Tunkhopum Baite and His Chin Liberation Army In The 1960s

Written by Dr. H. Thangtungnung

Abstract:

Tunkhopum Baite was a nationalist leader from the Paite tribe in Manipur. He formed the Chin Liberation Army (CLA) in 1962 with the object of re-unifying the Chin tribes of India and Burma scattered by the Colonial boundary settlement. He earned the support of Pakistan after meeting with Ayub Khan, the President of Pakistan. This became a turning point in his political movement. Drawing volunteers from both India and Burma, the Indo-Burma border of Manipur and Mizoram became his area of operation. The CLA received training, arms and funding from Pakistan which eventually strengthened its secessionist movement. Its main demand was a sovereign statehood for the Chin tribes of India and Burma. The movement died down within a decade due to the activities of the Mizo National Front (MNF) under Laldenga. Conflict of interests between the two parallel organs must have been the main reason behind this. The present paper is an attempt to study the life and work of Tunkhopum Baite, a forgotten figure who fought for Chin re-unification. It is a historical study of the activities of the Chin Liberation Army (CLA). The study will examine the beginning and growth of this movement as well as its impacts among the Chins, now known as Zomi.

Introduction:

The Paites, Tedims, Zou, Simte and some other kindred tribes formally designated themselves as Chin. They occupy the Indo-Burma borderlands presently known as Manipur, Mizoram and Chin State of Myanmar. They demanded the re-unification of the Chin tribes after the 1950s. A memorandum in this regard, was submitted to the Indian Government on 30 May, 1960. When this petition failed to yield any result, Tunkhopum Baite started a armed movement against the Indian Union by forming Chin-Reunification- Chin Liberation Army. The movement which started in February 1962 collapsed within the same decade. The term, ‘Chin’ was also soon discarded by the people themselves as a designation. They instead, began to espouse the term, ‘Zomi’ to identify themselves. The Luseis adopted ‘Mizo’ as a generic term while the Thadous advocate ‘Kuki’. Such identities internally began to split the tribes who belonged to the same stock.


Tunkhopum Baite:

Tunkhopum Baite was born on 10 October 1929 at Singgial Village in Chin State, Burma. His family immigrated to Manipur the next year and settled at Hiangtam village and later on at Muallum village, both in Singngat sub-division, Churachandpur district of Manipur. They built a new village named Panglian in the same area not long after. He studied till eight standard at Mission Compound1 and completed his matriculation from Imphal. He was the leader of Hill Union while in his high schools and also leader of All Manipur Tribal League after completing his study. He became a prominent public leader with his involvement in the society and tribal politics. Since his school days, he built good relations with various tribal leaders and closely associated with a number of high dignitaries including Rishang Keishing and Yangmaso Shaiza, who later on became the chief ministers of Manipur. He was a renowned hill leader who could share the same dais with top dignitaries like the Prime Minister or Home Minister when they visited Manipur state.


The Chin-Kuki tribes of Manipur remained in good stead at those times but there also began to emerge formation of tribe based bodies among them. On this backdrop, Tunkhopum Baite also formed Baite National Covenant Council (BNCC). However, this was not his penchant. His dream was to unite the various Chin tribes who had the same origin. In order to fulfill this, he went from place to place visiting various places wherever his own people resided. He met various tribal leaders to chalk out plans for Chin re-unification. The outcome was the formation of Chin National Liberation Army (CNLA) as a militant body to fight for autonomous Chin state.


Chin Liberation Army:

Chin National Liberation Army (CNLA) was born on 23 December, 1962. It was commonly known as Chin Liberation Army (CLA). The masses simply knew it as Chin Army. Initially, it had only 21 cadres and the following leaders—


Tunkhopum Baite as President


Paobul Baite as Vice President


Paukhohau Khuptong as Personal Assistant (PA) to President & Incharge Medical.


Ngullet Baite as Home Secretary


Capt. Thosei Guite as Finance Secretary


Lt. Col. Son Kho Pau Suantak as Chief of Army Staff. He was in the British Burma Army and became Commanding Officer in Chin Rifles during the Second World War. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel later but left his position to join the Chin Army in 1964.2


Nengzathang Valte as Southern Commander & Incharge Chaplain


K. Vungzalian as Commander No. 1.


Hangkhokam took charge as Brigadier


Lamkhosiam as Major.


Major Sokho who was killed when Chin Army attacked Sugnu Police Station. He was the first cadre to lay down his life for his motherland.

Soon after its birth, the CLA started to draw national and international attention due to its armed activities. On 26 January, 1963 at 6:00 pm, CLA attacked Sugnu Police Station and hoisted the CLA flag. In the gun battle, both the CLA and the Police lost one cadre each. Simultaneously, the CLA attacked the Tengnoupal BDO office at Moreh and hoisted its flag there also. The next day on 27 January at around 2:30 am, a group of CLA attacked Singngat Police Station and killed one police man.3 They hoisted the CLA flag. It was also hoisted both at Thanlon and SDO Office in Churachandpur town. This news began to surprise the Indian government and quickly drew national and international attention. The Chin national movement had its beginning.


