Whatever lingering issue that existed as to who is responsible for the 1988 crisis has been laid to rest thorough the recent Highest Level Meeting in the spirit of love and forgiveness under the aegis of Forum for Naga Reconciliation. The top Naga leaders have acknowledged that the 1988 crisis was a tragic incident within the Naga family and recognising the catastrophic loss, there is now a new wave of belief among the Naga people which promises to avoid such pitfalls in future.
GPRN/NSCN understands that even barking dogs stops when distant strangers becomes familiar and so this statement is issued for those who are blind to reality. It is also aimed at correcting the misinformed within K group. The statement published in the name of Konyak Region by K group on 31st August 2011 squarely blames Gen. (Retd) Khole Konyak for the massacre, yet elsewhere, S.S Khaplang has wisely admitted the 1988 massacre was genocide. Whosoever was responsible for the crisis is clear. GPRN/NSCN appreciates this self realization on the part of S.S Khaplang.
The statement issued in the name of Konyak Region on 31st Aug. 2011 in the local dailies, after proper inquiry, was not issued by Konyak Region as Khaplang group is almost non-existent in Konyak soil and therefore the said statement, which reported the 1988 crisis as a clash between Konyaks and Tangkhuls with GPRN/NSCN Chairman Gen. (Retd) Khole Konyak as the mastermind, is nothing but an attempt to further inject poison between the two tribes. It is to be mentioned that at a recent High Level Meeting, Th. Muivah, General Secretary of IM admitted that ‘Gen Khole is not responsible for the massacre of 1988’. This means Chairman Isak Chishi and Secretary Th. Muivah precisely know who the architect of the 1988 crisis is. How the crisis started and how it ended are well known to many leaders who are still alive. Children should not distort history that was played out by parents.
For those K boys who wish to know the fact, in 1988, on the eve of the crisis, Khango Konyak was the operation commander at Chapkho village near Pangmi territory however Gen. Khole, sensing uneasy calm over the killing eight 2nd Bn. Konyak boys by Major Hao Tangkhul for leave default, the then Commander-in-Chief Gen Khole recalled Khango back to 2nd Bn. and confined him to Konyak Region to diffuse tension in the air. If there was any anger and revolt by Konyaks, it was directed against Maj. Hao Tangkhul for his brutal action and not against Tangkhuls in general. Taking advantage of the situation, after some days, in the absence of President Isak Chishi Swu who was out of station, S.S Khaplang, the Vice President deputed two men namely Challam Village Angba Angmai and one Tonyu Villager, who was a Pangmi Region member, to C-in-C Khole and recalled all 2nd Bn. Naga army and launched an attack on Hansen CHQ. Prior to the attack, S.S Khaplang appointed Tusanchu in place of Khango Konyak as the operation commander. Later, Lieut. Chingtok Konyak, on the order of S.S Khaplang, was awarded capital punishment for killing Ashiho Mao, Dy. C-in-C. During that time the then Maj. V.S Atem was with the C-in-C Khole Konyak however, he was given safe passage to Hansen CHQ with an urgent letter sent to Gen. Secy. Th. Muivah appealing that killings must be avoided at any cost. Gen. V.S Atem would not have survived if it was a crisis between Konyaks and Tangkhuls. Gen. Khole also mentioned in the note that Maj. Hao should be arrested as a Naga Army officer who erred in judgment and not because he was a Tangkhul. He (Khole) mentioned that he would go to Hansen CHQ if necessary to ensure fair trail of Maj. Hao. It is also to be noted that the 1988 crisis happened notably in Pangmi region and not in Konyak region and the victims mostly were cut down by public. This is another reaffirmation that the crisis was never between Konyaks and Tangkhuls as K group would like it to be.
Those who lose track of reality are naturally susceptible to garrulous talk in their demoralised state. Naga history is not penned by bombastic college degree holders whose presumptions have little in common with what actually happened. Naga history is about men and women who lived and died nursing a vision that is truly theirs.
Whatever happened then was unfortunate. Today GPRN/NSCN would only hope that Nagas would learn from bitter history. It is unfortunate that S.S Khaplang chose to withdraw from Naga Reconciliation process thereby allowing some of his rebellious boys to mock the Naga people for seeking peace, reconciliation and nation-building measures. Their existence is shown only in racking up the past with make believe stories. Recently, Hashik village in eastern Nagaland was razed to ashes by Khaplang’s group with a silly excuse that the inhabitants brought IM cadres there. Their hunger for violence and destruction is apparent. To search for 1988 crisis culprits is too passive at a present hour. If those wishing to sit for a debate for the 1988 crisis are really serious, GPRN/NSCN informs them to first bring their leader S.S Khaplang to Nagaland so that bare facts could be analysed at the table. GPRN/NSCN leaders cannot stoop as low as to accepting invitation for debate from wayward boys who in 1988 were, perhaps, stealing pocket money from their parents!
