A tribute by Gen. (Retd.) Viyalie Metha, Kedahge Federal Government of Nagaland on the sixty seventh Martyr’s Day
Dear Fellow Countrymen,
In a nation’s history, a National Martyrs’ Day is a very solemn occasion which should be observed with reverence and gratitude by all citizens of the Nation. As such, the whole Naga Nation should remember all the Naga patriots who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Nagaland. Zasibito Nagi - in whose memory Naga Martyrs’ day is observed-was murdered on October 18, 1952. Zasibito was then a Judge in the Kohima Central Court. He was shot dead as he was desperately trying to stop an Indian Police Officer who was trying to shoot into the crowds of the peaceful protestors. The march was undertaken by the Naga public in protest against the torture of a Sema youth by the Indian armed forces in Dimapur. And after this event, the Assam Armed Police and the Assam Rifles unleashed a reign of terror all over Nagaland. This was followed by the Indian Army marching into Nagaland in 1954 and started war by mass murder, rape and burning of Naga villages. The Naga nation then rose up to defend its territories from foreign occupation.
Coming to the deaths of all our other fallen patriots in whose memory, the same date is observed, thousands upon thousands of our people were killed, many tortured to death and many more permanently maimed from those tortures. They all volunteered to defend their country leaving behind grieving parents, wives and children. On this solemn day the Naga Nation should pay the highest respect to all fallen patriots of our country.
For those of us who are still alive today, we should all rededicate our lives to the unfinished tasks of Nation building and National consolidation. The NNC and FGN are defending that goal and will do so until it is fully achieved. Let us trust in God at all times that He may bring real peace in Nagaland soon. KUKNALIM