To seek foreign support, Tunkhopum Baite left for Rangoon during mid 1963. He met the Chinese Ambassador there. As things could not work well with the Chinese Embassy up to his expectation, he diverted his attention to the Pakistan Embassy. The Secretary in the Pakistani Embassy made necessary arrangements for his interview with the President of Pakistan. Tunkhopum was given a password and a letter for his visit to the President. This paved the way for his meeting with Ayub Khan, the Pakistani President at Rawalpindi. Tunkhopum submitted a memorandum to Gen. Ayub Khan during this meeting. The President, along with around eight high officials interviewed him. Ayub Khan drew out a press cutting from his table drawer and showed Tunkhopum. It was a copy of Calcutta based Amrita Bazar Patrika, which reported about the CLA activities at Sugnu and Singngat Police stations. He asked Tunkhopum to elaborate and lecture on about his activities at these two places. Tunkhopum explained well to his satisfaction. Ayub Khan agreed to assist him in his independent movement.

Tunkhopum was also informed that apart from giving training centre, Pakistan would provide necessary financial and material aids including arms and ammunition. Ayub Khan personally presented him a ‘Citizen’ watch and a ‘Rolex’ compass watch as a token of friendship. He gave ‘General’ title to Tunkhopum to recognize him as his equal. Thereafter, Tunkhopum was generally referred to as Gen. Tunkhopum Baite or Gen. Baite.

During his stay in Rawalpindi, Tunkhopum inadvertently met with Laldenga, who was seeking an interview with Ayub Khan but without a success. Laldenga could not convince Ayub Khan due to the main reason that he had no activity. Pakistan had also given training to the Naga militants and the same door had been opened to the CLA and therefore, Laldenga seemed to be the late comer. Pakistan was reluctant to offer assistance to a third party from the same quarter.


Relations with MNF:

On 1 January, 1964, the first batch of the CLA left for East Pakistan for military training. A total number of fifty cadres underwent five months training course.6 Gen. Tunkhopum Baite and Lt. Col. Son Kho Pau Suantak were among them. They successfully returned back with arms and cash. They arrived back their base camp at Teikhang, North Mizo Hills. Tunkhopum was soon engaged with mobilizing new recruits for second batch training. At the same time, Laldenga was busy searching him for an interview. He liked to seek his friendship and help so that some MNF cadres could also be trained in Pakistan. Both the two met at Aizawl and agreed to work together. The outcome was signing of the Saitual Agreement.7 Accordingly, both the two party agreed to co-operate and help each other. It was agreed upon that the base of the MNF should be Mizo Hills and that of the CLA would be Manipur. However, the CLA area of operation would include the Sialkal Range of North Mizo Hills where the Paites predominantly reside. The CLA was given free passes to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) through the Mizo Hills which they required. The CLA would in return, agree to take twenty five MNF volunteers for second batch training in East Pakistan. It was limited to such numbers as the total strength in a single batch training was only fifty numbers, and both the CLA and MNF would equally share to half of the total strength each. All the Mizo names selected for the purpose should be temporarily changed into a Chin-Paite name so as to avoid rejection from the Pakistani authority.

The second batch from the CLA left their base for training in East Pakistan on 7 January, 1966. They arrived at Aizawl on 11 January and met the MNF members. A closed door meeting was held by top leaders of both the parties on 15 January at the residence of Lalkholiana, MNF Finance Secretary.8 A list of cadres who would go for training from both the parties was also detailed. Gen. Tunkhopum was leaving for Rawalpindi for an appointment with Ayub Khan. He planned to take with him his Personal Assistant, Paukhohau Khuptong. However, Tunkhopum changed his arrangement at the eleventh hour. Instead of taking his Assistant with him, he took R. Halleluijah, an MNF leader. It was due to the request from the MNF that Tunkhopum suddenly changed his previous decision. However, it turned to be a fatal mistake. It later on caused his life which also led to the demise of his founded CLA in the hands of the MNF.

The second batch of fifty cadres from both the CLA and MNF arrived at Ruma Bazar in Rangamati District, Chittagong Hills. They were trained in a deep forest near the Barak river, south of Ruma Bazar.9 After a month and half training, the course had to be cut short due to the news reports from the Mizo Hills. The MNF had begun their activities in the Mizo Hills. On 1 February, 1966, Indian security posts at Aizawl, Lunglei, Champhai, Irabung and others were taken over by Mizo volunteers. The news shook the nation. The whole batch therefore, left their training centre for home on 10 March 1966. Gen. Tunkhopum also arrived back to his based camp in North Mizo Hills. Giving in-charge to his PA Paukhohau Khuptong, he soon left Mizo Hills to visit his family in Manipur and also to recruit for the third batch training. During his long absence, numerous discords arose between his party and the MNF which eventually turned into a bitter relationship.10

Last Days of Tunkhopum:

The MNF waylaid and captured Tunkhopum on his way back to his Teikhang camp in January 1967.11 It also attacked the CLA Baklui camp at Teikhang, Mizo Hills. The other CLA leaders were also captured one after another. Many over ground Paite leaders were also butchered. Suakdam, President of the Paite National Council (PNC), Sialkal Block was also picked out from his home and mercilessly murdered on 16 May, 1967.12 His other three executive members were also killed in a jhum field.13 Under these circumstances, many Paite left Mizo Hills during the MNF movement.

