Formation

Hmar People's Convention- Democracy (HPC-D) is an offshoot of the Hmar People's

Convention (HPC), which came into existence in 1986, as a political party spearheading a
movement for self-government in the north and northeast of Mizoram. The Hmars, who
according to the 1991 census, were 12,535 in number in Mizoram, were disappointed with
the contents of the Mizo Peace Accord of 1986, which failed to address their demand of a
'Greater Mizoram' integrating all areas inhabited by Hmars in Mizoram, Assam and Manipur
under a single administrative unit. Since April 1987, the HPC waged an armed struggle for
autonomy, which touched extreme levels of violence towards 1991. Hmar cadres abducted
tea executives and triggered off a spate of extortions in the Hmar inhabited areas of the
States of Mizoram, Assam and Manipur.

In 1992, HPC representatives and the
ministerial level talks. Consequent to
Settlement (MoS) was signed at the
establishing the 'Sinlung Development
surrendered along with their arms.
Government of Mizoram mutually agreed to hold
nine rounds of such talks, a Memorandum of
Mizoram capital Aizawl on July 27, 1994, for
Council' and subsequently, 308 HPC militants

However, dissatisfied with the implementation process, a section of the cadres parted ways
with the over ground HPC and formed the HPC-D in 1995.

Objective

The purported objective of the outfit over the years has changed from an autonomous district
covering the north and northeast Mizoram to an independent Hmar State (Hmar ram)
consisting of the Hmar inhabited areas of Mizoram, Manipur and Assam.

Leadership

The outfit's 'commander-in-chief' is Lalropui. Its military wing is headed by Laltuolien Hmar.
While Lalbieknunga functions as its 'deputy commander-in-chief', Lalrawngbawl Pulamte is
the 'information and publicity secretary' of the outfit. The cadre strength of the outfit is
estimated to be between 100 and 150.
In July 2003 during the Hmar-Dimasa conflict in the North Cachar (NC) Hills district of
Assam, the HPC-D formed an armed wing, the Hnam Santu (Hmar Protection Cell), under
the leadership of 'chief commander' Laltuolien Hmar, to protect the interests of the Hmars
from the alleged onslaught of the DHD. The outfit conducted a successful recruitment drive
and inducted several young Hmar boys and girls from across the NC Hills and Cachar district
into the newly formed cell.

Areas of Operation

The outfit is active primarily in Mizoram; the Hmar inhabited areas of Churachandpur district
in Manipur, and the Cachar (with base camps in the Bhuban hill range) and North Cachar
Hills districts of Assam.

Often, the outfit has used the Bhuban hill range in Cachar district and the Jinam valley area
of the North Cachar hills located at the intersection of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam to set
up base camps and plan operations.

Source of Funding

The outfit collects 'protection fees' from the timber mafia in the Cachar district of Assam.
Substantial funds are also reportedly generated in foreign countries, notably in the United
States, by protagonists of the struggle in the name of protecting Hmar Christians.

There are also reports that the outfit collects protection money from the Hmar tribals.

Arms & Explosives

Over the years, the HPC-D militants have gained access to sophisticated arms like rifles of
the AK series, assault rifles of the G3 series and explosives.

However, access to such sophisticated arms is still limited and majority of the outfit's cadres
use SBBL single barrel guns, and ordinary country made rifles and pistols.

Linkages with Other Groups

HPC-D, since its formation, has aligned with several insurgent groups active in India’s
northeast. In its formative years, it maintained a cordial relationship with the National
Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), which allegedly provided it with arms and training. It
has also carried out attacks with the support of the Manipur-based outfit, the People's
Liberation Army (PLA).

In May 2001, the HPC-D joined the Indigenous People's Revolutionary Alliance (IPRA) - a
platform of the five Zo ethnic militant groups: the Zomi Reunification Organisation (ZRO), two
factions of the Kuki National Front, the KNF-P and KNF-MC, the Kuki National Army (KNA)
and the HPC-D. However, at least two incidents of internecine clashes were reported
between the HPC-D and the ZRA, the armed wing of the ZRO, during 2004 in the
Churachandpur district of Manipur. This finally led to the signing of a ‘truce agreement’
between both these outfits on April 7, 2004, at an unspecified location in Manipur.

Over the years, the HPC-D has also maintained links with other Hmar militant outfits. In July
1998, the HPC-D joined hands with the Hmar Revolutionary Force (HRF).
The outfit is also believed to have maintained strategic links with the Bru National Liberation
Front (BNLF), a Mizoram-based group.

