The motor whirr ends at Pangsha, the last border village of Nagaland where International Trade Centre (ITC) has been established by GOI as a first step to emphasise look East policy.
Series of green hillocks and chains of smaller mountain ranges provides pyramidal supports to the gigantic mountain that stands as towering landmark physical barrier between India and Burma.
No wonder, the architect of Naga segregation chose this particular landmass above Pangsha village as the borderline between India and Myanmar. Beyond this majestic mountain lives majority of the families, villages, clans and tribes of Naga forcefully torn apart from one’s own bloodlines by India and Myanmar.
The same race with shared history and same longings and dreams to reunite with loved ones across the border exists the same time with us but shoved back to another ages of history and another era of primitive civilisation where the fittest alone survives the daily ravages of wilderness.
On a lucky winter season, after half an hour walk away from Pangsha towards the East, travellers may avail motorbike station in a first Myanmar Naga village-Punyu. Each motorbike mandatorily ferry only one passenger due to extremely dangerous footpath that traverse across vertical limits and seems to defy mechanical challenges.
For adventure seeker and naturalist, the tour presents first rate adrenaline rush and abundance of rare floras and faunas. However, to any normal visitor, the experience of three day bike ride or alternate eight to ten days foot travel(travellers not daring enough to undertake rough,risky bike ride ) to Khamti town from Punyu would be a nightmare especially in Monsoon.
Without proper roads to access isolated rural areas, the bikers uses narrow footpath to negotiate hills and terrains, un-bridged streams, rivers and perilous tropical wilderness to reach towns.
Due to normalised situation as a result of Myanmar-Naga cease-fire, the NSCN workers can now use two day jungle route normally used by public from Punyu village to Lahe/Taklang town. The recently constructed unpaved motor-able road stretches around eighty five miles from Lahe autonomous municipality to biggest Naga Metropolis-Khamti.
Like Dimapur, Khamti situates on the bank of mighty Chindwin river and buzzes with enterprising activities the year round. In the heart of the town, the NSCN/GPRN has recently established cease-fire office. Hectic consultations and daily intermediaries are abuzz with Myanmar government to strengthen the first ever formal ceasefire between the Naga government and Myanmar government, yes! to the red eyed consternation of India.
Khamti town represents prosperity, industriousness, self-reliance and the hope of all the Nagas amid the vast wilderness. The innocence, honesty and humility blended courageousness of the Nagas is highly enviable.
The MP’s, Ministers, Legislators and party leaders of Naga YUVA, alliance of ruling UNDP in Myanmar took every efforts to reach out to us from receiving the NSCN team at the bank of Chindwin river on our arrival, escorted us to first Naga-Myanmar cease-fire office and even hosted dinner in our honour at a lavish restaurant and so forth.
After a day’s rest at Khamti, the team were further escorted to the river bank personally by the same officials and bade us a memorable adieu as we embarked our journey further down the Chindwin river on motor boats towards Teka settlement, where His Excellency, SS.Khaplang runs the Council HQ at the edge of Kachin border.
The mighty Chindwin river stretches hundreds of miles across the Naga country, thus gifting the Nagas with fertile virgin river valley running hundreds of miles from Shin Bwiyan in the North till Homalin in the south via Khamti, Teka and Thamanti area.
With plenty of Chindwin tributaries originating in Naga territory, almost every Naga settlements in the valley plain are accessible by water ways. The vast valley if cultivated could definitely feed the entire Naga population both In Myanmar and India and the surplus would still be high.
Almost every Naga settlements in the valley plains being not more than 15to20 years at the most, there is hardly any introduction of productive modern agriculture or industry. The entire fertile valley still remains untilled except for few patches here and there cleared for subsistence opium farming.
The century long geo-political isolation of the Nagas has in fact served as blessing in disguise. Of the vast mineral,(Gold, ruby, high quality marble, granite and other precious stones)forest, timber and ecological etc wealth reserves, it is assumed that not even five percent (5%) of the resources has been tapped so far. Similarly only 5% to 10% of the Naga areas are connected with road, transport, communication, electricity, health and other basic modern amenities. Education and literacy rate is pitiably low with majority of few literates’s in Burmese.
English and Nagamese teachings are being initiated in few villages and towns, these schools are run by high school educated and non-matriculates who studied in Nagaland. Few outreach missionary volunteers and sponsorships from Nagaland Churches are also seen in some areas. Of the business and trading community, the local Nagas composes hardly 3% to 4% due to lack of capital investment, the rests of entrepreneurs are Chinese, Tibetians and Myanmarese.
