INTRODUCTION
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council neither proposes any political agenda nor works for a political goal since it is the prerogatives of the different bodies of the Naga National workers and the Naga people. However, NBCC asserts the natural validity and legitimacy of Naga political rights for self determination. NBCC advocate the use of peaceful means in the Naga struggle and achieving their aspiration. Accordingly NBCC initiated the Peace Mission, and Cease-fire agreement was declared on September 6, 1964 between the Government of India and the Federal Government of Nagaland creating the historic platform of Indo-Naga Peace Talk. Upon the similar foundation, the peace process between NSCN (IM) and the Government of India is presently in process.
I. THE POSITION OF THE NAGAS
1. Before the advent of the British into Naga country, the Naga territory remained independent and un-administered by any foreign power since time immemorial. The Nagas ruled themselves. The British Government arrived and occupied a part of Nagaland in 1880 A.D. bordering the eastern side of Assam called the Naga Hills comprising several tribes. After about 4 decades of British occupation of the Naga Hills, the British wanted to arrange the administration in India and to study about the same. A Commission was detailed to India called the Simon Commission which arrived in Nagaland in 1929. The Naga leaders submitted a memorandum stating that Nagas be left alone as before the advent of British but not with the Indians if Britishers leave India soil.
2. Based on this memorandum, the Naga Hills was put as “Excluded Area” from British-India under Constitutional Act of 1935. This excluded area was looked after directly by the Governor of Assam since 1936.
3. Thereafter, the Nagas declared themselves as independent people on 14 August 1947, ahead of one day from declaration of India’s Independence on 15 August, 1947.
This Independent Declaration was made out of the British Government statement on 6th of December 1946 which read as follows:
“Should a Constitution come to be framed by the Constituent Assembly in which a large section of India’s population had not been represented, his Majesty’s Government would not contemplate forcing such a Constitution upon any unwilling part of the Country.” (No.7 & 8 are at p/2 and p/4 of the Constitution of India by Durga Das Basu 5th Edition February 1965)
This led to the adoption of 8 resolutions by Constituent Assembly of India in its session on 22 January, 1947 whereof Resolution No.2 reads as follows:-
“Wherein the territories that now comprise British India, the territories that now form the Indian States, and such other parts of India, as are outside British India and the States as well as such other territories as are willing to be constituted into the Independent Sovereign shall be a Union of them all.”
4. Again the Naga Hills people/excluded area people conducted a National plebiscite on 16th May 1951 within British administered territory where 99.9% voted for the Sovereignty of Nagaland affirming the 14th August 1947 Independent declaration. Declaration of Independence and the National Plebiscite has been taken under the initiative of Naga National Council.
5. As the Naga plebiscite further strengthened the people’s mandate to Naga National Council and the Naga Tatar Hoho, that is the Naga Parliament, and adopted the Constitution of Nagaland, which brought together the Free Nagas and NNC and established the Federal Government of Nagaland on 22nd of March 1952. The Free Nagas are those Naga tribes who were never ruled by British or any other foreign rule but ruled by themselves under Honking Government.
6. In the meantime both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru made these commitments:
Mahatma Gandhi the father of the Nation stated like this when he met the Naga delegation on July 19, 1947 in New Delhi.
(1) “Nagas have every right to be independent. We did not want to live under the domination of the British and they are now leaving us. I want you to feel that India is yours. I feel that the Naga Hills are mine just as much as they are yours, but if you say ‘it is mine’ then the matter must stop there. I believe in the brotherhood of man, but I do not believe in force or forced unions. If you do not wish to join the union of India nobody will force you to do that.”
Jawaharlal Nehru declaration:
(2) “We want no people in the territory of India against their will and with the help of armed forces. We want no forced marriages or forced unions. This great Republic of India is a free, friendly and an affectionate union of the states of India.”
II. POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (GoI)
After the Indian Independence in 1947 the GoI maintained that Nagaland shall never be allowed to secede from India on the following grounds.
1. All British ruled territories including Nagaland were handed over to India by the British Government during their departure.
