Annexation of Lushai Hills

THE ANNEXATION OF THE LUSHAI HILLS
or
CONSOLIDATION OF THE BRITISH IN LUSHAI HILL
or
THE BRITISH RELATIONS WITH LUSHAI HILLS
Miss Vari
The Mizo are of Mongoloid stock that migrated through the Chin Hills of
Burma to their present habitat in around 1700 AD. They were first known by the
outsiders for their savagery and referred by head taking traditions. Inter -clan rivalry
prevails and several raids on other villages were a frequent occurrence. Besides, they
often raid the people in the adjoining plain areas, looting, killing and capturing them,
especially the tea gardens because they felt was an encroachment upon their hunting
ground. This stirred up the attention of the British to take action by subjugating the
Lushai Hills to protect their interests in Cachar and Chittagong as well as Upper
Burma.
THE LUSHAI RAIDS:

Since the annexation of Cachar by the British in 1832, the local authorities had
to deal with the incursions of the Lushai tribes in the south. There were frequent
attacks made by the Lushais in the middle of the 19th Century. The main causes of
these raids were gradual extension of tea gardens into areas inhabited by the Lushais,
raid for food and also native daring and spirit of adventure on the part of the Lushais.
From time to time, the Lushai raids the plains of Cachar which later shaped the
frontier policies of the British over the Lushais.
The Lushai raid to Kochabari village in Cachar plain on 16th April 1844
resulted to the death of 20 persons and 6 persons in captive and it attracted a punitive
expedition in December 1844 under Captain Blackwood. The expedition resulted in
punishing the Lushai chiefs Lalsuthlaha, who committed a raid on the Sylhet frontier.
As the raids continued, the Bengal government directed Col Lister, Superintendent of
Cachar to punish the aggressors. Accordingly, on 14th January 1850, Lt Col Lister,
Commandant of the Sylhet Infantry and Agent for the Khasi Hills marched towards
the village of Ngura and burnt the village and released several of British subjects in
captivity.
As the British government realized that retaliatory measures could not
effectively check the Lushais from incursions, they decided to adopt conciliatory
measures and sent goodwill mission to several Lushai chiefs like Vanhnuailiana,
Suakpuilala etc. But the policy proved unsuccessful in the long run. In January 1869,
the tea estate of Monierkhal in Cachar was jointly raided by Kanai Singh, a Manipuri
Prince and Suakpuilala. For some years, they were raids and counter-raids.
THE LUSHAI EXPEDITION:

On 27th January 1870, to give an instance, the Mizos under Bengkhuaia raided
Alexandrapur and Monierkhal. This incident affected the history of the Lushai hills
profoundly. They killed James Winchester, a Scottish Tea planter along with 24
coolies and abducted several British subjects including his 5 years old daughter Mary
Winchester. The feeling aroused by Mary Winchester’s kidnapping compelled the
British government to make strenuous effort to release the captive girl. Even though
the initial British policy towards the North eastern state was that of Non-intervention,
and though the government wanted to adhere to its policy of conciliation, ultimately
issued an order for an expedition into the Lushai hills. It was to rescue the captive girl
and to enter into permanent relationship with the Lushais that a military expedition
was launched in the cold season of 1871 by order of Lord Mayo, the Governor-
General of India. This expedition was known as ‘The Lushai Expedition’.
The Right or the Chittagong Colum under General Brownlow compelled the
powerful Bengkhuaia, Savunga and others to tender their submission, release the
captives including Mary Winchester and the Left or the Cachar Column under General
Bourchier subdued the tribes of Vanpuilala, Pawibawia,Vanhnuailiana. The principal
Lushai chiefs personally tendered their submission and entered into solemn
engagement with the British for further good behaviour. The aim of the expedition
was neither annexation nor retaliation but to strengthen the policy of conciliation.
Though peace had been made, many people especially the Lushai chiefs
resented new restraints laid on them. They dislike, above all, the fact that no Mizo was
allow to go outside his territory. Soon they began to raid the plain areas again. On 3rd
February 1889, a survey party under Lt. Stewart was stormed by Hausata and his
party, killing Lt. Stewart and two European Sergeants. The fresh outrages made it
necessary that active measures should be immediately undertaken.
THE CHIN LUSHAI EXPEDITION:

In 1889-1890, the larger expedition known as ‘The Chin Lushai Expedition’
was launched under F.W Treager. The main objectives of the expedition were to come
to terms with certain Lushai tribes who were powerful and hostile to the British, to
open the route between Burma and Chittagong, to establish semi- permanent posts in
the region visited and to ensure complete pacification and recognition of the British
power.
The three Columns - Chittagong, Cachar and Burma successfully carried out
the main objects of the campaign and resulted in the subjugation of many villages,
burning of several villages, and construction of Mule road connecting India and
Burma and establishment of several posts. The expedition finally marked the
beginning of the British rule in Lushai hills and it was formally brought into British
India by a proclamation in 1895. Since then, the British had established themselves as
the paramount power in the hills.
ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP OF THE BRITISH

The Chin Lushai Expedition led to the establishment of four garrison posts at
Demagiri, Aijal, Lungleh and Fort Treager for the preservation of order and as
evidence of British supremacy. In 1890 whole of Lushai hills was divided into North
Lushai Hills and South Lushai Hills districts under the administration of Assam and
Bengal repectively. Political Officers were posted both at Aijal and Lungleh. The first
Political Officer of the Lushai Hills was Capt HR Brown. The administration of the
Northern part which had headquarters at Aijal went to the Commissioner of Assam
while the southern portion was administered by the Lt. Governor of Bengal with
Murray as the first political officer. The British even called for a Chin-Lushai
Conference in Calcutta in 1892 in which several Lushai chiefs participated. By 1895-
86, J. Shakespear, the Superintendent reported that the Lushais in the southern hills
have completely abandoned all ideas of resistance and such was also the case in the
northern hills.
On 1st April 1898, the two districts were amalgamated into one administrative
unit known as the Lushai Hills District under the Commissioner of Assam with Aijal
as the Headquarters with Capt. J. Shakespeare as the first superintendent of the
amalgamated Lushai Hills. Under the supervision of the Chief Commissioner of
Assam, Inner-Line Regulation was brought into force to check the infiltration of the
outsiders. Later, The Lushai Hills District was changed to Mizo District by an Act
called the “Lushai Hills District Act, 1954 with effect from 1st September 1954.

Annexation of Lushai Hills

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Annexation of Lushai Hills

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THE ANNEXATION OF THE LUSHAI HILLS

THE LUSHAI RAIDS:

THE LUSHAI EXPEDITION:

THE CHIN LUSHAI EXPEDITION:

ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP OF THE BRITISH

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