By H C Vanlalruata
Aizawl, Dec 28 : Mizoram was plagued by drought, jhum fires, landslides and flash floods during the year with scarcity of food and blockades adding to the woes of the people in the northeastern state.
The year began on a sad note as nine people were killed in jhum fires ignited by hunters that also caused massive damage to the wildlife. Smoke from the fires often led to cancellation of flights.
The spreading fires subsided due to the onset of pre-monsoons from early April but the showers triggered landslides and flash floods that claimed 13 lives, destroyed agriculture produce and rendered over 30,000 people homeless.
People of the state also struggled to cope with rising inflation.
Scarcity of rice, staple food of the Mizos, and other essential items like cooking gas and oil also hit the state almost throughout the year due to frequent bandhs, road blockades and sabotage by insurgent groups in neighbouring states.
Diversion of petrol and diesel to Manipur by unscrupulous traders and drivers during the severe crisis in that state during the Naga blockade of highway caused extreme hardship to the people.
A unique problem arose when enumerators of the Census 2011 were thwarted by religious sects in the Christian- dominated state. People refused to enroll themselves in the Census as they were afraid that they would be identified with the Biblical number of the beast or the devil if they were given the UID.
The superstitious belief stemmed from the fact that the Bible's revelation prophesised that only those given the number of the beast would be able buy and sell properties which the UID authority also said. Many were persuaded to enroll their names in the Census and the UID, but some still refused even after being warned of legal action many times.
Another issue that was in news was homosexuality as the Mizoram Presbyterian Church termed it as against the tenets of Christianity and threatened to excommunicate and suspend its gay members if they were found living together.
Roadblocks over repatriation of Bru refugees also made news. The refugees are lodged in six relief camps in North Tripura district since 1997.
Efforts to repatriate them in November were derailed by the murder of a 17-year-old Mizo boy, triggering another wave of exodus.
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