Tunkhopum was interned in a small cell at Tuichang camp, MNF Army Headquarter and shot dead at 7:00 am on 5 February, 1967.14 The true hero met a painful death, and with his death, the CLA was erased from the political scene. The stage was taken over by Laldenga and his MNF. Laldenga and Mizo Hills reaped the fruit of his politics, but the light grew dim for their kindred tribes of Manipur and Chin Hills. With his death, his dream also vanished. There was none from Manipur, Mizoram and Chin Hills to continue his vision. For a long time, it was not known where his body laid. After almost fifty years in June 2014, his remains were recovered from an old MNF Camp near Muizawl, North Mizoram and brought back to his native Panglian village, Manipur and buried there with a decent funeral.15 The team which brought back Tunkhopum’s remains also included some ex-cadres of the CLA who were still alive. Most of them were once prisoners who were arrested by security forces after their escape from the Mizo Hills to Manipur and other places after the death of their leader.

Conclusion:

Tunkhopum Baite was a born and visionary leader. He was a man of conviction and possessed inter-personal skill. His integrity towards woman and money made him a worthy leader. He becomes the history maker of the Chin-Zomi tribes for whom he sacrificed his whole life selflessly. Though Tunkhopum chose the path of violence to achieve his object, he never used force upon his own people. He did not lay hands even on defaulters who reported his activities to the Indian army. He had not fulfilled even a third of his dream but he had laid the path for future generations. The Chin re-unification that he had fought for might not be fulfilled, yet present generation drew inspiration from him. His footsteps give nationalist feelings and patriotic thoughts to many young generations who made him a national hero.

Tunkhopum love his land more than himself. The love for his nation made him unmarried till his death. He dreamt for re-unification of South Manipur Hills, Mizo Hills and Chin Hills. This led him to ally with everyone who shared the same vision including Laldenga. He was misunderstood and repaid unkindly. This ungrateful treachery on the part of the MNF cost the Chin tribes for national unification. The same path seems to be trodden by founding Zomi Re-Unification Organisation (ZRO) and Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) since 1992 but things appear to be late for such a political cause.

Though the movement failed, nationalist and patriotic feelings still run in the vein of many people. The young generations venerated him to be their political idol. His contributions give birth to a national outlook and feeling of unity. It is manifested in the formed of another armed movement under ZRO-ZRA. The Chin tribes conglomerate into a new appellation, ‘Zomi’ by forming the Zomi Council even when ‘Chin’ could not bind them together.

Notes and References:

1 Mission Compound was a Mission Centre located South West of present Churachandpur town, about 15kms away. It was also a centre of education at those times.

2 Thang Ginlun Valte, Thang Biak Sang Ngaihte, et. el. ed. Tun Kho Pum Baite: A Tullou Lungtup, published by The 3rd World Zomi Convention, Lamka, 2013, pp. 237-239.

3 T. Awnzagen, Shaikham, Lamka, 2012, p. 136.

4 Ibid., pp. 137-138.

5 Golan Suanzamung Naulak, Pupa’ Lungtup Tuanglam (Dreams of Our Fathers: Some Notes on the Chin Army)’ in Thang Ginlun Valte, Thang Biak Sang Ngaihte, et. el. ed. Tun Kho Pum Baite: op. cit., p. 273.

6 Awnzagen, op. cit., p. 139.

7 Thang Ginlun Valte, Thang Biak Sang Ngaihte, et. el. ed., op. cit., p. 129.

8 As told by Paukhohau Khuptong, PA to Tunkhpum Baite and is still survived. He was also present in that meeting.

9 As narrated by Nengzathang Valte, a survived CNF leader. He was Southern Commander and Training Commander of the CLA.

10 See H. Thangtungnung, Hill politics and Political Movements Among the Zo Tribes in North East India, Special Article, Tribal Tribune, Vol. 6/1, 2013, ISSN: 2249-3433.

11 C. Vanlalrawna, Kim Leh Ni A Awm Angem?: The Lion Brigade (Mizo National Army), Blue Mountain Offset Printers, Aizawl, 2010. For detail, see whole Chapter 3.

12 As informed by Pi Nemthang, Teikhang, Mizoram, survived sister of Suakdam. Also Thonzagin Hangshing 60 yrs., author, an interview, 7 September, 2014.

13 Detail, see Dedication, published by Paite Tribe Council, New Lamka, 10 July, 1993.

14 Vanlalrawna, op. cit.

15 Manipur Express (An Independent Daily Newspaper), Vol. xxxiv, No. 160, Lamka, 23 June, 2014.

[This was a seminar paper presented by Dr. Thangtungnung at North East India History Association (NEIHA) 35th Annual Session Gargaon College, Simulguri, Sivasagar, Assam held on 11th Nov. 2014]