In any context of war, there is gross violation of human rights, negation of individual rights and innocent people suffer the most. Any kind of war that engages two individuals, communities or nations brings social disharmony, economic instability and harbors revengeful attitudes towards each other. “War has always been horrible, whether fought by sticks and stones, bows and arrows, swords and spears, muskets and rifles, or bayonets and bombs.” (John Stott)
The Indo-Naga war has been fought intermittently over six decades. The presence of Indian army is seen as aggression because the Naga movement is not a secessionist movement. Then and there in 1929 the Nagas made it very clear to the British Commission that Nagas were forced to be included in the British reformed scheme and therefore when they leave India, Nagas would decide their own future. Following that, the Nagas declared their independence on 14 August 1947, a day prior to the Indian Independence Day, stating very clear that Nagas want to be on their own.The crisis we have today is due to the misrecognition of the legitimate rights of the Nagas by India and the declaration of the undeclared war with military aggression. The Indian military aggression in Nagaland is purely a motive of incapacitating the Nagas integration for nationalism. In the early sixties, back then the military capability of the Nagas were very primitive, besides the few contingency of the Naga national armies. In those turbulent years, when Nagas started resisting the Indian military aggression the bodies of the deceased (Nagas) were brought down to Kohima local ground to be displayed, a message and a warning given loud and clear to Nagas that the same fate would befit anyone who is for independence. Today, the military convoys roaring up National highway every now and then are exercises of the Indian military might in every possible way to show that they possess all modern equipments of war. Never have they thought how much inconvenience they are causing to the public cutting across the heart of Kohima town. How daring and blunt are they for such a big democratic country to unleash her fury and fume fumbled at a small and incompetent state like Nagaland.
I have heard and felt the stories of the attitude of the Indian armies in burning of Naga villages and granaries. For instance, a village called Mangmentong was raided thirty seven times and was finally burned down to ashes and another Sema village was burnt down fourteen times. The acts of such atrocities meted against the Nagas are for sure done with complete sense of incapacitating the will to form a nation. Villagers young and old were forced to group near the highway for several days and the Indian armies rummaged all the houses. For seven days the villagers were not allowed to travel. Even to go to their paddy fields they have to enter their names while going and returning. The inconveniences caused by Indian armies are grossly inhuman and alien in nature towards the people. The capitulation method used by the Government of India (GOI) did not only cause physical defeat but it was more of a mental and psychological torture to accept the domination, a memory abuse that could last for ages.
It is observed that the same attitude and methods of war have been adopted by the modern Indian troops to make the capitulation unconditional in Nagaland today. The abrogation of ceasefire by the NSCN (K) and the attitude of the Security forces towards the public have drastically changed by putting narrow barricades near their camps, questioning and frisking of public on the highways. It appears to me like they have been waiting for the day of ceasefire to breakdown and start imposing their impulsive military pride over the poor defenseless innocent people.
We know about the various Armed forces Acts that are initiated to either shun violence or unleash violence, but the expansion of DAA and AFSPA recently in Nagaland is to run out targets, capabilities and motivation. To empower the army personnel to shoot and kill, to enter and arrest without any warrant against any suspect seems not enough for the GOI. Then and now Nagas are being called miscreants, dacoits, terrorists, bloodthirsty and misguided people. Terming the region as conflict zone, troubled region and backward are some barbaric terms to describe the Nagas to be devoid of becoming a peaceful nation. A writer rightly accentuates the minds of the GOI; “Divide, disorganize and induce defections of members of the hostile movement. Reduce and ultimately eliminate civilian support of hostile enemies. Dissuade civilians from participating in covert activities on the side of the hostile. Win the active support on non committed civilians. Win the popular support of the local presence of the security forces.”
In today’s modern world, do the GOI still expect to win the war by military aggression of coercion and violence, if so? Yes, they are more than right to win this war without any cost and delay. But note that there are not only Netajis and Jinahs, but there are also a lot of Gandhians in Nagaland, who are ready to sacrifice their lives for a just cause.
The Indo-Naga war has been described candidly in “The Naga Saga” (Kaka D. Iralu), under four phases of military campaigns. The first phase started 1929-1954 and from 1955-1964 the second phase respectively. The third and the fourth phases were fought intermittently in between 1964-1975. It seems to me the fifth phase is not very far from reality.
The harsh military exercises of Indian soldiers over the Nagas have come to a standstill after the 1990’s, but the strategies of repressive armed forces and draconian laws still exist and it has been resurfacing recently. Earlier, some of the strategy of the GOI was to provide arms to the Naga brothers by establishing Village Guards (VGs), and thus the arms provided were used to fight against the NPGs who come to the village for food and collection of taxes. Thus the VGs were trained by the GOI to fight against their own brothers. Although the VG’s establishment did not last long it is one of the sparks of fratricidal killings among the Nagas. Today several Naga youths are also employed in the Assam Rifles, due to unemployment they are forced to join the troop. No doubt these unemployed youths are trained to kill our own brothers in the name of security and nasty armed force regulations.
In the last decade the GOI seems to be on the mono-climactic stage, since the war is not between GOI and the NPGs, but among the NPGs. The spoils of war are being shared in terms of watching and hearing every factional clashes and turf wars being displayed in the daily papers every day. With the recent formation of the NSCN (R) headed by Tikhak and Wangtin, separating themselves from NSCN (K) and the ceasefire abrogated by the NSCN (K), the Assam Rifles have started their relentless operations in several parts of Nagaland.
The functions of war being well executed over these six decades of Indo-Naga political war, the victor is declared and the victim is handicapped, now that Nagas cannot resolve their issues alone. Had Nagas then and there did not make the 16-point agreement that accepted the statehood under the constitution of India, the story would be different. But having acceded to statehood under Naga People’s Convention, there is no option but to work out the desired political dream only with the GOI. To this, some writers commented, having created a state, the government of India cannot help but continue to rest on that claim. At the same time, from unyielding position there seems little possibility of really solving the problem because the Nagas, NPG’s and overground, would like their “historical right” acknowledge. The tussle of clinging on the historical rights by the Naga representatives and the acceptance of statehood from the government of India becomes the soft spot for resorting to their own interests.
It is time for both the parties to realize the need of the hour is negotiation and not resorting to violence. Total incapacitation and capitulation is impossible for the Indian armies to achieve. On the other hand the NSCN (K) should realize the many lives been sacrificed in this undeclared war. Many years back B.N Mullik noted “and though there were nearly one security troop for every adult male Naga in the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area, there never was a time when it came to be claimed that the Naga guerillas had been broken into submission.”
Whether one justifies one’s campaign for war against any nation or one does try to defend impunity and military aggression, the result of taking arms seems to have more adverse affect on its soil, inhabitants and the generation that comes after them. It affects people both ways, the way we respond to violence and the way we use violence. It could be Just war or Preventive war. No matter, what the case would look like, the situation or the cruelty of enemies inflicted upon us, the noblest way for a Christian to retaliate is to shun violence and embrace non-violence.
No matter what has happened in the past, we must seek peace and address our rights through amicable solution. We must learn from the past that our choice of taking arms has dearly cost us and therefore should learn how to live together besides our differences. Our choice today for peace and non-violence will make a big difference in the lives of our children tomorrow.
Villo Naleo
