan mit atanga thlirin ngaihtuah nawn leh ngai thil niin a lang. India ram danpui Constitution Article 19-na hian India ram khua leh tuite dikna chanvo heti hian a sawi a:

1. All citizens shall have the right
(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;
(e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and
5. Nothing in sub clauses (d) and (e) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub clauses either in the interests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe.

India khua leh tui te hi, misual dan bawhchhia nasa leh pawi la khawih miah lo thliar hrang lovin, India ram chhung khawi lai pawha kan zinkual leh in leh lo din thei tura dikna chanvo nei kan nih thu a ni ber mai.

Republic Veng JAC ten Pu Siama thattua puh hi an veng "khua leh tui nihna an hlip" tih an puang a. "Thiin emaw a damin emaw Republic veng leilungah a lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo" an ti bawk a. An rilru kan hriatthiampui lain zawhna awm ta chu:

1) Republic Veng JAC hian India ram khua leh tui nilai hi an veng chhung "khua leh tui" nihna hlip turin thuneihna an nei em? Kum 50 lungin tang ta se, putar chaklo tak niin a venghluiah let tumin ruahmanna siam ta se “lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo” tia thuchhuah hi dan hmaah a tling (valid) angem? Dan rorelna nge kan duh tak tak zawk an sawi thin 'mob rule'?

2) Court in Pu Siamate chhungkaw thattu hi thiamloh chantirin IPC Sec 302 hmangin hrem ta se, a chhungten a ruang zalhnan Republic Veng thlanmual beisei thei lo tura thuchhuah siam hi danin a phal em?

He’ng zawhna te hi Republic Veng JAC te leh mipuite rilru dawnpui loh lam nilovin kan khawtlangah hian remna leh muanna nena kan khawsak zel theihnan leh dan kan dah pawimawh a tulzia kan hriatnawn theihnan kan inzawt ni ta se, khawtlang hruaitu te pawhin dan pela che te kan huat ang bawkin dan pela chet hi a diklo a ni tih an pawm a, dan chhunga khawsak tlan kan zir theihnan a tihhmuhtu an nih zawk a pawimawh hle a ni.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY, HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

227 years ago today, the flag of Great Britain was raised by Governor Arthur Phillip at Port Jackson, New South Wales, effectively claiming the land for the British Crown. Today, January 26th is observed as Australia Day and it is a public holiday.

I don't know if you know the other side of the story but many of the natives of what is now Australia regard January 26 as a day when they were invaded by the British. Some even call it "Invasion Day".

We all know that January 26 is also a significant day for India. 66 years ago today, the Indian nation established itself as a new country by signing the world's longest constitution with 117,369 words. India was ruled by the British for two centuries and had grown weary of their dominion by the middle of the 20th century. India won its independence through peaceful means under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi on 15th August 1947. On 26th January 1950, it declared itself a sovereign republic.

I come from a culture that's foreign to the dominant culture of both Australia and India. In India, I am a minority. My people account for about 1% or less. In Australia, I can almost count with my fingers people I knew from India.

When I think about how some indigenous Australians resent the idea of celebrating what they view as a dark day for their nation, I wonder if they pause to think of the good that has come through the British "invaders". My people - the Mizo people - were sovereign prior to 1872. The British came, subdued the chiefs and incorporated us into the then British-India. We lost our sovereignty but we gained access to the outside world which, in my opinion, opened more avenues for the pursuit of happiness. The most important of all was the sacrifice of non-government people from the UK with a zeal to share true happiness found in Jesus.

Nationalists often highlight the negative impact of the British government's ventures in India. And I believe indigenous Australians wrestle with the popular narrative in Australia too. There's no denying that natives of both countries suffered loss as a result of the British entering their lands but equally undeniable is the fact that through the "invaders" we are able to celebrate and enjoy life at a level some countries will not achieve in a hundred years. Yes, I mean a hundred years!

Today, India is considered a thriving democracy participating in the activities of the international community largely because the founding fathers believed in the values of western liberal democratic system. If you don't believe me, just check out our neighbour - Pakistan. Today, the world saw the warm embrace of the world's oldest and largest democracies when US President Obama and Indian PM Modi shared the stage in New Delhi.

Australia is one of the most successful nations in the world with a high standard of living at par with most developed countries. Perhaps, that is why 16000 foreigners chose to become Australian citizens today. The majority of them are from the UK. Guess who came next? Of course, Indians. So...there you go! Former US President Ronald Reagan said America was the "shining city upon a hill". Australia would be the shining city down under.

Life in this world is always about my right being trampled upon by someone else. But if you look at the bigger picture, especially in Australia and in India, why would you not appreciate and embrace a system that allows you to reach your potential? For the cricket-loving Indian, the oppressor's sport has become his most beloved gift. My history professor Hasan Yusuf of St.Edmund's College, Shillong often said to us, "If President Clinton was asked to govern India, he would not do it!". True, not even the leader of the US would be able to run our country. Yet, for the last 66 years, despite the tragedies that have visited India, we have managed to govern ourself with great success. One can only give credit to the daring and hopeful spirit of the people of India whose desire to secure their future have propelled the country way forward.

Happy Republic Day. Happy Australia day!

MAKING DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

Today, the 11th January 2015, marks the 121st anniversary of the arrival of Rev.James Herbert Lorrain and Rev.Frederick William Savidge in Mizoram to devote their life as missionaries to the unreached Mizo people a.ka. Lushais.

