Aizawl 1966 - How a Bamboo flowering phenomenon created militancy and the only time IAF bombed Indian territory

March 5th, 1966, Aizawl  - The only time in Indian history when the Indian Air Force bombed its own territory. 

I have always stressed on how climate and nature can have a direct impact on a region's politics and human conflicts. One of the best examples from history is the Mizo revolt of 1966 and the corresponding bombing of the city of Aizawl by the Indian Air force. What is interesting is that these events appear to have started with a Bamboo flowering phenomenon called 'Mautam' in 1958.

The state of Mizoram in India's far north east, with it's capital Aizawl is today considered one of India's most literate and scenic states. Named after the 'Land of the Mizos', the state is a frontier territory bordering Burma and Bangladesh. While Mizoram today is an island of peace in an otherwise militancy hotbed of North East, the situation was very different 50 years back when the Mizo independence movement started. Back then Mizoram was part of the Assam state and Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan.

Now let me talk of the bamboo flowering and how all this adds up. Mizoram has 30% of its area covered by Bamboo forests. The bamboo plant flowers every 48 years, all at the same time with a sudden explosion of bamboo flowers across the whole area. This event is known as 'Mautam' and with it comes a sudden boom in the rat population. Considered one of nature's unique ecological control mechanism, the flowering triggers an acceleration in the fertility of rats, who then eat up the abundant bamboo seeds shed as part of the flowering mechanism. This abundance of rodents also causes immense damage to the local agriculture and rice cultivation. 

Bamboo Flowering

In 1958, this phenomenon of Mautam occurred in Mizoram. The lack of the Assam state government machinery to deal with the rodent population resulted in a massive famine across the Mizo region. Mizoram was then part of the state of Assam and the famine affected people in all areas of the what are current day state of Mizoram. During the famine, a former Indian Army soldier who was an employee of the Assam state government, P. Laldenga joined the Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) to provide relief to far flung areas of the region. 

P. Laldenga

Soon the MNFF, with external help turned political and changed its name to the Mizoram National Front (MNF). The organization turned into an armed party and its cadres started to attack the government machinery around the city of Aizawl. The initial raids were on local police and Border security force posts to loot weapons. MNF also got help from East Pakistan through weapons, ammunition and money. 

In late Feb and early March of 1966, the MNF cadres overran the Armoury, Treasury and government headquarters at Aizawl. All form of government of India presence ceased in Aizawl except for the presence of a garrison of Assam Rifle troops in the city. Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force under the operational command of the Indian Army and is primarily sourced and stationed in the north east.

MNF Fighters in 1968

The troops of Assam rifles then radioed their HQ for backup and the Indian Air Force (IAF) was roped in to drop additional troops and supplies to the besieged garrison. The attempt of IAF helicopters to drop supplies failed due to accurate gunfire of MNF snipers. It was at this point that the Indian government in Delhi evaluated the crisis and the extreme steps needed.

1. The declaration of independence by Laldenga further escalated the criticality of the situation and the prospect of losing Mizoram.
2. Loss of Aizawl and surrounding areas also isolated Tripura as the communication and supply lines passing through Mizoram were cut.

The terrain of the region made it difficult to transport troops to Aizawl in time and its then that the government under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the green light to IAF to carry bombardment of MNF positions in Aizawl. On March 5-6th 1966, IAF Hunter and Toofani fighter jets conducted strafing fire using heavy machine guns on MNF positions. This was followed by incendiary bombs on MNF positions. 

Hunter Aircraft of the IAF in 1966

The Indian Army soon marched into the city of Aizawl. The MNF, devastated by intense IAF bombing and under pressure from the Indian Army, soon melted into the hills surrounding Aizawl. 

While the threat to Aizawl was cleared, the MNF would continue with militant activities for the next 20 years, untill 1986 when the Mizo peace accord was signed and Laldenga surrendered and became the first chief minister of the newly created state of Mizoram. The action of IAF to this date remains the only instance when they had to undertake the bombing of Indian territory to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the country. To think that all this started with the Bamboo flowering is rather intriguing. 

On another note - The surrender of MNF in 1986 is said to be due to efforts of the current National Security Adviser (NSA) and former Intelligence Bureau chief Ajit Doval. It was Doval, then a agent of IB who infiltrated Laldenga's camp in Burmese territory pretending to be a Chinese agent. He convinced 6 out of Laldenga's 7 commanders to surrender to Indian government. After this Laldenga had no choice but to himself surrender and sign the peace accord, something that has assured peace in Mizoram for more than 30 years now.

- Suyash Nigam

Image sources:

https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/54cbf78ffde9250a6c40641e/master/w_690,c_limit/image.jpg

http://media2.intoday.in/indiatoday/images/stories//1980July/killings-with-a-message-2_011714031642.jpg

http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2014/04/07/new-book-describes-crimes-against-civilians-during-mizo-uprising/

https://thenortheasttoday.com/the-forgotten-secret-1966-airstrikes-in-aizawl-by-the-indian-air-force/