In one of his better blog posts, “Welcoming 2010 with vision 2020,” [https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2010/01/chp-281-welcoming-2010-with-vision-2020.html] Kima aka Sandman wrote: “The ultimate dream for me is to see that by 2020, people from the North East are not only recognized as Indians, but treated as one.” By 2010, he wants everybody to know about our (Northeast) existence (in India). This was written in the context of the Indian subcontinent.

Let us now take the picture to Mizoram. The Duhlian dialect occupies much of the Mizo societal space so much so that all other dialects are pushed to the margins. In Mizoram, if you don’t speak the Duhlian dialect, you are considered a non-Mizo (or a fake-Mizo). If you speak Hmar, or Paite, you are being jeered at. This may be the reason why people belonging to the Hmar, Paite or Pawi tribes refuse to speak in their own dialects. This is a clear case of subjugation and assimilation. Why can’t a Hmar speak in Hmar “tawng” in the streets of Aizawl? Why can’t a Paite speak in Paite “pau” freely in the beautiful streets of the sprawling Aizawl city? Why can’t the Paites, Hmars, Pawis and others study their own literatures in schools, colleges and universities? Why can’t they have their own programmes in Aizawl AIR and Doordarshan?

Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance and promotion of multiple cultures, and the respect for diversity. Do you think Mizoram appreciates, accepts and promotes multiculturalism?

In order to resolve the problem flowing from the ‘doctrine of one national language’ in a multi-language state, the Government of India adopted the Three-Language-Formula (TLF) in August 1961. Apart from recognition of Hindi as the ‘national’ language, every state is given the option of adopting two other languages as ‘regional’ and ‘local’. In Mizoram, we have only one – ‘Mizo.’

Let me conclude by paraphrasing Kima’s lines: “I dream that in the next 10 years people of Hmar, Paite, Pawi and other tribes who live in Mizoram, are no longer jeered at when they speak their own dialects. By 2020, I want to see people from the Hmar, Paite, Pawi and other tribes becoming the Mizo Idol. I want to see our young children all over this great state, grow up in school learning as much as they can about the different Zo tribes. That is my dream. A new Zoram where children are armed with the powerful knowledge of all the Zo kindred tribes. After all, these children are our future and only hope. In 10 years, all this bigotry and hate and ignorance can be eradicated, and that is when my dream will finally come true. A Mizo/Zomi utopia. Vision 2020.”

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Pachuau ah pawh liannghawr kan nia, ka palian lo na in ka nghawr lian thei ania.

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“Mizoram, abikin Aizawl khawpui chhung han ngaihtuah ila.Hmar ni si Hmar tawng thiam lote,Paite ni si Paite tawng thiam lote,Pawi ni si pawi tawng thiam lote an van tam tak em! A then chuan an la zahpui zawk zaw mah a. Mahni tawng pawh thiamlo an ni hi a zahthlak zawk daih. ” ( Y)

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