23 DAY WAR OF INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN JOTSOMA HOME GUARDS AND INDIAN ARMY IN 1956 (From the Book in Tenyidie “Jotsoma Rüna Dze” and various reports and eye witness reports)
Krurovi Peseyie
English translation by K.K.Peseyie
Before the Britishers occupied any part of the Naga Hills the Nagas were not under any alien authority. After intermittent ambushes, confrontations, harassment to people living in the foothills, and “wars” and conflicts with the British forces, the Nagas finally came under the British rule in 1880 after a bloody one-day battle at Khonoma on November 22, 1879. When the British Government finally left India and Nagaland in 1947 the Nagas began to assert their freedom to live free of foreign rule and manage their own affairs under the leadership of A.Z. Phizo. It was the unanimous decision of the Nagas to protect their freedom with non-violence. But the Indian Government sent its army to crush the Nagas. Thus the Indian Army with no regard for human rights or human approach started persecuting Nagas, arresting them, torturing them and killing them indiscriminately.
The Nagas could no longer tolerate this and started to react in the true tradition of all warriors driven by irrepressible patriotism. The NNC, HQ (Oking) was set up at Jotsoma Village in March 1955 under the direction of Central NNC Government (Eno Kolhulie Nagi).
Thus the Nagas on their part decided to set up Home Guards to defend their honour and homeland. Troubles and skirmishes started in many places in the Naga areas.
Early in the month of June 1956 the Central Naga Government (NNC) ordered Jotsoma Village to set up 200 Home Guards which was accordingly done by the Jotsoma Village excluding Volunteers who offered their services for the nation. Also women volunteers to help in action, distribution of food and other essentials for those on combat duty were organised. A Medical Aid Centre was also set up (Kolhulie Nagi). And on June 9, 1956, about 200 Homes Guards from various places in Naga areas also joined Jotsoma Home Guards and prepared to advance on Kohima town where there was already a heavy concentration of Indian Armed Forces. Other Naga Army Units were also advancing towards Kohima town from the North and also from the East through Kohima Village which was already under their control. Civilians were requested to go to safer places for their own safety (Eyewitness).
Meanwhile at Jotsoma after settling old, infirm, women and children in safe places in the deep forest areas beyond Pulie Badze on the slope of Japfü, the Home Guards marched towards Kohima Town on June 10, 1956. Heavy fighting started on June 11, 1956, particularly on the North and East end of the town. Many dead soldiers and also wounded Indian soldiers were brought to the Kohima Civil Hospital on military trucks by their brave Indian soldiers. (Eye witness) However at Vürikhu (Bye Pass, Ziekhuzhu) the Jotsoma Home Guards and volunteers on Guard Duty came under heavy attack from Indian Army. While no Naga Home Guard or Volunteer was wounded they shot some Indian soldiers. Naga Home Guard outposts were also located at Rüzakhuzhu Khrutshezhu and Phezhu (Science College). In all these, women volunteers braving bullets continued to deliver food, water and essentials to fighters. One brave woman volunteer named Dielieno Keyhie was wounded when Indian soldiers fired at her on June 19, 1956, at Phezhu during a four hour battle with Indian Army with little regard to her own safety. She kept serving refreshment and water to Naga fighters even in the heat of battle (Kolhulie Nagi). Kolhulie also recorded that some women volunteers even demanded arms to fight alongside their male counterparts to stand against onslaught of Indian Army to defend their village and uphold the honour of Naga nation. Many of the brave youths would have faltered but for the bravery of the Women Volunteers (Eye witness) (Kolhulie Nagi).
On June 18 evening, while the Home Guards on guard duty at Phezhu were having their meals, the Indian Army came and started heavy firing. Being taken by surprise the Jotsoma forces had to withdraw towards the main village and took position there. However, there was no encounter that night. So the next morning the Jotsoma Home Guards advanced towards Phezhu and met the Indian forces advancing towards the village. Heavy exchange of firing took place at a place called Zacha Rüso.(Science College Playground) After some time in order to defend the village the Home Guards backed towards the village and took position. And even as the Indian Forces in huge numbers kept advancing, the Home Guards stood firm at Basa Fort (the South end of the village) and fought with the Indian Forces the whole day. By late afternoon the Indian Forces backed towards a gorge (nullah) to hide and fire. But as their view and line of fire was obstructed by two houses they tried desperately to set them on fire, but failed. Later on the Indian Forces, shouting at the top of their voices advanced at the HG position from behind (Trautsiezhu) a hillock North West end of Tholoma Khel. Being attacked from both front and back side the Home Guards left their fort and took position elsewhere. The Indian Forces being afraid to come through the village advanced along the irrigation canal running along the North West edge of Tholoma Khel of the village beginning from south edge of Tseyama Khel, adjacent to North end of Tholoma Khel. Probably a distance of 10,000 metres running along the irrigation canal, the Indian soldiers reached the front of the Village Church (Old Site), rescued their comrades holed up in front of Jotsoma Home Guards and quickly went towards Phezhu. That night, Jotsoma Home Guards came back and took up position in their own forts again they fired their guns and yelled war cries. The next day all the village warriors took up position in their own Khel forts and got ready to defend their village. By June 21st most of the Home Guards from other villages went back to their own areas.
