Mara social organizations and religious leaders have rejected the Mara People’s Army (MPA). They declared it an illegal group on 18 July in Mara district, Mizoram state, northeast India.
A leader of a Mara social organization said that the MPA had been into many illegal activities like kidnapping a daughter of a Paumoe villager, in Paletwa township, Chin state in 2008 and snatching money and locally-made guns from local Mara people as well as disturbing local peace and security. So social, youth and religious organizations cannot accept them as the representative of their tribe.
“The MPA is a burden and a liability for the people. There is no benefit in having an armed group. Each of our organization’s leaders have put their signature on paper about not accepting MPA to defend ourselves as well as to protect our Maraland,” a member of the Mara Peace Commission told Khonumthung News.
In fact, the Mara People’s Army has submitted some resolutions to the Burmese military junta in keeping with their agreement with Mr. Aung Myo Hlai, the second-in-command of the Sabawlte based military camp LIB 140 on July 12 in Chapui village, Saiha district in Mizoram state.
The original agreement and the resolution on July 14 highlighted that the MPA group supports and trusts the military government. Therefore it will support the forthcoming 2010 general elections in Burma. It has demanded security guards for Maraland and its people as well as a separate township where all Mara people can live together in unity under the military regime as the group has being fighting for the military government.
The resolution of the Mara People’s Army will be submitted to higher authorities. They will have another meeting in September this year, said a source close to MPA.
Meanwhile, Mr. H.C. Ralnghinga, General Secretary of the Chin National Front said, “It is the way of the junta. They will recognize MPA as a legal armed group, and then they will use them to accomplish whatever they want. If MPA exists in the border area, the local people will suffer as they have to give food and give into other demands. It will be difficult for local Mara people.”
Mara People’s Army was organized on 15 June 2009 by a retired military officer under the junta’s guidance. There are about 13 armed forces. In the statement, they said their main target is to have a local self government and a separate Maraland where all Mara people can stay together.
