Martarhai Ni (Martyrs’ Day)

By Pu L.Keivom*

I am very fond of truth, but not at all of martyrdom.

-Voltaire (Letter to d’Alembert,1776)

May 9, 2010. Hmar Christian Fellowship, Delhi chawibiek inkhawm trinin ka tupa Brando Keivom, Delhi Thurawn Editor-in, “Pu, kar nawk Pathienni hi Martyrs’ Day a ni leiin, chu le inzom chun artikul mi hung ziekpek rawh aw” a ta. Kei chun a darah kuo pheiin, “A tu le a ieng Martyrs’ Day am ie?” tiin ka’n don kir a. Ama khom a chieng bik rak naw ni ding a na, “Eini mihaiin kum tin May 16-a an hmang hlak hih” a ti ringot a. Kei chun, “Kha hma 1960-a Kuki le Hmar ei indo truma hringna chân, hnam pasalthra an tihai hriet zingnaa kum tin hun ser an hmang hlak kha chu ka hriet a, a hnunga an hung phuok sap pei ruok hi chu ka hriet phak ve ta nawh. Iengkhom ni sien, martar umzie le ram dang danga martar ni an inser dan le eini rawiin martar umzie ei hmang pawlawt dan hung ziek tum ka tih” tiin ka’n thla a.

Martar umzie

Martar Ni ei hril ding a ni leiin, ‘martar’ chu ieng tina am ning a ta? ti ei chai hmasa phot ngai a tih. Kristien ei hung ni hnung hin ringna tienga ei saphunna trongkam an thu le hla tam tak ei kalchar huongah a luong lut a. Entirnan, pulpit, tempul, sakramen, baptisma, sermon, solfa, pastor le a dang dang hai hi eini trong hrimah ei ngai tah leiin, a umzie indon chu mi mawl tak khomin makti vong an tih. Chuong laia pakhat, ei hlaa chen khom sungpui chan lo hluo tah chu ‘martar’ ti hi a nih.

‘Martar’ hi Grik trong martur, martus (witness) a inthoka ei lak a nih. Old Latin-ah ‘martyr’ tiin an ziek a, chu chu Old English-ah la sawngin ‘martir’ tiin an ziek a, a hnungah Latin angin ‘martyr’ tiin an hung sie nawk a, chuong ang chun tu chen hin an hmang tah pei a nih. Chu chu kristien sakhuo ei zui hnungin eini trongin ‘martar’ ei hung ti ve a, a thu mal umzie tak chu ‘hrepuitu, trantu’ (witness, sàkhí) tina a nih. Hun a hung fe pei a, ‘martar’ chu umzie tum tum kawkin an hung hmang a. Sakhuona tieng, abikin Kristien khawvelah, martar changhai chu an sakhuo thuring inphatsan loa an tran tlat leia hringna chanhai hrilna trongkam a hung ni a. Pawlitiks khawvela khom, ram le hnam thratna le damna dinga an thuring le inchuktirna an tran tlat lei le chu chu hlen suok tuma an beinaa hringna hiel chânhai hrilna a nih.

A chunga martar umzie tlangpui pahnih ei tar lang hin ei hril fie nuom dan angin umzie hrang daih a nei thei. Arabic trong chun ‘martar’ hi ‘shaheed’ an ti a, chu chu martar thienghlim (holy martyr) tina a nih. Palestinian-haiin ‘shaheed’ an tihai chu mi thatna dinga an panga bomb khit dea insukpuok, thichilh bomb paituhai (suicide bombers) an nih. May 21, 1991-a Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu) a Rajiv Gandhi thichiltunu Thenmozhi Rajaratnam kha Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) hai ruoi, suicide bomber a nih. Tu lai, abikin Muslim firfiekhaiin inrîkrapna hmangruo taka an hmang a nih. Hienga an mi hmanghai hi an sakhuo tranna lungril turûa an vai rui le dawi vet, an thi phaa an sunghai inbengbelna ding sum tam tak an pekhai an nih.

