(120th Birth anniversary on 11th October 2022)
Pedi Miachieo
Chairman, Nagaland Peace Centre
Nagaland was going through a very disturbed political unrest from 1947 to 1963. From 1951, the situation went from bad to worse. There was no peace despite Nagaland obtaining its State hood in 1963. Fierce fighting continued between Indian armies and the Naga armies.
Consequently the Nagaland Baptist church council during its third convention held at Wokha from the 31th January to 2nd Feb, 1964, resolved to bring about a peaceful settlement between Gol and FGN. Following the resolution, Peace Mission was formed with Jayaprakash Narayan, a veteran freedom fighter, B.P.Chilliha, the then Chief Minister of Assam and Rev. Michael Scott, a popular missionary from England. They came forward willingly, took the responsibilities sincerely and made contacts with both the sides (Gol and FGN).
Although a detailed account of their experiences during the ceasefire negotiation could not be ascertained, one can only imagine poor road condition or no proper road connectivity, walking from one hideout to another; a war-torn situation; to mention only few, yet, in spite of all that they sacrificed themselves for the cause of Nagas. The Nagas are so indebted to the trio and also the then leaders of the Baptist Churches.
The Peace Mission, under the sincere personalities, arranged the meeting with the FGN on the 15th 1964. Accordingly, ceasefire between the Gol and FGN came into force precisely at midnight of September 6, 1964 therefore, 6th September 1964 was known as Peace Day and holiday was declared for all government and private institutions, to mark the occasion.
Soon after, Shri. Jayaprakash Narayan founded the Nagaland Peace Centre (NPC) at Kohima with the twin objective of peace and prosperity in Nagaland. Subsequently, the NPC has been observing 6th September as “thanks giving Day for ceasefire in Nagaland” which coincides with 6th September Peace Day. The day is also observed in honour of Shri. Jayaprakash Narayan, founder of NPC.
While we are forever grateful to all the peacemaker pioneers, the NPC especially, would like to highlight Shri. Jayaprakash Narayan’s extraordinary personality and celebrate his selfless good work done to the Nagas on this day, as we observe his 120th birth anniversary, we give thanks to our Almighty God for sending JP to Nagaland when the Nagas needed him the most. His unbiased and peaceful approach and his love for mankind were the key elements in bringing about ceasefire in Nagaland. We know this from his own words. “I firmly believe that no dispute either in Nagaland or anywhere else and the power of love to settle a right by violence at the same time I firmly believe that there is no dispute that is beyond human reason and the power of love to settle.”
Though Jayaprakash was not a Christian, his principles are so like Christ that we celebrate him and remember him for being a blessing to the Nagas. His belief for freedom and peace was so strong that he came as far as to Nagaland to motive the Naga people to have their self determination to achieve freedom and peace in their land. Such man can only be sent from God. His good works deserves to be appreciated and cherished by generations to come. His principles are to be followed by all and continue the works which he had started.
It can also be mentioned that Shri. Jayaprakash Narayan was a man of high calibre yet very humble, another rare piece of God’s own creation like Mahatma Gandhi, who never like men to be enslaved in any form but tirelessly worked to free his countrymen from any evil oppression by never compromising his integrity.
To him freedom means, I quote “Freedom with the passing of the years, transcend the mere freedom of man everywhere and from every spot of trammel-above all it meant freedom of the human personality, freedom of the mind, freedom of the spirit. This freedom has become the passion of life, and I shall not see it compromised for bread, for power, for security, for prosperity, for the glory of the State or for anything else.” From the above statement we also learned that he was a man with deep spiritual insight.
The Indo-Naga issue is tackled as political problem but to Shri. Jayaprakash Narayan, he had long back understood that it is human as well as spiritual problem. So, it is no wonder that only such man with deep insight would do the works that he did. Though Jayaprakash Narayan’s activities in Nagaland were considered as missing years for India, it was a very significant moment for the Nagas.
In conclusions, the Nagas will not only remember him as one of the Indian Independence Activists, a sarvodaya, a political leader etc as known to the rest of India and to the world, but he will be remembered for his good heart who genuinely wanted the Nagas to realise their right to freedom, peace and prosperity.