2. Nagaland is an integral part of India.
3. Except a few negligible percentages of the Naga rebels, Naga people want to be with India.
4. The Naga People’s Convention had made a 16-point agreement with GoI in 1960 and accepted Statehood under the Indian Union in 1963.
5. Reaffirming their will and decision, vast majority of the Nagas are participating in Nagaland State elections eagerly under the Indian constitution.
6. Naga rebel organizations must be banned and their activities should be curbed by all means.
7. The question of Sovereignty and Independence of Nagaland does not arise.
III. WAGING WAR IN NAGA SOIL.
The GoI had authorized Assam State and NEFA Administration to take joint police action to deal with the offenders (Nagas) (Deccan Chronicle July 31,1955). By 1956 Assam State alone spent Rs. 85,855,266/- by 1956 and sanctioned Rs. 39 millions in 1957-58 in Assam State budget. (The Statement April 20, 1956).
On perceiving the rampant destruction of the Nagas, NNC organised Naga Home Guards and fought against the Assam police. Empowered by the Assam maintenance public order Act, the Police fought against the Nagas but could not subdue them. So the Indian Army troops moved into Tuensang by October 1955 and the war with the Nagas started from then (B. N. Mullik: My Years With Nehru p. 308). “The war brought heavy casualties on both sides. But the casualty list and the saga of suffering has been much more painful to the Nagas” (Kaka D. Iralu. Nagaland and India - The blood and Tears p.31)
IV. WHY NBCC IS INVOLVED IN NAGA ISSUE
From 1953, raids, fines, arrests, imprisonments, killings, burning of villages, terrorizing activities upon innocent public with legal protection of the Assam maintenance of public order Act and Disturbed area Act by GoI continued to be meted out. The Police and Security non-commission officers were authorized to arrest or shoot and kill the suspected. The law prohibited holding of meetings or assemblies and shouting slogans with the penalty of two years imprisonment. Forced labour for transportation of materials for military construction of new roads and buildings were enforced. By 1955, 10,000 Nagas were beaten and tortured including 1,564 women, 26,598 houses and 515 granaries were burnt and 1811 men maimed through torture. In the later period killing of more than 1,00,000 Nagas and destruction of huge properties were inflected.
In October 1956 horror and nightmare of the people multiplied as two Divisions of Indian army moved to Nagaland. NNC also formed Federal Forces and the first retaliation took place in March 24, 1956. Schools were closed down for years together with the Army occupying the school buildings.
After the Armed Forces Special Power Act of 1958, Nagaland was in the hands of the army, as the Act had given unlimited powers to them. The implications of this Act amounted to Indian soldiers being empowered by law to kill on suspicion, burn and destroy as they like. And under this legal umbrella they even started to rape and torture innocent villagers with impunity. The innocent public bled, cried, suffered and died but the world never heard their cries of agony. Almost every Naga family was desecrated and almost every Naga village was burned down to ashes.
Following the burning of villages, a mass exodus of helpless villagers fled into the jungle for their lives almost naked and foodless. The former Chief Minister of Nagaland S.C. Jamir wrote in 1974 thus: “Most of the villages and granaries were burned down and people preferred to run away and hide in the jungle for safety”. Starvation, hunger, diseases and deaths among the dispersed increased and thus many perished in the jungle habitats.
Indian Army shot the village elders when they refused to supply them with Naga ladies. The mighty Indian armed forces even raped the mad, paralyzed women. Women and girls were arrested everyday kept in their custody and usually raped by the Army officers. Some were kicked to death after raping. Thousands of Naga women were paralyzed, maimed and died. They had committed many shameless crime and evils including committing sodomy on the innocent boys.
Inhuman treatment was meted out upon the captured Naga soldiers destroying their vital parts including testicles. The captured Naga fighters were injected to death by the Indian military doctors. Indian Armed Forces are considered to be one of the disciplined forces in the world but it is unfortunate that their excessive cruelty and atrocities left a permanent scar on the impression of the common Nagas about Indian army. (Nagaland and India-the blood and The Tears by Kaka Iralu P. 543 pages are the records of many unbelievable records B.N. Mullik: My years with Nehru 1948-64).
