State commemorates WWI Naga Labour Corps 100th anniversary

‘Forever grateful to the Naga Labour Corps for the Foundation they laid for the everlasting Friendship and Unity of the Nagas’ (Inscription on memorial monolith)

Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 21 (EMN): State government today dedicated a monolith in the state capital commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the Naga Labour Corps’ participation in the First World War (WWI), which has direct bearings to the State of Nagaland.
“Today the 21st of April marks the exact date when the first batch of the Naga Labour Corps set sail in 1917 for the 1st Great War theatre in Europe,” said Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, who unveiled the massive memorial monolith above Classic Island, Kohima, in the presence of public leaders, government officials and members of the legislative assembly.
Citing records, the chief minister said around 2000 Nagas were recruited and designated as the Naga Labour Corps, who left their homeland for the first time to fight for the then Crown
“Certainly it was not India’s war and it was definitely not the Nagas’ War but the Naga Labour Corps participation and the bravery they exhibited during their battles in Europe and elsewhere would have ramifications much beyond the intended,” he stated.
As per some written documents, Liezietsu informed, the Naga Labour Corps, formed in the Naga Hills under the command of the then Deputy Commissioner Herbert Charles Barnes, arrived in France in two groups – 688 men on June 21, 1917, and 992 men on July 2, 1917. He narrated that the men of the Naga Labour Corps were said to have worked in various places around France on salvage work and road repairs among others.
“Legend has it that the Nagas fearlessly carried out their designated duties despite facing the horrors of war in the battlefield and were in the forefront mindless of the possibility of death all around them,” the chief minister said. Mentioning that the men were divided into 35th, 36th, 37th and 38th (Naga) Labour Companies, he said records has it that the 35th company in particular left the Naga Hills on April 21, 1917, and subsequently after the war, returned to India in June 1918.
“Unfortunately during the Second World War in 1940, the building holding the lists of men of the Naga Labour Corps units was destroyed by Japanese bombings. The relative lack of historical records should however not deter us from commemorating their pioneering ventures which led to the subsequent state of Nagaland,” Liezietsu pointed out and lamented that despite this, there is no known memorial in Nagaland to commemorate the Nagas who fought and the many who died in France.
He said the men who returned from France went on to form a socio-political association called the ‘Naga Club’ in 1918, with branches in Kohima and Mokokchung.
This was the association that, later in 1929, submitted a representation to the Simon Commission and conveyed to them the right of choice of self-determination of the Nagas when the British left India.
“As mentioned, the State of Nagaland, has its direct bearings to the Naga Labour Corps which went to France during WWI and even for this purpose alone, their brave mission must be remembered appropriately for posterity,” the chief minister asserted.
It is towards this, the State government decided to build a memorial in honour of the Naga Labour Corps in Kohima, he maintained and further informed that a Memorial Park will be built in due course around the same hilltop where the monolith has been erected in order to appropriately mark the 100th anniversary.
“The Naga Labour Corps created history for our present and for our better future. Let us never forget them for generations to come,” the chief minister added.
Home minister Y Patton, in his brief address on the occasion, stated that the memorial monolith is a way of paying gratitude to the brave and visionary men of the Naga Labour Corps by the citizens of Nagaland. He felt that the present as well as future generations owe a lot to these men as it was through their sacrifices that the Nagas today are a recognised people in the comity of the nation.
Pointing out that their participation in the WWI was historic as it had inspired them to come together as a people and make their own choice of self-determination, Patton called upon all sections of Naga people to unite as a family so that solution to the protracted Naga political issue is achieved at the earliest.
Earlier, State chaplain Rev. Kuzierang Thou invoked God’s blessings before the memorial monolith was unveiled. Nagaland Police Brass Band, Youth of Khedi Baptist Church and Cultureguard Mezoma presented songs during the programme. Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar chaired the programme and later, Home commissioner Abhijit Sinha proposed the vote of thanks.