Guwahati: April 15, 2026
The Mizoram government signed a Memorandum of Settlement on Tuesday with the Lalhmingthanga Sanate-led faction of the Hmar People’s Convention-Democratic, or HPC-D (LF), marking what officials described as the end of armed insurgency in the state. The agreement was formalized in a public ceremony at Sakawrdai, a move authorities said was intended to ensure transparency and wider community awareness compared to earlier pacts.
A senior official from the Home Department said the settlement lays out a comprehensive development roadmap specifically for the Hmar-dominated Sinlung Hills Council region, which spans parts of north and northeastern Mizoram. The plan commits to enhanced budgetary allocations for the council area, a special development package from the state, and targeted infrastructure upgrades aimed at addressing long-standing gaps in public services and amenities across the region.
Connectivity forms a central pillar of the agreement, with provisions for road and communication upgrades designed to better integrate remote villages in the Sinlung Hills with district headquarters and state-level markets. Officials indicated that improved access has been a persistent demand from residents, and the pact seeks to translate peace into tangible economic and social linkages for communities that have historically cited underdevelopment as a driver of unrest.
The Memorandum of Settlement was signed by Home Department Secretary David Lalthantluanga on behalf of the Mizoram government and by Lalhmingthanga Sanate, President of HPC-D (LF), representing the group. The signing was witnessed by MLA and Adviser to the Chief Minister (Political) Lalmuanpuia Punte, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Rodingliana Chawngthu, and other senior officials and community representatives who gathered for the event.
Addressing the gathering, Lalmuanpuia Punte said that unrest often takes root when development expectations remain unmet, and expressed optimism that the new agreement would deliver meaningful progress on the ground. He underscored the significance of conducting the signing publicly at Sakawrdai, noting that previous accords had limited public visibility and awareness. Punte also welcomed what he described as the end of factional divisions within the Hmar community in Mizoram.
Home Secretary David Lalthantluanga called the accord a milestone in Mizoram’s long journey toward peace and stability, placing it in the context of the state’s history of negotiated settlements. He recalled that the original Hmar People’s Convention was formed in 1986, followed by a peace agreement in 1994. A subsequent pact was signed in 2018 with HPC (D), a faction that had earlier broken away from the HPC, making Tuesday’s agreement with another breakaway group, HPC-D (LF), the latest in that sequence.
The senior IAS official expressed relief that, with this settlement, there are no longer any armed insurgent groups remaining active in Mizoram. He said the conclusion of talks with HPC-D (LF) effectively closes the chapter on organized armed militancy in the state, which has seen multiple phases of insurgency and peace processes since the 1980s. The Home Secretary framed the development as both a security achievement and a prerequisite for accelerated development in the hill areas.
As part of the implementation process, the Home Secretary announced that a peace camp will be established near Mauchar village to accommodate HPC-D (LF) cadres during the transition period. A formal “laying of arms” ceremony has been scheduled for April 30, 2026, to mark the group’s disarmament and reintegration. The camp is expected to facilitate verification, rehabilitation, and skill development measures for former cadres under the terms of the settlement.
With the agreement now in place, officials said attention will shift to delivering on the development commitments and ensuring that the peace dividend reaches villages under the Sinlung Hills Council. The government and HPC-D (LF) leadership both indicated that sustained cooperation, timely fund release, and monitoring of projects would be key to maintaining public confidence and preventing the re-emergence of grievances that fueled past conflicts.
Edited By: Elvish Haokip
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