AIZAWL: In order to heal relations with the local community, which have been strained of late, a formal apology has been issued to the VCP of Zokhawthar in Mizoram's Champhai district by the CNF. The incident that drew public ire was when two teenage boys were abducted and ill-treated by militants from the CDF Hualngoram faction earlier this month.
The Vice Chairman of the CNF, in a letter addressed to Zokhawthar's VCP, Dr. Sui Khar expressed profound regret over the action of the CDF militants. "We are shocked about the incident recently in which two locals were detained and ill-treated at the hands of CDF Hualngoram members. The blame is all on their side," Dr Khar wrote, attributing responsibility of delayed release of the boys to the CNF in whose interest the affair seemed to have happened and will not now let be repeated.
The tragic incident happened on September 1, 2024, when five boys of Zokhawthar went on an excursion to Rih Dil Lake, a calm and favored spot near the India-Myanmar border. That outing turned out to be horrible because the group was intercepted by militants from CDF Hualngoram due to a prior unresolved dispute. While three boys managed to escape, two were kidnapped and kept hostage for six frightful days, among whom treatment was vicious, including torture.
The abduction elicited outrage in Zokhawthar and beyond, where residents said the Mizoram community had always opened their doors to give shelter and protection to the Chin people during times of conflict. The boys were finally released on September 6, 2024 after intensive negotiations supported by the Assam Rifles and the Chin National Army which consequently urges the CNF for peace and reconciliation.
Dr. Khar's letter of apology concluded on a highly emotional note-a plea for forgiveness with a firm commitment to rebuilding the trust that had been frayed by the incident. He fully acknowledged the increasingly important relationship between the Chin people and Mizoram, one based on mutual respect and a shared history.
As the dust begins to settle, the CNF hopes that its swift apology and promises of reform will heal the rift with Zokhawthar's community, many of whom remain watchful that such violent confrontations remain in the past.
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