Again on June 22nd the Indian forces advanced on the village. The Jotsoma Home Guards fought with them the whole day. Around five pm, the enemy forces retreated. The village HG followed the Indian line of retreat and found huge pools of blood at the foot of every tree. They also found many equipments left but did not find any dead bodies. Jotsoma H.G. and few members from other areas who decided to stay to help Jotsoma fought with unwavering courage and fanatical tenacity against the enemy with superior arms and forces which far outnumber the Village Home Guards. Even in the midst of heavy firing by enemy with far superior arms blinding sounds of gun fire, the village elders and women volunteers kept encouraging the H.G. youth to keep fighting to defend their land and honour with deep trust in God. In the face of constant firing with all sorts of sophisticated arms as wave after wave of Indian army advanced upon the village. In this war the Indian side lost huge number of brave soldiers among them well known sportsmen who earned names for Indian while no one from Jotsoma Home Guards died and no one even injured seriously.
Being unable to break through Jotsoma defense the Indians resorted to Mortar fire from Keyaba Hillock at Phezhu just below Government High School now occupied by the official residence of the Principal and in the first week of July started bombarding the village with heavy artillery fire from Government High School in Kohima. This continued one whole day and one whole night without break. People from Kohima side thought that not to speak of humans but even animals must have been wiped out. Seeing the futility of the situation, the village elders advised the H.G. to withdraw to safer place. So on 3rd July the Home Guards withdrew. This does not mean end of the war.
On 4th July the Indian army occupied the village and without any consideration for human right or decency destroyed everything including rice, paddy, domestic animals and household goods and personal belongings of the villagers. Then the village was burnt to ashes.
The Indian soldiers took C.G.I. sheets not badly damaged and made shed for their office which invariably became torture cells for the villagers. Captured national workers and others were tied and left starved and brutally tortured. Their legs were trapped between bamboo poles and beaten. Some were hung upside down and beaten and made fire under them and burned chilli powder and also smeared chilli powder on their barred and peeled body skin. Burning charcoal was forced into their mouths. They were beaten with gun butts and heavy army boots. Captured home guards volunteers or suspects were treated with merciless brutality never known even in the old days of Naga history centuries ago when Nagas were branded as savages. The Indians then took their tortured and battered captive to various places to point out camps of home guards and villager’s hiding places. Despite such terrible torture none was known to have broken to reveal anything (Eye witness).
For nearly a month during June- July the women children and old and infirm were camped in deep forest (Lorü, Terhadzü and Solenothi) but by God’s grace they did not face much trouble. This war was decidedly the severest and bitterest war during the Indo- Naga war 1950-1959. Many top civil and army officers visited the village and praised the bravery of the Home guards and volunteers.
Even during the heat of the war D.C. ordered Jotsoma village leaders to meet him. Six leaders led by T.N. Angami reached Kohima dodging bullets and dangers. The other leaders were Sazolie, Konyü, Nikhrielie, Viyie and Krurhitsü. Considering Jotsoma as the worst enemy of India the D.C. issued strict orders that nobody should help them in any way including giving them food.
In spite of the order one Mr. Nisalhou of T.Khel Kohima came secretly with a basket full of rice and saved them from starving during the stay in Kohima. After several days and several rounds of meeting with D.C. all Jotsoma villagers were ordered to return to their village. This was done but three leaders namely Vilekho Peseyie, Kruzhalie Peseyie and Rivilie Nagi refused to surrender. So the village was fined Rs. 15,000/- for this.
In the village regardless of age or sex people were forced to carry weight far beyond individual capacity during day or night, rain or sunshine. Such physical torments were regularly dosed with verbal diatribes from army men and even officers. Once when it was time to start cultivation villagers were taken to a concentration camp and held for three months and detailed to carry loads for soldiers to various places. Even during the hard times Jotsoma villagers stood firm as one.