Hnam le sakhuo hminga martar changhai chun dairekin van ram lut an ta, vadung luong del delna kam, fak ding thei chi tinreng kûr tuora an ràna pielralah nunghak thienglam hmel thra eltieng 70-in chatuonin enkolin an rong an bawl ding a nih ti chu Muslim thiempuhai thu inba a nih. Hienga an lungril an dawi vet, an sakhuo trana martara thi châk hlie hlie hi an tam a nih. Martar ropuia an ngai khom an sakhuo kaltuhai thattu a nih. Chu chu ‘indona thienghlim’ (jihad) an ti chu a nih. Hi ngirhmuna hin a thichiltu martar le a thichilhai martar ni thei bok an ni leiin, martar umzie a sukkhikhawk khop el. Kum zahni sung deuthaw (1095-1291 AD) inkara Europe-a kristienhaiin Muslimhai kuta um ram thienghlim le a khawpui Jerusalem la kir nawk dinga beipui an thlak kha Crusades ti a ni a, sang tam takin hringna an chàn a. Zu rûntu kristien thihai kha kristienhai chun martar changah an ngai a; rûntuhai lo dang a, an sakhuo le ram humnaa thihai kha Muslimhai chun martar changah an ngai bok a nih. A tu am martar lem? A ieng khom chu lo ni sien, martar changa an hril tam tak hi mani trânghma ngai taka zuolkona dinga khêl le tak uor deua an bel khawm a ni nuom leiin en fimkhur a thra.

Martar chang mi langsarhai

Khawvel rikawta martar chang rawn taka inhril chu kristien sakhuo zuituhai an nih. Tertulla (c.160-225 AD) lem chun a lekhabu Apologeticus (Apologia) ah, “Kohran hi martarhai thisena inthoka hung tro suok a nih” (The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church) a lo ti hiel a. “Kohran chi insona chu martarhai thisen a nih” ti thei khom a ni bok. Martar chang hmasa tak chu Stefan a ni thu Dr. Luka chun chipchier takin a ziek (Tt. 6 & 7). Isu zirtir 12 hai laia tar kuna thi pangngaia thi Hmangai Johan le mani inthat Juda Iskariot ti lo 10 danghai chu martara thi vong an nih. Tirko Paula ngei khom martara thi a nih (Ref: Foxs’ Book of Martyrs).

Boston khaw bula um Gordon-Cornwell Theological Seminary hai buotsai World Christian Encyclopedia-in a hril dan chun, kristien mi maktaduoi 70 chu martar-in an thi ta a, chuonghai laia maktaduoi 45 chu kumzabi sawmhnina laia thi an nih. Hang tiem vuot chun mit âr intra-in sikhlim a puor sung sung thei a nih. Ei hang ngaituo chîk ruok chun, Indopui 1 & 2 lai le Stalin tawrot insuo leia thi le Hitler kuta Juda mi hringna chân po po khom thrang sa vong hai sien khom a la tam taluo tieng hret a hoi khop el. Sumdawngnaa Kristien sakhuo hmang pawlhai lai hin sum dawlna dinga martar nambar sukpung hlut ching an um a, a poi khop el.

International Bulletin of Missionary Research lem chun kum 2008 sung khan martara thi kristien mi 175,000, ni tin 480 hiel um dingin a hril lawk a, turu tak a nih. Sienkhom kum a hung tawp meu chun a ni teu si nawh.

Muslim turû pawl lem chun anni buoina siema anni kut ngeia Muslim thi po po khom ihê loin martara thi-ah an puong nuom vong a nih. Middle East-a inthoka Jammu & Kashmir inkar hi tu laia martar pungna hmun tak a nih. Chuonghai laia pakhat chu November 26, 2008-a Mumbai suosam dinga an mi hung tir laia pakhat, a hringa an lo man Ajmal Kasab, khaihlum nghaka um hi a nih. An khaihlum pha leh a tirtuhai chun martar-in inthitir an ta, beiseina thu kanglang an lo inba hlak kha a tlung pal hlauh chun pielralah nunghak thienglam 70 a chèn hep hep ding a nih. Hieng lei tak hi ni naw nim Voltaire-in, “I am very fond of truth, but not at all of martyrdom” a lo ti chu nih.