In Assam, the HPC-D is known to have some linkages with certain Islamist terrorist outfits.

Major incidents involving HPC-D

2007

September 8: A militant of the Hmar National Army outfit, identified as Lalsaun, is shot dead by
suspected militants belonging to the rival HPC-D at Saiden in the Churachandpur district of
Manipur. His dead body is recovered from the incident site a day later.

September 7: The 'information secretary' of the HPC-D, Lalrawngbawla Pulamte, surrenders

before the Mizoram government. He was reportedly brought by police personnel from Silchar in
the Cachar district of Assam to capital Aizawl in Mizoram.

January 11: The HPC-D asks for involvement of the Union Government in peace talks between
the outfit and the Mizoram Government. "If there is any negotiation to discuss the fulfillment of
the provisions of the 1994 accord signed between the Mizoram government and the HPC, the
Centre must intervene," a note by the outfit said.

January 5: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga delegates Charlton Lien Amo, a legislator
from Manipur, as the representative to negotiate with the HPC-D. Amo, belonging to the Hmar
community, was elected from Tipaimukh Assembly constituency in Manipur twice.

January 2: The Mizoram Government initiates negotiations with the HPC-D. The Government is
to send representatives to the outfit, which operates in Mizoram, Manipur and Assam's Cachar
and North Cachar Hills districts, to evaluate its demands.

2006

March 13: The HPC-D refutes the accusation made by the UNLF of its involvement in
the displacement of Hmar people from Manipur.

March 11: The HPC-D accuses the KCP of its involvement along with the UNLF in
the assault on Hmar women and extortion of money from the Hmar civilians in
 Churachandpur district of Manipur.

February 2: Hmar and Paite tribesmen, who were forced out by militants along the
Assam-Mizoram border, are reported to have returned to their homes at Thanlon and
Parbung in the Churachandpur district. Nearly 1,000 villagers had reportedly fled their
homes following a clash between the UNLF and HPC-D in January 2006.

January 27: The ‘information and publicity secretary’ of HPC-D, R. Pulamte, while
rejecting the ‘accusation’ of UNLF that his outfit is responsible for the 'torture' of
villagers of Parbung and Tipaimukh subdivisions in the Churachandpur district, says
that the Barak river region has been the main source of income and means of
livelihood for the people of Tipaimukh, "but since UNLF’s ‘occupation’ of the region,
heavy ‘taxes’ on all items/commodities pertaining to the Hmars without the ‘consent’ of
the HPC-D had paved way for the deteriorating relationship between the UNLF and
the Hmar outfit."

January 23: UNLF ‘accuses’ the HPC-D, of ‘conniving’ with the SFs and ‘harassing’
the villagers of Parbung and Tipaimukh sub-divisions in Churachandpur district,
forcing them to flee to the neighbouring State of Mizoram.

January 7: Two suspected HPC-D cadres are killed in an encounter with UNLF
militants at Damdei under Parbung police station in the Churachandpur district.

2005

November 4: HPC-D serves extortion notes on several persons in Mizoram’s

Vairangte village demanding a portion of their salaries. The notes, written in Hmar
dialect, say that five per cent of the salary for October is to be paid to the outfit by
November 15.

March 2: A HPC-D cadre is killed by security force personnel during a counter

insurgency operation in the Churachandpur district of Manipur.

2004

2003

November 21: HPC-D in a press release refutes news reports regarding its
involvement in the abduction of three candidates for the State Legislative Assembly
Elections from Suangpuilawn constituency in Mizoram.

October 14: Two suspected HPC-D cadres are arrested from the Hmarculin area in
Cachar district of Assam.
September 8: Four HPC-D terrorists are killed and another is injured during an
encounter in the Jinam Valley area of North Cachar Hills district of Assam.

August 6: Remaining two officials of the Government’s Public Welfare Department

(PWD), held captive by the anti-talks faction of the UPDS since July 8 are set free.

August 5: Alleged plot of the HPC-D to set up a training camp in the jungles near
Nagadum village in Cachar district unearthed.

August 2: Suspected HPC-D terrorists blow up a bus that was being used in the
Khuga dam project at Senveg village in Manipur’s Churachandpur district by triggering
an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

July 17: Media reports indicate formation of Hmar Hunam Santo (HHS) with links to
the HPC-D as counter outfit of the DHD in Assam.

