Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic), commonly called HPC(D), was an armed ethnic organisation linked with the Hmar community of North-East India.
It emerged as a breakaway faction of the Hmar People’s Convention, which had originally demanded greater autonomy for Hmar-inhabited areas, especially in northern and north-eastern Mizoram.
The core issue behind HPC(D) was the demand for political recognition, autonomy, development and protection of Hmar identity.
Hmar Community
The Hmars are a tribal community belonging to the larger Kuki-Chin-Mizo ethnic group.
They are found mainly in:
- Mizoram
- Manipur
- Assam
- Meghalaya
- Tripura
They are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in India.
In Mizoram, the Hmar population is concentrated especially in the Sinlung Hills region, near the Mizoram-Manipur-Assam border belt.
Background
The roots of the movement go back to the dissatisfaction among sections of the Hmar community after the Mizo Peace Accord of 1986.
Some Hmar groups felt that their specific political and developmental demands were not adequately addressed. This led to the formation of the Hmar People’s Convention as a political movement demanding self-government in Hmar-inhabited areas.
In 1994, a peace agreement was signed between the Mizoram government and the original HPC, leading to the creation of the Sinlung Hills Development Council.
However, some members were dissatisfied with the limited powers of the council. This led to the rise of the militant faction, HPC(D).
Main Demands
HPC(D) primarily demanded:
- greater autonomy for Hmar-inhabited areas;
- better development of the Sinlung Hills region;
- protection of Hmar identity, language and culture;
- stronger political representation;
- more powers than those given to the earlier Sinlung Hills Development Council;
- in some phases, demand for a more empowered autonomous district council-type arrangement.
The issue was therefore not only insurgency. It was also about identity, autonomy and regional underdevelopment.
Area of Activity
HPC(D) was active mainly in:
- northern Mizoram
- north-eastern Mizoram
- areas near the Mizoram-Manipur border
- parts of southern Manipur with Hmar presence
The geography is important because the Hmar population is spread across state boundaries. This makes the issue more complex than a simple district-level dispute.
Insurgency Phase
HPC(D) engaged in armed activities, including extortion, attacks, intimidation and clashes with security forces.
The insurgency remained much smaller than the earlier Mizo National Front insurgency, but it created local instability in Hmar-inhabited areas.
The group’s activities also affected governance, road connectivity, development work and security coordination between Mizoram and neighbouring states.
Peace Process
The Mizoram government held several rounds of talks with HPC(D) over the years.
A major peace agreement was signed in 2018 with one faction of the HPC(D), leading to the creation of the Sinlung Hills Council.
The Sinlung Hills Council was intended to provide greater administrative and developmental autonomy to Hmar-majority areas within Mizoram.
However, factional issues continued, and one faction led by Lalhmingthanga Sanate remained outside the settlement for some time.
Latest Development
The latest major development came in 2026.
On 14 April 2026, the Mizoram government signed a Memorandum of Settlement with the Lalhmingthanga Sanate faction of HPC(D). The agreement aimed to end hostilities and promote development in the Sinlung Hills region.
Following this, 43 members of the group formally laid down arms and returned to the mainstream. The Mizoram government’s public information department described the surrender of arms as part of the prior arrangement under the settlement.
On 1 May 2026, reports stated that Mizoram had been declared insurgency-free after the last active ethnic insurgent group, the HPC(D) Lalhmingthanga Sanate faction, gave up arms and joined the mainstream.
Significance
The settlement is significant because it marks the end of one of the last active ethnic insurgent streams in Mizoram.
Its importance lies in:
- ending armed activity by the remaining HPC(D) faction;
- strengthening peace in northern Mizoram;
- improving development prospects in Sinlung Hills;
- reducing cross-border ethnic insurgency risks;
- allowing former cadres to join mainstream life;
- reinforcing Mizoram’s image as one of the most peaceful North-Eastern states;
- showing the continued relevance of negotiated settlements in the North-East.
Link with Sinlung Hills Council
The Sinlung Hills Council is central to the Hmar autonomy question.
It was created to address Hmar aspirations within Mizoram’s constitutional and administrative framework. The council is meant to support local development, cultural protection and administrative participation.
However, its success depends on:
- adequate powers;
- regular funding;
- transparent elections;
- development delivery;
- representation of local communities;
- coordination with the Mizoram government.
Why It Matters for North-East Governance
The HPC(D) case shows that even after a major peace accord, smaller ethnic communities may continue to seek recognition and autonomy.
It highlights key challenges in the North-East:
- ethnic identity spread across state borders;
- demands for autonomy within existing states;
- uneven development in hill regions;
- importance of local councils;
- need for negotiated settlements;
- role of civil society and churches in peace-building;
- importance of rehabilitation after surrender.
Way Forward
The peace settlement should be followed by strong implementation.
Priority should be given to:
- rehabilitation of surrendered cadres;
- development of roads, education, health and livelihood infrastructure in Sinlung Hills;
- strengthening the Sinlung Hills Council;
- protecting Hmar language and culture;
- transparent local governance;
- coordination between Mizoram, Manipur and Assam;
- preventing renewed factional mobilisation;
- involving civil society, churches and community bodies in peace consolidation.
Conclusion
The Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) was an ethnic armed group rooted in demands for Hmar autonomy, identity protection and development in northern Mizoram. Its history shows how unresolved autonomy demands can lead to militancy even in a state known for successful peace-building.
The 2026 peace settlement and surrender of the remaining HPC(D) faction are significant because they have helped make Mizoram effectively free of active ethnic insurgent groups. The challenge now is to convert the agreement into durable peace through development, autonomy, representation and trust-building.