Mak ve tak chu, Manipur sim thlanga chanchin thra hung lutna champha voi zana ei lo hmang hiel ta a, sienkhom kristien sakhuo leia martar chang pakhat khom hril ding ei um naw hi a nih. Hi hi ei vangnei lei ning a ti, an naw leh ei luong suok tawk naw lei?

Martar Ni hrang hrang

Ram hrang hrangah hnam puma Martar Ni inser pawl an um a; chun, biel hrang hranga mani martar ni hmang pawl an um bok a. India le a tuolbawm threnkhatin martar ni an nei dan le inser dan tlawma zawnga hang bi vak ei tih.

Kum 1948 January 30 tuk khan India hnam pa Mahatma Gandhi chu Hindu turû Nathuram Godse, RSS pawla mi chun a kap hlum a. Hi ni hi hriet zingna ni fawmin India sorkar chun Martar Ni-ah a puong a. Burma (Myanmar) chun July 19 an inser a, chu chu kum 1948 July 19 tuka an hnam pa General (Bogyoke) Aung San le a Cabinet member po po deuthaw an inkhawm laia an kap hlum vong hriet zingna infawma an thaw a nih. Bogyoke Aung San hi tuta National League for Democracy (NLD) thruoitu, sipai sorkar-in 1991 laia inthok taa suok thei lo dinga a ina an hrèn tang (house arrest) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi pa a nih. Nepal chun January 24 an inser a, chu chu kum 1941 January 24-a mi huoisen Dharma Bhakta Mathema le a rawihaiin an lal tawrot Rana suotthlak tuma an bei ni le an hlawsam leia Mathema an khaihlum hriet zingnaa an inser a nih. Pakistan chun tu kum 2010 April 30 khan an ram sana hringna chanhai po po hriet zingna dingin an hmang tran a nih.

Mak tak le dangdai taka khawvel hriet thama Martar Ni hmangtu chu Bangladesh a nih. Kum 1947-a inthok khan tuta Bangladesh hi East Pakistan a hung ni a. Chu ruol chun Official Language dingin ‘Urdu’ hmang dinga inti-luina a hung um a. Anni trong Bangla hmang zui pei nuom pawlin norna an siem a. Chu chu a taka a hung puok darna chu February 21, 1952 khan a nih. Dhaka University-a intranin, an Medical College-a inchuklaihai chun lam an hraw a, mi iemani zatin hringna an chan a. Hi hi ni Bangladesh hung piengna dinga beipui an thlak tranna nia ngai a nih. Bangladesh pieng hnung kum 28-ah 1999 khan February 21 chu khawvel pumpuia inser dingin International Mother Language Day-ah UNESCO chun a hung puong tah a nih. Hi ni hi Bhasa Andolon Dibosh (Language Movement Day/ Language Revolution Day) amanih Shohid Dibosh (Language Martyrs’ Day/Martyrs’ Day) tia hriet a nih. Khawvelin a hmangpui, an Martar Ni hi a dangdaiin inza a um khop el.

Eini Martar Ni hi teh?

Kum 1960 khan vangduoi thlak takin Kukihaiin buoina an hung siem leiin thla ruk sung chu unau ei insik a, hringna tam tak ei chan pha a. Ram le hnam sana hringna chân Hmar pasalthra mi pasarihai hriet zingna lung phun a ni bakah kum tin anni inzanain hnam pumin hun ser nei a ni hlak a. Hienghai hi India ramin zalenna a hmu hnunga hnam sana hringna chân, martar chang hmasa takhai chu an nih. Ei hlut le ngaisang san khom ei unauhai leh ei thu le hla ni loa ei inbakkei lei ni loin, hnam sana hringna an inhlan lei a nih. Chu chu dam sunga rongbawlna hlu tak le insang tak a ni hrim a nih.