July 4: A girl is killed and a school and 25 Dimasa (tribe) dwellings are set ablaze by
suspected HPC-D terrorists in Berelang village, North Cachar Hills district

July 1: Assam Government appoints Justice P C Phukan of the Guwahati High Court
to probe into the inter-tribal clashes between Hmars and the Dimasas in the North
Cachar Hills and Cachar districts.

June 29: Four HPC-D terrorists are arrested from the Marshakhal Punji area in
Cachar district of Assam.

June 20: Six HPC-D terrorists are killed in an encounter with the security forces at
Phyleh village in Cachar district.

June 18: Suspected HPC-D terrorists fire a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) on a
clubhouse at Kumocheera under Lakhipur police station limits in Cachar district where
some members of the Dimasa community had gathered for a meeting.

June 17: Dimasa Students’ Community at Guwahati demands that the Government
should flush out HPC-D terrorists from the State who are alleged to be operating from
the neighbouring States of Manipur and Mizoram.

June 16: An estimated 70 HPC-D cadres set ablaze 50 houses in Dipucherra Dimasa
village in Cachar district. In an ensuing encounter with the police, one militant is killed.

June 12: Police recover 10 pipe-guns and two kilograms of gunpowder from a house
in Maiserpunji, a Hmar village in Cachar district, following an attack on Dihankru, a
Dimasa village in North Cachar Hills district, by suspected HPC-D terrorists who set
ablaze approximately 40 houses.
Visiting Ministerial team led by State Health Minister Bhumidhar Barman recommends
an immediate operation to flush out the HPC-D terrorists from the North Cachar Hills
district district.
HPC-D terrorists set ablaze approximately 15 Dimasa dwellings in the Daudung and
Duiyungkhro villages in North Cachar hills district.

June 10: Five persons are killed and three others injured in a clash between
suspected HPC-D militants and security forces near Mahur in the North Cachar Hills
district.

June 9: Ten HPC-D militants are arrested from Bitheipunji in the Cachar district for
their involvement in the killing of Dimasa tribals.

June 8: Two women are killed and a dozen others injured in an attack by HPC-D
militants in Kalinagar village of Cachar district.

June 6: HPC-D terrorists attack Lodi Basti, a Dimasa populated village, which
straddles Cachar and North Cachar Hills districts and kill three tribals, including two
women. The terrorists also set ablaze approximately 50 dwellings.
Three Dimasa youths are killed by suspected Hmar militants in the North Cachar Hills
district.

May 31: Suspected HPC-D terrorists attack a village of the Dimasa tribes, Longreng
under Haflong police station limits in Assam’s North Cachar Hills district, and kill two
of them. Ten tribal dwellings are also set ablaze.

May 7: Two Dima Halim Daogah (DHD) terrorists are killed in an encounter with HPC-
D cadres at Retzol in the Haflong town of North Cachar Hills district.

April 11: Six HPC-D militants are arrested from the Sonai police station area in
Cachar district.

April 7: An army personnel is killed in an encounter with suspected HPC-D militants at

Didkokcherra in the North Cachar Hills district.

March 31: 26 Dimasa villagers are killed by suspected HPC-D militants in

Chekerchand village of Cachar district.
 February 24: Three DHD cadres are abducted by HPC-D militants in the Cachar
district.

1999

1998

(If you have any addtions which shoud be added before and after 1998 please
Comment Here or send it to hmaronline@gmail.com - Admin)

November: Three HPC-D militants are arrested along with some arms in the North
Cachar hills district.

Courtesy: Institute for Management Conflict

August 21: HPC-D militants abduct four milk vendors near Bishnupur village in
Cachar district. They are reportedly released after payment of a ransom of Rupees
one Lakh.

March-April: Seven people are killed during an ambush by HPC-D militants in an

Hmar-dominated area in Mizoram.

July 26: Suspected HPC-D militants attack a security outpost at Sonai block
in the Cachar district of Assam.

June 12: Six persons including officials, employees and two guards of a cement
manufacturing company, are abducted by a group of suspected HPC-D cadres in the
North Cachar Hills district.

April 7: The HPC-D and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) sign a ‘truce agreement’
during a meeting held at the residence of L B Sona, chairman of the Zomi Council, at
an unspecified location in Manipur.

March 31: Two HPC-D cadres are killed during an internecine clash between the
HPC-D and ZRA at Rengkai village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur.
March 28: A HPC-D militant is killed in an internecine clash with ZRA militants at
Renki in the Churachandpur district of Manipur.

January 16: An unidentified terrorist is killed during an encounter between the Army
and suspected HPC-D and Naga terrorists at Moulin in the North Cachar Hills district
of Assam.