September 6 is being observed every year as Peace Day by the Nagas all over Nagaland, particularly in NBCC churches. Its significance is linked with the historical ceasefire agreement signed between the Government of India and the Federal Government of Nagaland on September 6, 1964. Being the most widely represented church body of the Naga family at that time, and also burdened with the need to stand up and speak out on behalf of the people, NBCC rose to the occasion and formed the Peace Mission to spearhead peace initiative with the following public figures as members: Jayaprakash Narayan, Bimala Prasad Chaliha, Rev. Michael Scott. A decision to this effect was taken during the NBCC convention which met at Wokha from January 31 - February 2, 1964.
Through the tireless service of its peace emissary, NBCC was instrumental in bringing the two warring parties to sit across the table and ink the ceasefire agreement. This is no mean achievement by any standard given to understand the gravity of the situation during that time. Since then September 6 is being marked in the NBCC calendar and observed every year as Peace Day. This tradition is followed not so much to celebrate its achievement of having successfully brokered the peace deal as the need to impress upon its citizens to continue to work more sincerely and wholeheartedly towards the realisation of a realistic and tangible experience of peace.
September 6 has another significance for some people living somewhere in the margin of the state. Less known among other Nagas but more solemnly observed by the Pochury Nagas with religious devotion on September 6 is the Black Day. Calling to mind the maiden speech of Jawaharlal Nehru on August 15, 1947, the first Prime Minister of free India, who, in the middle of the night, said, “...in the dead of the night when the world sleeps, India will rise to freedom...”, paradoxically it is a reality that when the rest of the Nagas sleep in peace on September 6, the people of Pochury shall wake up to another Black Day of sadness and suffering.
Memories die hard. Memories of the sacrifice offered by the Pochury people at the altar of Naga struggle for emancipation from alien domination are relived and remembered with patriotic pride every year on September 6. Today many might not know the circumstances leading to the massacre of Matikhrü villagers on September 6, 1960 and the declaration of this day as Black Day. Consequent upon the attack by the Naga armies on the Indian army outpost at Thuda (Phor) on August 26, 1960 in which an Indian Air Force DC.3 carrying army supply was shot down, systematic torture and killing of the innocent villagers began to take place in the neighbouring villages beginning with Phor until finally its culmination was witnessed at Matikhrü on September 6, 1960. Every Pochury village has its own unique story to tell, but the cruel hand of the mighty Indian army that came heavily on the people of Matikhru on September 6, 1960 is beyond comprehension. Decapitated bodies, dismembered limbs, mutilated bodies beyond recognition abound the ghost village.
Death, death everywhere and there was not a single soul to bury the death. Juxtaposing Nagaland Peace Day and Pochury Black Day today, two very significant events seemingly contesting for prominence in the calendar of one nation, one wonders whether these two contradictory contenders could in any way be reconciled. Black is emblematic of death and mourning. Peace means life and celebration. Can one die and live or grieve and rejoice at the same time? The question on one’s mind is should we or should we not commemorate Peace Day on Black Day. Like the Hebrews in exile who reasoned with their subjugators as to how they could sing the Lord’s song in a strange land, we too reason how we could forget the carnage of September 6 and betray the trust of our forefathers by not observing Black Day?
The people of Pochury choose to observe Black Day on September 6 not in any sense to romanticise suffering or glorify violence. It is also not our intention to stage a protest and oppose peace. We observe Black Day lest we forget the value of peace that has been purchased with the blood of the martyrs. Very importantly, our intention and action is to affirm and make known to the Nagas and the other Indians that a repeat of the September 6, 1960 tragedy should not be allowed to happen again anytime anywhere in our land.
Rümatho Nyusou