Tuta Martar Ni ruok hi chu Mizorama cheng Hmarhai pawlitiks-in a hung cho suok a nih. Lai, Mara le Chakma hai nei Autonomous District bek suol suok nuom pawlin July 3, 1986 khan Aizawlah pawl pakhat, Hmar Association (HA) an indin a. September 22, 1986-a Sakordaia an inkhawmin HA chu Hmar Peoples Convention tiin an thlak a, Autonomous District hnina Memorandum khom Mizoram Governor kuomah an pek a. Ngaisak an hlaw naw leiin March 17, 1988 khan Indian Prime Minister kuomah Memorandum an thè lut nawk a. PM ofis chun an thil hni tak hung hril sa loin, lekha inchukna tienga an harsatna chu thra taka somdawl dingin Mizoram sorkar a hang hril a. Chun, January 21, 1989 khan Chief Minister thar Lalthanhawla an inhmupui a, an hnina chu ngaiven dingin thu a tiem a, sienkhom ieng khom hriet zui a ni nawh.

Hienga an khawk pei lei hin tharum thaw loa ri siem thrain an hriet a. March 28,1989 khan an biel huop sungah darkar 24 sung band an huoihot a. Mizoram Armed Police (MAP)-in indoina nei dêr loa an soisak leiin, April 16, 1989 khan ngor nawkzuolin darkar 144 sung band an huoihot nawk a. Hi trum hin MAP chun rawng zuola hmet dei an tum leiin mi tam tak an vuok hliem a, hliemhai chu Churachandpur tieng an thon tung zut zut a. Chuonga buoina a hung sosang tak lei chun an nuom thu khom ni loin silai chawia ram rol pawl Hmar Volunteer Cell (HVC) an indin a, silai piellungin an indawr tran tah a nih.

Chun, hieng ang hin thil a hung tlung tah pei a. Prasenjit Biswas le C.Joshua Thomas buotsai Peace in India’s North-East:meaning, metaphor and method (2006) a an ziek dan chun, Sub-Inspector Vanlalauva, sipai bâng, huoisen leia chawimawina (gallantry award) khom voi 60 neka tam hiel dong tah le MNF hnam sipai khom 50 neka tlawm lo kap hlum tah nia an hril chun MAP tieng chu a hung inrawi a, Hmar Volunteer-hai chu Mizorama inthokin Assam ram chen Assam sorkar phalna khom dan anga la lo le hril khom hril loin an hung hnot lut a. Monierkhal Tea Estate an tlung chun muol pawngah Hmar volunteer hai chun an lo inchàn a. An silai puok hmasa tak chun Vanlalauva bawkah a ver sat a, bau phong hman loin a thi nghal a. Sawt fe an inkap hnung chun MAP tieng mi pathum an thi a, Hmar Volunteer tieng mi pahnih- Lalhuoplien (Sakordai) le Lienhmingthang (Sartuinek)- an thi bok a. Silai dukdak la nei lo an ni leiin an ruolhai ruong chu inkhawm hman loin Hmar Volunteer danghai chu him takin an pùt suok a. Lalhuoplien le Lienhmingthang ruong thu dur tah chu May 19 khan Silchar Medical College-ah post mortem an thaw hnungin Cachara Hmar thruoituhai kutah an pek suok a, an phu ang hrima hnam ta dinga martar chang tah ngirhmunah hlang kaiin, ropui tak le inza takin an vui liem tah a nih.

December 1989-a Hmarkhawliena HPC Inkhawmpuiin hi ni hi Martar Ni-a inser dingin an rel a, HPC sunga chauh 1990 khan an hmang tran a. 1991 khan a hnam puma inser dingin HPC chun thupek an insuo a. Hi thupuong hre ve lo Vanbawng (Mizoram) khaw mi pathum hnachang vui laa rama fe khom an kap hlum nghe nghe a ni awm. May 11, 1989 khan Patpuihmun mi Laltlansungin Martyrs’ Day hla a phuok a, chu chu Martar Ni-a hlaa hmang a hung ni tah pei a nih. Kaseta hi hla khum hmasa tak chu Nienglawmkim a nih. A hla thu chu hieng ang hin:

Martyrs’ Day Hla (1991)

Phuoktu: Laltlansung Mihriemate

Hi khawvela hnam ze tinrenghai ta din,
Hmun le ram Chungkhuonun a lo ruotpek;
Hmar nau lenghai khom hmun le ram chu zong vein,
Val mihranghan an hringna an inhlan.

