A Retrospective and Introspective Research Analysis on Naga National Movement
T.A. Rongmei
Every beginning has its ending as well. Nagas struggle too has its beginning and will have its ending. The Nagalim today is the product of how the beginning and its process of struggle has brought about. Everyone is responsibly bound to make the future a better place to live by taking responsible steps toward renewing the causewith correct direction and strategy.
Nagaland means, land of the Nagas. Here the word ‘land’ is English word adopted to denote ‘lim’. The word ‘LIM’ is Naga’s term for land. Therefore the right term for the name of Nation state of the Nagas is Nagalim.
The beginning of the Naga Political struggle: The Nagas have been struggling for freedom from foreign invasion since 1887. The most significant historical events or steps taken were:
(a)No Taxation Movement (Defiance of House Tax): The people of Southern particularly Rongmei dominated Areas known as Tamenglong, there was a heavy revolt and resistance against the forceful entry of Britishers. The people’s movement was launched against the invaders declaring “No tax movement” The Rongmei people (Zeliangrong) could withstand the force of Govt of British India and abstained from paying House Tax for four years(1887-91) Ref. Manipur Administrative Report 1893, P. 142. The movement came to a halt due to excessive overpowering of the forces of Britishers under the command of F.L. Crowford.Assistant Political Agent of Manipur.
(b) The Naga Demand for self determination: The Memorandum of the Nagas for self determination was submitted to the Simon Commission by the Naga Club 1929 at Kohima. The memorandum could be subjectively classified into two main objectives (1) To remain under Crown Rule and the other (2) demand for right to self determination. The content of the Memorandum tells of Nagas’ difficulty to unite themselves for reasons of differences in languages, diverse tribes etc and also expressed the desire to leave the Nagas outside the reformed scheme of British India. The fact indicates that Nagas never want to be under any subjection, except to leave them alone freely as in ancient times.
The present Indian State of Nagaland is a part of Nagalim, created out of the consent and wishes of the Nags as a whole. It was the Indian policy to divide and derail the Naga political mainstream which is a betrayal to the Naga brothers and sisters living in parts of Arunachal, Myanmar, Manipur and Assam. The Naga leaders of Naga Hills and Tuensang areas have opted for a state within India instead of the Naga sovereign Nation State. The Nagas struggle for liberation from foreign occupation over their land and the people, received a big setback when Nagaland Statehood was curved out by dividing the land of the Nagas against the will and knowledge of the NNC or the Naga people. The NPC Statehood committee did not include members of Nagas of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal and Myanmar.
(c )The Naga Raj Movement (1926-31):After a decade or so, a man of Vision was born known as HaipouJadonang. Many writers called him mystic Naga leader. It was he who revived the resistance movement by proclaiming the Naga Raj Movement (Naga kingdom) 1926. He was hang on the 29th August 1931 so as the Naga Movement could be put to full stop. Nevertheless, a young girl of 16years old Miss Gaidinliu took over the charge of the Movement in place of Jadonang (1931-32). She took up a plan to reach the leaders of the Naga Club for consultation about the Naga political issue. While on her way, she was arrested from Poilwa Village Naga Hills Presently Nagaland through an intelligent source. Her arrest had brought about communication gap between the Nagas of Naga hills and Tuensang areas and Nagas of the south till 1956-57. During that period, a new political development took place resulting to formation of Naga National Council 1946 at Wokha. Rani had been in Tuensang jail till the declaration of Indian Independent i.e 15th August 1947. Soon after the declaration of India as a sovereign State, she was released from the jail and awarded her the title of Rani, by shri. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the first prime Minister of India having duly recognised her sacrifices for the cause of the Nation. Indian writers called her Rani of the Nagas (the Rongmei). No Treaty or Pact was signed with British India or later on with Burma on Nagalim political Movement. After India independent, there had been certain agreements made between the Government agencies of India and certain Naga leaders which were neither productive nor supportive to the Naga cause. Rather those Agreements have rendered further divisions and confusions among the Nagas today.
(d)Agreement for Interim Arrangement of 1947:
The 9th point agreement or Hydari Agreement of 1947 and later on with the premier of Assam G.N. Bordoloi on 27-29, 1947 & 22nd June 1948 was but a mockery and deceptive policy. No legal sanction was accorded and as such it ended into smoke or vaporised.
(e)The Boycott of March 30, 1953: A Political Blunder:The Declaration of Naga Independent on 14th August 1947 might have prompted India and Burma to undertake a political survey. The joint visit of the two Prime Ministers of India and Myanmar (Burma) Shri. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru of India and Thakin U-Nu of Burma could have been a big lift of settlement to the Nagas, had the Naga Leaders warmly received them despites certain unwanted elements diffusing the situation. It was highly presumable that the twohighly responsible leaders of India and Burma came to hear and settle the grievances and problems of the Nagas in a friendly way. The whole purpose of the visit was turned down due to certain misunderstanding, about their visit,resulting the partition of Nagalim into two Countries; India and Burma(Myanmar) The matter has left as a sandwich between the two countries to decide the fate of the Nagas.
(f)The Naga National fallout Agreement of 1960:
Another Agreement Known as the 16th Point Agreement of 1960, the July 26th signed between the GOI and Naga People Convention (NPC) was found to be the worst betrayal form of agreement ever committed in the history of the Naga Nation by leaders of Naga People Convention of the Nagas Hills and Tuensang Areas. The NPC neither consulted the Nagas of the other parts of Nagalim nor taken the consent of the NNC which at that point of time was the only Naga National Authority. The consequent of which sectional agreement, the issue of Naga Integration was necessitated and is today hanging at bay in the hands of India. Is Naga integration a remedy to that fatal wound of 16th point agreement? Many Resolutions for Naga Integration had been passed in the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly amounting to nothing but wasted papers. The 16th point agreement made to the people of Naga Hills and Tuensang areas was an appeasement policy of India to buy away the rights the Nagas of the whole Nagalim; the very right to Self Determination. It was also made to divide the Nagas of Nagalim. The Present Indian state of Nagaland was given to the Nagas at the expense of tears, sweats and bloods of the Nagas of Nagalim.
The creation of Indian state of Nagaland is not only a closed mouth policy of India but also sowing seeds of hostility among the Nagas which now resulting issues of indigenous citizens or non-indigenous and many narrowed down ideologies calling themselves as Nagas of Nagaland, of Manipur, of Arunachal, of Assam, of Myanmar etc.what a fools and greedy the Nagas have become in the eye of the world? The political leaders of the Present Indian state of Nagalandalleged that the Nagas of the Present Manipur state are not interested for Naga integration, whereas the Nagas from Manipur state have been struggling for solution of the Naga political problems since and before the leaders of Naga Hills and Tuensang areas were awoken. Had the Naga leaders of the NPC been visionary, they could have included all the Nagas of the Nagalim, and their land in the approach, then India could have consented to the proposal, so that the present issue of Integration of contiguous Naga Areas would not have arisen. The 16th point demand was accepted by the Govt of India in order to subside the political movement of the Nagas which the leaders of the NPC were befooled.
To be continued.
NB:- This write-up is a personal analysis on Nagalim Today. The analysis is based on the writer’s personal experience of the Naga National struggle since the formative stage till date. Any comment or constructive criticism on this publication may be referred to, through the given No. 9436830698/ 03862-224712.