Three years before the arrival of the two pioneer missionaries to these head-hunting Mizo people, a Welsh missionary by the name of Rev.William Williams had the privilege of becoming the first missionary to set foot in the Lushai hills. According to Carol MacNeill, BMS missionary in Zaire, due to unsettled conditions, Rev.Williams was only able to remain in Mizoram for about a month.

Lorrain and Savidge first entered Mizoram as missionaries of the Arthington Aborigines Mission but later joined the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS) and devoted all their effort to disiple the people of Mizoram who were living in darkness. The BMS mission in Mizoram was concentrated in the south while the northern hills were taken up by missionaries of the Welsh Presbyterian Mission. Prior to the advent of the missionaries, the Mizo people had no alphabet, hence no written language. Today, virtually the entire Mizo peoples have been evangelised and Mizoram boasts a high percentage of literacy – 91.33%

The Mizo people were nomadic warring tribes headed by sovereign village chiefs. They inhabited what the British government termed the Lushai Hills. The British-India government’s expansion toward the east often resulted in clashes with the Lushai tribes on whose hunting grounds the foreigners encroached. On the 27th January 1871, a history-changing event took place in Alexandrapur that would forever change the destiny of the Mizo people.

A Scottish tea garden manager by the name of James Winchester was killed in a raid by the men of Sailam village chief Bengkhuaia and Mr.Winchester’s five-year old daughter Mary Winchester was taken captive into the unknown hills.

According to Carol MacNeill, “[Mary] had settled down to a happy Lushai childhood! She had been given into the care of a kindly village couple whom she came to love and it was not long before she was speaking the language, learning to weave...Little Mary Winchester had no idea of the extent to which public interest within Britain had been aroused by her capture, nor that three army units had been mobilised to rescue her. When at last the army reached her, early in 1872, sadly destroying villages and killing many people on the way, it was the great difficulty that they persuaded her to leave her ‘granny’ and accept her ‘freedom’ ...

The military expedition to rescue Mary Winchester began to open up the Lushai hills to the outside world. With the eventual imposition of British rule in 1893, came the peaceful conditions which enabled Christian missionaries to work in the Lushai hills. Many years later in a letter to pastor Vanchhunga, the grandson of her ‘dear granny’, Mary wrote, “My father’s blood was the price paid for you Lushai Christians.”

An interesting account of the incident and aftermath written by Mary Winchester in her old age can be read here.http://www.mizostory.org/mizostory/Mizo_Story_1.html

At Mortdale-Oatley Baptist Church www.mobc.org.au, we have adopted the Great Commission given by Jesus found in the Gospel according to Matthew 29:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." as this year's motto recognising that we Christians need to shine the light of God's Word beyond our mono-cultural boundaries.

May we, like those men and women of faith and courage, take Matthew 28:19 to heart and be part of the great privilege of making "disciples of all nations"!

TAWLHLOH PUAN AND LUKE 9:62

In their book "Indian Textile - Past and Present", GK Ghosh and Shukla Ghosh wrote: "Tawlhloh-Puan is another beautiful puan used by the Mizos. Tawlhloh in Mizo language means to stand firm, not to change position and/or not to move backward. Tawlhloh-Puan was thus indicative of 'never turning back' attitude of a warrior who would put it on. It was indeed a cloth which could not be put on except by a very courageous warrior who had established for himself a reputation for bravery."

There may not be a clear record of the last Mizo warrior worthy of wearing this cloth prior to the advent of the Gospel in the late 1800's but in modern history, the one person that stands qualified would be former Chief Minister of Mizoram, Brig.Thenphunga Sailo.

Brig.T.Sailo, as he is also known, is a hero in the truest sense of the term. His pre-political career was even more adventurous. If you haven't read his autobiography - A Soldiers' Story - I'd recommend you read it. It gives great insight into his life as a soldier and also gives a reflection of what a village boy could achieve against all odds. If you love to read war stories, this one's a real war story told by someone who was at the forefront.

In the ninth chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, we read about a man who said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go”. Jesus gave him an unexpected reply - “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

When he said to another man, “Follow me,” the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus gave an even more unexpected reply to this man: “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Finally another person said to Him, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” And then Jesus gave this profound reply: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Jesus emphasised the fact that the work of the Kingdom of God required an unwavering commitment, a total dedication. In fact, a total denial of one's own life.

I had the great privilege and opportunity to be part of the buiding of the Kingdom of God in China for two years during 2005 - 2007. I must admit, when I started I was a total novice. The only thing I understood about missionary work was lifelong service for the Kingdom of God. And so I went to the Communist country with that mindset through the partnership of the Baptist Church of Mizoram and Global Interaction (formerly known as the Australian Baptist Missionary Society). Although I had no plan to go back, I had no clear plan for the future either. Little did I know that continuing to serve would require a whole lot more. As it was a non-permanent mission program, my tenure ended after two years.

Before I left Mizoram, at one of the farewell services, Kanan Baptist Church youth leader Pu Lalthianghlima gave me this special and meaningful cloth as a reminder of what Jesus said in Luke 9:62.

Today, I am not involved in the mission field anymore but I certainly take this reminder seriously for it resembles both my cultural heritage and Jesus' strong exhortation.

As I begin this new year, I thought I'd use this cloth and this Bible verse to remind myself of the service I am called to render unto God and my fellow man. I don't know about you but as for me, I want to be found "fit for service in the kingdom of God" till I draw my dying breath.

I know that the world we live in is getting worse (I am not a pessimist but a realist) but the hope of glory in me gives me the strength to endure. If God is for us, who can be against us?