Kuzhovesa Soho
Kohima | October 9
The word ‘Khiamniungan’ means “Great source of water’ (‘Khiam’ – great or big, ‘Niun’ – water and ‘Gan’ – source). Surrounded by hills and located between two rivers, the entire Khiamniungan community enjoys sufficient water resources. But the underlying history of this community tells of stories of hardship and their desire to catch up with the world today like their name signifies – prosperity.
Talking to The Morung Express, a DB from Noklak town, P Kai, said that since time immemorial the Khiamniungan people have been living together ‘without any ism’ irrespective of cultures and traditions. But after India got her independent in 1947, ‘territorially we were being separated’. Availing facilities from the government and the advent of education made the lives of the people “different.” 46% of people living within the Indian Territory advanced much ahead of the 64% people living under the rule of Myanmar.
The separation of the Khiamniungan took place as the government of India left out 64% of the community and ungoverned. Kai said that ‘those sections of people – Indo Myanmar living outside the territory of India – were never taken care of by the Myanmar government. So their living conditions suffered.
The main factor that keeps the Khiamniungan united is festivals. The DAN government’s road shows are appreciated in this regard. Almost all Khiamniungan village representatives from the Indo-Myanmar participated in the road shows. Majority of the villages are not connected by roads, so people walk 3-4 days to reach Noklak.
There is optimism that establishing the proposed Pangsha International trade center would draw the Myanmar government closer to pave a way for better life for the community “in a new era.”
Indo-Myanmar Khiamniungan faced untold sufferings at the hands of the Burmese Buddhists in 1982 who tortured the people with the intention to convert the Naga from Christianity to Buddhism. It was disclosed that a Buddhist monk who initiated a conversion movement tried to find a place to live in Noklak. To the utter surprise of the people of the area, the Buddhist monk got married to a local woman and is now well- settled down in Noklak town, running a business.
On road conditions, Kai jokingly said ‘amikhan laga raasta tu bishi jagate machi bijon halibo para laga ekta ase’ (‘our roads, from Tuensang till here, have ample places to farm fish’). During the 2010 Tsokum-state road show, vehicles got stranded. A vehicle of a parliamentary secretary got stranded on 4 October evening and he could reach Noklak only in the wee hours of the next morning.
