Kaka D Iralu
As it was in the case of my grand uncle A.Z.Phizo; so also in the case of my uncle Yongkong; though I have lived fifty years in this world, and though his village is just a few kilometres from my own village, I never ever saw this grand Naga gentleman anytime in my life. The simple reason for this non-acquaintance was because of the Indian invasion of our sacred lands. Uncle Yongkong joined the Naga national movement in the same year that I was born (1956). And that means, he was faithful to that cause for the entire duration of half a century.
Now, on his death, what shall I say to his living relatives, fellow villagers and the Ao community to which he belongs? I am at a loss for words. But this much at least, I wish to say, “Uncle Yongkong. I salute you with the 18,250 days of my life for being faithful to the cause of my future freedom on earth.” I also hope that all Angamis join me in this salute, because the Ao community also gave the highest honour to our grand uncle A.Z.Phizo when he expired on April 30, 1990. In this salute, I also wish to add that though Uncle Yongkong might not have been as prominent as A.Z.Phizo; yet in terms of sacrifices - physical, mental, social and otherwise - his sacrifice was not in any way inferior or lesser to that of A.Z.Phizo’s. He too, like A.Z.Phizo gave his all and his best for our national cause. Here, giving one’s best, I believe is what counts in the sight of God.
To my generation of Nagas, I wish to say this: As Nagas, someday, when we are finally free, it will be our bounden national duty to bring back the bones or even the ashes of these national heroes and bury them in our beloved lands. At least, that much we owe them, because they all gave their “Best yesterday” for our “Better tomorrow.”
Let us never ever forget that many of their bones still lie even unburied in many foreign countries like the jungles of Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, etc. Yes, it is our bounden duty to bring back their remains and bury them in our lands with full Naga military and national honours.
But here, we must also remember that we cannot just monumentalise their sacrifices and our history by just erecting huge stones to their memories. No, the battle for our freedom is still not over.
After all, so long as the foreign Indian and Burmese national flags flies in our lands; and so long as Indian and Burmese soldiers roam our highways, streets and footpaths- and so long as our own Naga brothers have to die in foreign Chattisgarhs and Kargils fighting for somebody else’s security - that long we are still not free and independent. And so long as we are not INDEPENDENT, that long we are still DEPENDENT and subject to foreign whims and orders that can exploits our lands and even send us to our deaths.
In the light of these dark and oppressive realities, may the silenced heart of uncle Yongkong re-awaken the hearts of the living Nagas to the unfinished task ahead. May his death - and the sacrificial deaths of many others like him - never ever be in vain. KUKNALIM.
