Siaha District is situated on the southern most fringe of the north eastern region of India and is bordering Myanmar on the eastern and southern side. It has a total population of 60000 as per the 2001 Census. Administratively, it is divided into three blocks Tuipang, Saiha and Sangau. Saiha and Tuipang block has 71 villages with a total population of about 56550, largely comprising of the Mara (earlier referred as Lakhers) tribe and Sangau block is comprised of 18 villages having a population of about 15000 largely comprising of Lai Tribe (earlier referred as Pawi: pronounced Poi). The District area comes under two Autonomous District Councils under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) and Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC), covering the two distinct ethnic groups in the District.
The Councils function like mini-Legislative Assemblies with powers to pass their own Laws and Rules, subject to ratification by the Administrator (Governor of Mizoram). In fact the administrative structure is quite unique, in the sense that there are two parallel administrative hierarchies one of the State Government headed by the Deputy Commissioner and the other of the Council. The Councils have their own Forest Department, PWD, LAD, and Education Department, Social Welfare Department, etc. apart from the District level officers present here from the State Government.
This at times leads to duplication of role and responsibilities and coordination problem. In fact, the Councils also have judicial powers to try cases under the customary law, while cases under IPC and Cr PC are tried by the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner. There is no separation of Judiciary and executive in these areas. The councils get their annual Grant in Aid from Government of India through the State Government annual plan. The Government of India accords very high priority to these minority tribal areas in preserving their culture, tradition and functional autonomy.
The Maras occupy the territory to the eastern side of the Kolodyne River, which separates the District from the Lawngtlai District, occupied by Lai tribals. They were earlier referred to as the Shendoos by the Arakanese and the British. The Maras migrated from the Hakha Sub-Division in the Chin Hills, presumably being push forwarded pressure from the east, about 300 to 400 years ago. The main clans or sub-tribe are Tlosai, Hawthai, Zyhno, Chapi, Vytu, etc. They were known to be a powerful and fierce headhunting tribe during British times and would attack the British camps periodically. It was in 1888-1889 that in the Chin-Lushai expedition that the British made forays in the area and it was finally in 1924 that the Lakhers came under British Rule. The Lakhers were originally animists by religion until they came into contact with British Missionaries, when they were exposed to Christianity. In British India, the entire Mizoram was part of Cachar Hill District of Assam and later Lushei Hills District, administered by Superintendent Lushei Hills. In Independent India, after the Bordoloi Committee report in 1952,
Mizoram became an Autonomous District Council in the Lushei Hill area and the Pawi-Chakma-Lakher Regional Council was established. Subsequently, Mizoram became Union Territory and the regional councils were split into three autonomous district council. Thereafter, for about 20 years Mizoram was seriously affected by insurgency movement in the region, though the three regional council areas remained largely in favor of the Indian Union. In 1986, after the Laldenga accord, Mizoram became a state and these areas became autonomous district councils under the state. However, traditionally, the people of these areas have harbored a feeling of mistrust against the Lusheitribals and they feel that they are marginalized and ignored.
The Mara villages are generally built on high slopes in an easily defended position. The villages are known by their place names and not by the name of the chiefs. The primary occupation of all villagers continues to be agriculture largely of the primitive type of jhum cultivation. The Mara has traditionally been accustomed to the primitive methods of jhum cultivation and still a majority of villagers practice this environmentally destructive practice of cultivation. In the area selected for jhum, whether it is bamboo or trees, the jungle is cut down and left to dry. When thoroughly dried, it is set on fire to kill all insects and render the weeds sterile and the ashes serve as valuable manure. Originally, the jhumming cycle was for about eight to ten years, but gradually now it has shrunk to four or five years. However, even after so many years of development, the agriculture is largely of the subsistence type with very little attempt to grow surplus, even though the agro climatic conditions are highly favorable for horticulture, floriculture and agriculture.