To our amazement, not a single Nepali or Indian can be witnessed in any strata of the society in Naga country. However, the Nepalis and South Indians forms a very influential and wealthy community in and around Manipur-Myanmar international border areas of Namphalong , Tamu, Moreh etc which originally belonged to the Nagas.
The cease-fire between Kachins and Myanmar (now abrogated) not only led to encroachment of Naga areas in the valley but also brought many multi-national Gold mining companies in the encroached Naga areas reaching the opposite banks of Chindwin. Historically, the Nagas ancestral land stretches more than 100 miles beyond Chindwin river till U Yu river which marks the boundary between Kachin and Naga country. The NSCN/GPRN is reclaiming these encroached areas and demands official demarcation of boundary immediately.
So far, the Nagas has at no point of time in history joined Myanmar union, Myanmar elections were always boycotted by NSCN in Naga areas. The Nagas continue to struggle stateless and unrepresented in Myanmar union. However, some educated Nagas in autonomous Urban Naga areas are participating in the reformed democratic Union of Myanmar to alleviate the miserable living conditions of the Nagas.
With the abrogation of Kachin-Myanmar cease-fire, the Gold mining in Naga areas has closed down. Few minor gold mining ventures still continues in Chindwin rivers but with prior approval from NSCN/GPRN and royalties paid accordingly.
The majority Nagas in the valley plains are recent settlers migrated from the hills and the majority still survives hand to mouth, the inclement hot weather and raw environment makes the survival very difficult. Tropical malaria, water-borne diseases and lack of any health and medical facilities makes lives even more miserable. Population density is very low and death rate is high. The present generation new settlers are mostly short in physical stature and life expectancy is also too low. A pill of quinine or antibiotic is as precious as Gold. With abundant natural wealth and resources, living condition remains deplorable.
The convenient water ways has brought Chinese products to every homes and hearths of the Naga populace. Interestingly, four kind of currencies are accepted as legal tenders. The Chinese Yuan, the Myanmar Kyat, Indian rupee and Opium. Considering the isolation to outside world, lack of modern education, absence of scientific and technological aid, poor economic conditions and harsh natural habitat aggravated by Junta’s oppression and unstable Myanmar’s military regime which isolated the Myanmar union itself from burgeoning global markets and foreign investment.
The most isolated Naga area under such repressive regime for the last several decades without any contact to the outside world would have no option but rely on any local product that have value to the world market. Also without any export-import activities and failure to utilise it’s abundant natural resources, opium which is produced locally without much labour becomes a very convenient mode of transaction since it is accepted everywhere, especially it’s durability and viability as commercially lucrative with high value and demand to the outside international market. Without any medical facility, opium also acts as effective medication to treat arthritis, malaria, fever, loose motion etc. Opium thus plays an important role in the daily lives of the Nagas in the valley.
The hill Nagas in Myanmar comprises of Lainong, Khiamnungan, Chir-mukuri, Phom, Somrah, Pochuri, Tikhir, Eastern Konyaks etc.Most of these tribes subsists on Jhum cultivation.Practically, these Naga tribes being sandwiched between Myanmar and India with no access from either side remains more of a village republics till today. Except the Lainong Naga, few Khiamnungans and Pangmis who have increasingly migrated to Chindwin plains ,there is no sign of any administration or governance. NSCN/GPRN functions as the de-facto authority.
In every Naga villages, one will find that entire able male bodies are either active NSCN members on leave to sustain family through cultivation or most elderly men folks as retired NSCN workers, the rest of the populace are NSCN government volunteers and porters.
Every household compulsorily owns muzzle loading guns, bundle of spikes, daos, spears and shields according to numbers of male members in a family. In some affluent families US carbines and rifles are found, thus whenever the Burmese Army raids villages, the entire villagers along with People’s Army counters the attacks. Due to such public resistances, the Burma Army used to burn down the entire village.
With the signing of Naga-Myanmar cease-fire agreement, the Nagas no longer have to spend sleepless nights in anticipation of Burma Army raids, but focus more on elevating one’s living condition from subsistence to prosperity and to open up to the outside world civilisation.
The rebirth of democracy in Myanmar and sincere efforts of the Myanmar government to develop the Naga areas has kicked off with a high note, the NSCN while parleying with Rangoon is also keen to ensure peaceful co-existence with autonomous authority so as to enable the Nagas to see the dawn of modernity.
Kuknalim.
TEAM LEADER –Lt.Gen.Niki Sumi
Commentary- Lt.Col.Isak Sumi
People’s Army of Nagaland
NSCN/GPRN