(Thunon)
Mihrang fam lo changhai, in ta din hun le ni
A tharin kan hung inhlan cheu;
Hmar nau zaleng ruolhan May ni 16 hi,
Martyr Day ti'n kan inhlan cheu.

Ram santu mihrang, buonleia zal ta hai,
In tlawmngaina kan innghil thei lul nawh;
Tlang tin muol tinah sam ang lo zal inla khom,
In sakhming hril hi bang thei nawng kan tih.

Ram le hnam ta dinga mi tlawmngai hai le
Hringna chen lo inhlantuhai leiin,
Ei hnamin par ang vul ni la nei ngei a ta,
An sakhming thrangthar lai mawi zuol a tih.

Tlangkawmna

Umni khama Martar Ni ei inser ni hih mani ngirhmun sui kir le thlir letna huna hmang thra ngot dingin ka ring. Ei ngirhmun chik taka dawnkhawlna hun a nih. Inzàna le chawimawina ei inhlàn martar ei tihai chu tuhai am ni tang an ta? Ngaituona pangngai put mihriem, a suk a tunga lawnhai lai hin, mani hmu phak tawk le invoi phak dan ang peiin, ram le hnam hmangaitu ei ni vong a, ei hmangai dan chin ruok chu, theina ei nei dan le ei hmathlir hlat le hlat naw dan ang peiin, inang naw rup a tih. Khaw lai hmun le rama khom, ram le hnam keidingtu kut chu fakzongna lampui sât a, inrim taka fak le dawn le sil le fen themsuoktuhai hi an nih. Pawlitiks le sakhuo ei ti khom hi chu bulthrut ngheta innghat a ni naw chun a ngir suok thei nawh. Chu bulthrut ngheta inthok naw chun ram le hnam khom siem puitling thei a ni bok nawh. Chuonghai veng him sin chu thaw dinga hlaw neia ruoihai chu vengtu pulit le sipai an nih. Vengtu chu a poimaw lai zingin, a poimaw tak chu a ruoitu le hlaw petu a nih.

Eini lai, abikin India hmarsak rama hin hnam sipai inti, ram le hnam san dinga inpea inhril, silai an chawi lei ela ram le hnam hmangaitu bik anga inngai le insâl, silai piellunga thuneina kengkaw tum le inlekphek, a chawmtu le humtu mipuihai rîkràp chîng, thokang se lei le HIV leia thihai chen khom martara thi anga inhril nuom an hung tam a, ei khawvel hi namen loa inhnok le pik a nih. Ram rol pawl ei hung uma inthokin mani pawl ngaidan chauh hnam pawlisi um suna ngai a, rawl dang hrim hrim ngai thei loa siehre pei nuomna lungril put ei hung um a; mani insungah hriemhrei ei inlet a, lu la hnam ni ngai lo khah lu la hnam ei hung inchang a, ei lu lakna dingin biekbuk sung khom inzàna ei nei therte ta nawh. Chu rulhreu tawrot chun lu ieng zat top am a lem ta a? A chawmtu eini lu a dol rawn tak an naw maw? An lu ei dolpekhai martar ni chu a ni ei inser? A tu am a na martara ei tiem ta ding?

Martar Ni ei inser ruol hin ei ngirhmun hi insui let ei tiu. Ram le hnam ta dinga tu am a na martar chang: lu latu am a lu lak? Pawlitiks khawvela chu, voisuna chawimawia um kha a zingah khaihlumin a um thei a, voisuna tuolthattu Barabbas kha suolna nei lo Isu aiin insuo a ni daih thei bok. Voisuna “hossana’ tia lawm luttu rawl kha a tukah ‘Kraws-ah hemde rawh’ tiin a’n thlak thut thei. Voisuna martar chang kha a tukah tuolthattua puong a ni thei. Voisuna hel hmang le tuolthattua ngai kha a zingah zalenna suolsuoktu, hnampa a hung ni thei bok. Chu ngirhmun tar langna, Robert Browning hla phuok, College kan kai laia kan inchuk ‘The Patriot’ châng tawpna tlar hmasa tak “Thus I entered and thus I go!” ti lai tak khah kha ka zuk hriet suok vang vang chu tie! Ngaituo a suksei ngei.

(Delhi, May 13, 2010)