Rev. Dr. V. K. Nuh on September 6, 2004 Cease-Fire Speech stated:
“I can well remember how dark those days were, when no foreigners were allowed to witness the situation in the early part of 1955. While the whole world was busy in their own affairs, Nagaland was converted into a prison cell.”
Nothing can be more unfortunate for a person who has been completely cut off from his/her family’s love and care, and nothing can be more tragic than a person who has been tortured to death. Perhaps in the history of wars, Nagas had suffered the most when their villages were burned to ashes and the entire population hunted down like animals in the jungles except for some few traitors here and there, hardly any true Naga lived in towns and villages.
Thousands of children were born abnormal owing to the mental tortures and psychological depression of their mothers and parents. Many innocent people were beaten to death or burned to death. Hundreds of Naga women were treated in the most shameful way. Defenseless Nagas were tortured in the heat as well as in the cold. They were not even allowed to go for nature’s call, and so many Nagas were left to the mercy of the most cruel and inhuman personnel of the India Armed Forces. Yet, no one dared to neither protest nor beg for his /her right even on humanitarian ground.
V. CEASE-FIRE
Viewing the seriousness of the situation, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) had a convention at Wokha from February 2-4, 1964. In it, a resolution was passed to bring about a peaceful settlement between the Government of India and the Federal Government of Nagaland. Consequently, a Peace Mission was formed with Mr. B.P. Chaliha, the then Chief Minister of Assam, Mr. Jayaprakash Narayan a veteran freedom fighter and Rev. Michael Scott a popular missionary from England. They came forward and took up responsibilities sincerely and made many contacts with both sides. After many selfless efforts, they got positive response even from the Federal Government of Nagaland. They met at the Peace Mission at Sakraba in Phek district, after which an agreement was signed on the 24th of May 1964.
Thus a Cease-Fire between the two Governments was agreed upon. With the Peace Mission as go between, contacts were started and a Cease-fire Agreement was declared on September 6, 1964.
We remember how Naga people rejoiced over the dawn of peace in our land. Naga people must remain grateful to those who worked so hard for this historic day in time of need. Most of them are no more with us today.
It would be inappropriate not to mention the names of these people; Rev. Longri Ao, Rev. Kenneth Kerhuo, Rev. Shihoto Swu, Rev. Ahamo, Rev. Kevizelie, Rev. Kijung Ao, Rev. V. K. Nuh, Rev. Kho-u Savino, Rev. Hazeding Lungalang, Rev. Ashuli Mao, Rev. Rusulo, Rev. Manem, Rev. Dupor Vasa, Rev. Ayutemjen, Rev. Litsase, Rev. Phanipphang, Rev. Toniho, Rev. Mankup, Rev. L. Mhasi, Rev. Yankey Patton, Rev. Neiliezhü Usoü, and Rev. Y. Chingang. There are many others. Besides we remember Dr. Aram, Miss Marjoria Sykes as peace observer team.
During the 1964 Cease-Fire six rounds of Peace Talk was held with the Prime Minister by the FGN delegation but Peace Talk was dead locked without any outcome and Cease-Fire was abrogated by GoI on August 31, 1972.
The next Cease-fire declared between NSCN (IM)-GoI in July 31, 1997 and more than 40 rounds of Peace talks were held at Prime Minister Level and we are yet to see the concrete outcome. NSCN (K) also signed Cease-fire with GoI in April 28, 2001. Peace Talk has not yet begun.
Issued by NBCC Office
August 17, 2005
PRAYER POINTS
1. Let us confess the sin of Naga rebellion against God and violation of his eternal law and seek the face of God. Let us pray that Nagas will be truly repented to receive favour of God.
2. Let us pray that Naga-GoI political process will speed up to reach final political settlement and permanent peace.
3. Let us continue to pray for the reconciliation and healing of our broken relationships and deep wounds by the power of God.
4. Let us pray that killing among different factions may stop once for all.
