Message delivered by Zapuvisie Lhousa, Member, Central Executive Council, NNC during the release of the book titled ‘The Battles We Fought-Indo-Naga War’ written by Rtd Captain Sanguto Chase. The book was released by Retd. Gen Thinoselie M. Keyho in Kohima on September 22, 2018
Dear friends,
Captain (Retd) Sanguto Chase has requested me to share a few insights on this auspicious occasion. The finality of the moment had been blazingly actualised with the eventual appearance of the printed schedule while I was still pondering as to what all should be said. I am both delighted and attended with much sadness at the same time.
Why had the Indo-Naga War come about?
The Naga National issue had not been one of recent fabrication nor of modern day synthesis; but rather one of very eternal existence most antique. Her culture and polity are most profound and lofty both in dimension and essence. It had been the unforgivable-intentional snubbing of the deceitful former British Prime Minister Clement Atlee, that the British left us most unceremoniously and so much of misadventure had been thrust upon us. That alone gave the unholy chance for the opportunistic Indian Government to cunningly send her Armed Forces to colonise Nagaland. The NNC President AZ Phizo therefore had all along been telling the whole wide World that India is very much the “Aggressor”. Ever since the murder of Zasibito Nagi in 1952, the inhumane atrocities of the Indians on the Nagas including the children and women folks had come to stay as a State-sponsored devil. An epitome of India’s terrorism had been the slaughtering of 57 innocent unarmed Nagas on the morning of November 15, 1954 when the small Chang village of Yimpang (47 houses) was surrounded by her Armed Forces and opening of indiscriminate fire on the populace. The eldest man to have perished in that carnage had been Chudangba (97 yrs) and the youngest victim had been Temsümeren (15 days old).
Having reached the very tipping point of our extra long suffering and tolerance, the Naga Youth Movement devised the unique scheme of one National Volunteer per cluster of 10 households for putting up our self-defence Force. The specially called outs were most befittingly christened as the Naga Safe Guards. Even up to this point of time, NNC most prudently had been cautioning “Don’t resort to Firearms yet” all along. The Angami Region had been commandeered by Dotsolie Vihienuo (later Lhouneio) and Rivilie Nagi. Through the process of thorough deliberations the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) was established on March 22, 1956. Then on, the Naga Safe Guards was renamed as Naga Home Guards (NHG) and Thongti Chang was made the Commander of the same. After the lapse of some time, Gen Kaito Sukhai was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief most majestic.
In 1962 Gen Kaito and Gen Mowu along with 315 soldiers set out on April 2 for East Pakistan in order to obtain military hardware. “Departing for to acquire Rain-proofing wares” had been the message of the letter I received. That they had arrived in East Pakistan in May 1962 was learned through newspaper reports.
The second Alee Command being commandeered by Gen Mowu consisting of 474 men set out again in November 1963. This batch included Sanguto Chase, who had sacrificed his academic pursuit for National duty; this had been his first venture.
The Federal Government of Nagaland in her wisdom and stratagem despatched Gen Mowu Gwizantsu, C-in-C, Naga Army as Commander and Brig Lhouvicha (Pfüchama) as 2 I/C along with 354 soldiers to China in 1967. Included in this formidable band had been the Author of this book and many of his seniors. They returned on completion of their year-long trainings. It had been learned that Capt Lhouneizo Mezhü (Rüsoma) Capt Sakolie Yhokha (Kigwema) and Capt Sanguto Chase (Khonoma) had been made Company Commanders most solemn. The very many exploits, adventures including the superhuman feats borne and endured by our heroes would be found meticulously chronicled in the book.
The passions of the National Workers:
The national workers in general and the Naga Army men in particular had undergone tremendous ordeals in successfully uplifting the grand Naga National banner most high and lofty. Today the Naga Nation lifts up her head most honourably high because of these her scions:
Those that perished in active combat, Those who had watery graves, Those who perished due to extreme deprivation of food, Those who succumbed in the forests from bullet injuries, Those who rotted away in the open quite unburied or most crudely done, Those who lie scattered in foreign lands and unmarked locations, Those who died in Indian jails, Et cetera.
For those who are concerned enough would come to realise many a thing by going through the Poem For The Naga People composed by Easterine Kire found on pages 285 and 286 of the book Strange Country – My Experience in Naga Nationalism.
This grand Naga uprising had not been one of any hurried unplanned hazy and dreamy scheme; nor had it been one of childish impetuous squabbling pranks. It also had not been the grand plan of any single individual rich, powerful or wise. But it got birthed from the very resolute eternal fact that the Naga Nation being unique, absolutely free from any foreign dominion near or distant. Though apparently lagging in knowledge and modern technologies; she is most richly endowed with excellent traditions and profound cultures beyond compare. The Naga leaders and elders had most meticulously nurtured, perfected and successfully handed down these unfathomable values to our present generation.
Please do note and record with indelible ink, all the eclats acquired, be they obtained in seasons of ease or dire settings, times of joy or sorrow, the profound for sure but even the humble, all alike; never excluding even the odd one out. These achievements are much more precious than gold, weight for glory. All the precious martyrs for Naga Nation would be greeted at the Golden Gate of Heaven with the most endearing welcoming saying of “Well done, faithful child, come and take your rest”, most sublime. Be of very good cheer, dearly beloved.
Many faithful Nagas laboured most relentlessly for the British during the epical WW-I and some even perished in foreign soil; and one Shikhu Sema memorial tomb stone had been featuring most conspicuously in one French Cemetery right to this very day. Our honourable leader Shürhozelie Liezietsu had personally beheld this iconic grave marker not many years ago in his journeys! How so very encouragingly delightful indeed.
Now the gauntlet of Naga National duty has fallen squarely on the shoulders of the young generation. As in the game of relay-race, each generation is duty bound to race on with the BATON firmly held with utmost sincerity and diligence. This gathering today is being graced with the august presence of so many surviving noble souls who had most faithfully run the arduous race successfully.
I greet them most solemnly and everyone else who have come to grace this historic function of the release of the book “The Battles We Fought – Indo-Naga War. This is not farewell yet, may the limitless Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you hale and hardy till we soon meet again.
KUKNALIM