GPRN/NSCN understands that even barking dogs stops when distant strangers becomes familiar and so this statement is issued for those who are blind to reality. It is also aimed at correcting the misinformed within K group. The statement published in the name of Konyak Region by K group on 31st August 2011 squarely blames Gen. (Retd) Khole Konyak for the massacre, yet elsewhere, S.S Khaplang has wisely admitted the 1988 massacre was genocide. Whosoever was responsible for the crisis is clear. GPRN/NSCN appreciates this self realization on the part of S.S Khaplang.
The statement issued in the name of Konyak Region on 31st Aug. 2011 in the local dailies, after proper inquiry, was not issued by Konyak Region as Khaplang group is almost non-existent in Konyak soil and therefore the said statement, which reported the 1988 crisis as a clash between Konyaks and Tangkhuls with GPRN/NSCN Chairman Gen. (Retd) Khole Konyak as the mastermind, is nothing but an attempt to further inject poison between the two tribes. It is to be mentioned that at a recent High Level Meeting, Th. Muivah, General Secretary of IM admitted that ‘Gen Khole is not responsible for the massacre of 1988’. This means Chairman Isak Chishi and Secretary Th. Muivah precisely know who the architect of the 1988 crisis is. How the crisis started and how it ended are well known to many leaders who are still alive. Children should not distort history that was played out by parents.
For those K boys who wish to know the fact, in 1988, on the eve of the crisis, Khango Konyak was the operation commander at Chapkho village near Pangmi territory however Gen. Khole, sensing uneasy calm over the killing eight 2nd Bn. Konyak boys by Major Hao Tangkhul for leave default, the then Commander-in-Chief Gen Khole recalled Khango back to 2nd Bn. and confined him to Konyak Region to diffuse tension in the air. If there was any anger and revolt by Konyaks, it was directed against Maj. Hao Tangkhul for his brutal action and not against Tangkhuls in general. Taking advantage of the situation, after some days, in the absence of President Isak Chishi Swu who was out of station, S.S Khaplang, the Vice President deputed two men namely Challam Village Angba Angmai and one Tonyu Villager, who was a Pangmi Region member, to C-in-C Khole and recalled all 2nd Bn. Naga army and launched an attack on Hansen CHQ. Prior to the attack, S.S Khaplang appointed Tusanchu in place of Khango Konyak as the operation commander. Later, Lieut. Chingtok Konyak, on the order of S.S Khaplang, was awarded capital punishment for killing Ashiho Mao, Dy. C-in-C. During that time the then Maj. V.S Atem was with the C-in-C Khole Konyak however, he was given safe passage to Hansen CHQ with an urgent letter sent to Gen. Secy. Th. Muivah appealing that killings must be avoided at any cost. Gen. V.S Atem would not have survived if it was a crisis between Konyaks and Tangkhuls. Gen. Khole also mentioned in the note that Maj. Hao should be arrested as a Naga Army officer who erred in judgment and not because he was a Tangkhul. He (Khole) mentioned that he would go to Hansen CHQ if necessary to ensure fair trail of Maj. Hao. It is also to be noted that the 1988 crisis happened notably in Pangmi region and not in Konyak region and the victims mostly were cut down by public. This is another reaffirmation that the crisis was never between Konyaks and Tangkhuls as K group would like it to be.
Those who lose track of reality are naturally susceptible to garrulous talk in their demoralised state. Naga history is not penned by bombastic college degree holders whose presumptions have little in common with what actually happened. Naga history is about men and women who lived and died nursing a vision that is truly theirs.
Whatever happened then was unfortunate. Today GPRN/NSCN would only hope that Nagas would learn from bitter history. It is unfortunate that S.S Khaplang chose to withdraw from Naga Reconciliation process thereby allowing some of his rebellious boys to mock the Naga people for seeking peace, reconciliation and nation-building measures. Their existence is shown only in racking up the past with make believe stories. Recently, Hashik village in eastern Nagaland was razed to ashes by Khaplang’s group with a silly excuse that the inhabitants brought IM cadres there. Their hunger for violence and destruction is apparent. To search for 1988 crisis culprits is too passive at a present hour. If those wishing to sit for a debate for the 1988 crisis are really serious, GPRN/NSCN informs them to first bring their leader S.S Khaplang to Nagaland so that bare facts could be analysed at the table. GPRN/NSCN leaders cannot stoop as low as to accepting invitation for debate from wayward boys who in 1988 were, perhaps, stealing pocket money from their parents!
