Kaka D. Iralu
As Nagaland once again celebrate the Hornbill festival in connection with the state inauguration day of January 1, let us pause for a moment and ponder on the premise upon which the Nagaland state came into existence. In my personal opinion, the premise or foundation on which the state today stands is based on a lie-the lie that Nagas are Indians and Nagaland is Indian territory. I know some will disagree with me, but allow me to propound on what I consider to be the two greatest lies in Naga history that has cost so many Naga lives in the past six decades.
1. The lie that Nagas are Indians and Nagaland is Indian Territory.
This is the number one lie that has caused the death of over two thousand Naga lives and also thousands of Indian army and civil administrator’s lives in the 62 year Indo Naga war. This lie however can never withstand the test of scientific disciplines like anthropology, history, archeology, culture or language. Anthropologically, Nagas, far from being Dravido Aryans have always been a Mongolian race and nation with a distinct history, geography and culture of their own. This Naga history, geography and culture have never been a part of anything Indian. It is also a historical fact, that Nagas have always defended their distinct political and geographical lands, right from the third century to the advent of the British from 1832 to 1947 and from thence, against the occupational forces of the Indian and Burmese Governments till date. This invasion of Naga territory and nationality has resulted in a 62 year bloody war. But of course, one lie can never stand alone on its own feet. So, the Indian Government has called the Indo- Naga war as a mere “law and order breakdown issue” that has necessitated Indian military assistance for its resolution. B. N. Mullick, the former Director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau however inadvertently stated the truth, when he wrote in his book the following words: “Troops moved into Tuensang by October 1955, and the war with the Nagas started from then.”(BN Mullik, My years with Nehru, p.308). This 53000 Indian troops were assisted by light armored tanks, heavy artillery and later even Jet fighters.
The truth of Naga nationality and defense of her territory by its nationals for over 800 years in modern history stands substantiated by written historical documents. This history can be roughly classified into the following periods. Resistance against neighboring kingdoms like the Manipur, Cachar, Tripuri, Burmese and Ahom kingdoms- 13th century to the later half of the 19th century- that is-for over seven hundred years. Resistance against the British Imperial might- 1832 to1947- which is 115 intermittent years. Resistance against modern India and Burma-1947 to 2012.
However, to our own shame and dishonor, while the whole Naga nation was fighting against the Indian and Burmese political lie and invasion from 1947 to 1960, a section of our own people gave their active assistance and cooperation to this unbelievable lie and through the 16 Point Agreement of 1960, made Nagaland an Indian state in 1963. Presently one is scandalized to see that even the Church in Nagaland is now going to actively participate in the perpetuation of this lie by calling for clean and fair elections under the Constitution of India.
In actual fact, the 16 Point Agreement and statehood under the Indian union ullified the sacrifices of over one hundred thousand Nagas who had died for the Naga cause. This agreement also further condemned thousands of Naga lives to a life of suffering, pain and even death as they refused Indian sovereignty over us and relentlessly carried on the fight for our political freedom.
Today, as we dance in the Hornbill festival showcasing our cultural diversity and beauty to the world, how much more noble and dignified it would have been, if we were dancing on our own independent soil instead of under the shadow and flag of a foreign government…
2. The lie that through the Shillong Accord of 1975, the NNC and the Tenyimia people had sold away Naga national rights to India.
On a recent tour into the interior parts of Nagaland, I was shocked when an elderly man who was also President of the G.B. Federation of the District,told me the following words. He said: “Son, the Shillong Accord failed to bring a solution to the Indo-Naga conflict because the NNC did not consult the Village GBs and the villagers when they drafted the document.” He went on saying:”Even the present peace talks will fail if the villagers are by-passed again.” I will not comment on the second part of his statement, but the first part really irritated me because he had been grossly misinformed by the many lies that our own political leaders have uttered as well as extensively written about the Shillong Accord. In these writings, Muivah and Isak had even gone to the extend of saying that the Shillong Accord was a Tenyimia Accord and that Phizo and his followers were the sworn enemy of the Naga people because of signing it. They concluded by advising the Tenyimia people saying:” We advice you to measure the box of your brain and reduce yourself first to your own size. Try hard to come to the level of other Nagas realizing that you are far below them in respect of discerning right and wrong.” (Statement of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, dated Jan.3, 1984).
Having heard such political lies and propaganda, this elderly Naga GB was thinking that the Shillong Accord was drafted by the NNC and the FGN leaders and was later accepted and countersigned by the Indian Government. I had to explain to him that neither Phizo nor the NNC/FGN leaders had anything to do with the drafting of the Shillong Accord. I explained in detail that after the Indo-Pakistan war of 1972 and after the abrogation of the 1964 Indo-Naga ceasefire by India; thousands of Indian soldiers were moved into Nagaland who almost destroyed the Naga army and its civil wings. I further explained to him that in this unprecedented military defeat of the Nagas, as far as Western Nagaland was concerned, all the other tribes had surrendered with the exception of a few Tenyimia die hards who refused to surrender along with one Tangkhul (Ramyo) and one Ao (Temjen). When this un-surrendered and largely Tenyimia group were sent to Shillong to negotiate with the government of India on the lines of the 1964 Peace Proposals, the already INDIAN GOVERNMENT DRAFTED Shillong Accord was produced by Governor L.P. Singh with the threat that all suspended military operations would be resumed, if they refused to append their signatures on it.
At this juncture of our political history, all the Naga army Brigades in the North, East and West Commands had been either wiped out or forced to surrender. What remained of a once powerful army comprising of nearly twenty thousand soldiers was now reduced to only 180 cadres from both the civilian and army wings. This was a fact known even to the Indian Army because the statistics came from their side and it was correct. For these last remnants as well as for those who had gone to Shillong, there simply remained no other option except to go back to the jungles and die a courageous but useless death which would in turn bring an end of the Naga struggle.
The Shillong Accord was thus signed under duress and under undeniable military defeat. When the Naga signatories to the Accord asked for at least ten days of no military operations in ten Northern Angami villages so that they could have discussions with their superiors, they were granted only eight days and eight villages. However, this military defeat and its consequences were turned into a political victory when the FGN cleverly rejected the Shillong Accord through their three paged rejoinder to the Shillong Accord document. This rejoinder and rejection of the Accord was signed by Zashei Huire- the then President of the FGN.
Now, that a document called The Shillong Accord was signed by some Underground representatives and the Governor of Nagaland and Assam in 1975 is an undeniable historical fact. But that the Shillong Accord was discussed and signed with Phizo’s approval and consent and that it was a Tenyimia betrayal of the Naga national cause is a complete and BLATANT LIE concocted by the NSCN.
In Nagaland’s protracted war with India and Burma, these two lies have done the greatest damage to Naga lives and Naga national unity. The first lie has cost over two hundred thousand Naga lives while the second lie has cost over three thousand Naga lives through fratricidal killings.
