The History of the Naga
Nagas Live in a compact contiguous area of about 120,000 sq Km The Nagas have a population of about 4 millions and share a close history, as well as racial, Social and cultural affinity with the South East Asian people. The Nagas are neither Indian nor Burmese by race or culture, nor historically or politically. The Land of the Nagas occupies a strategic position between South and South –East Asia, holds vast resources of mines and minerals.
History has many important lessons for the Nagas that Borders are not natural divisions, but a political device to divide and rule people, tearing apart communities, destroying the solidarity and integrity of peoples and their ancestral domains. In our part of the world, the British rulers had drawn a historically unjust and unfair boundary which ran through our villages, fields and even homes without our consent with the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826) drawing an international boundary across it and splitting it between Burma and India. Unfortunately, after Burma and India won Independence in 1947 ,they choose to Deny the Nagas right to be a free people living as one Nation. Since then, the two countries have been tactically employing divisive strategies to crush the aspiration of the Nagas living within their Borders.
In India, the Naga homeland was further divided and merged with four states: Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh .The state of Nagaland was carved out of the Naga areas in Eastern Nagaland in 1963 to create an Impression to the International community that Nagas have their own Homeland within India while the facts remains that the Majority of Nagas live outside the Nagas of Nagaland state.
In the same year ,The Burmese General Ne Win divided the Naga homeland within Burma between Kachin state and the newly created Sagaing Division.In addition to this ,the Burmese Military Junta ,as part of their determined attempt to assimilate the Nagas into the Burmese fold,concoted another heinous policy with the aim of further depriving the Nagas of their homelands in the guise of creating a “Naga Self Administrative Zone” which excludes most of the Important Townships and Mineral rich areas Like Tanai (presently in Kachin State), Khanti and Homlin Townships.
Nagas In India a brief Review.
When Naga Hills-Tuensang Area was recognized by the Indian Government after a long arms struggle ,in Dec 1, 1963, with” 16 point agreement which was to provide the basis for a political settlement of Naga Demands” a full fledged state in the Indian union, which Indian Government is yet to fulfill most of the agreement .Like 16point agreement No:-
4 .Council of Minister :
At present With limited Cabinet minister (12) whereby exclude some tribe to be an inferior tribe in development,economic and job avenues.To pacify some Tribe we have created a Controversial parliamentary secretary not a minister which have seized the Power of Secretary’s and DC’s to run the state.
4. (b) Provided further that a Regional Council shall be formed for Tuensang District by representatives from all the tribes in Tuensang District is ENPO a regional Council
Is it finally approved by the Government of India after 50 years to be administered by the Governor directly for 10 years not by the Chief minister of Nagaland,Let ENPO explain it to the Nagas.
11. Financial Assistance from the Government of India:
The state is running at a huge deficit accumulated from the day state hood was formed which affects Job avenue as Post creation was totally Banned except vacant post filling up ,which forced the state Government to implement early retirement scheme and no Industry to provide employment and raise state revenues as poor infrastructure which is not practical to set up any industry as most of the mineral rich areas falls under Nagas area in Assam ,Nagas area in Manipur,Nagas area in Arunachal and Nagas Area in Burma.Though Nagas have found some potential to set up hydro power station in Nagaland ,the cost of Transportion and cost of production is more than the cost of Installation. Not a single government department running as full fledged department in terms of financial allocation ,workforce and necessary departmental protocol required to run the department. The state Government employee get a new revised salary less than the employee of other state of same category rank and files. How long and how much can Nagas Depend on India for financial assistance .The Era of Government Job will be over within 10 years with growing educated unemployment Nagas need to shift to Industrialization exploring Its resources but when all resources are in other state what do u do?
12. Consolidation of Forest Areas:
Transfer of areas from one state to another still not fulfilled instead with the recent autonomous district councils election in Manipur seized all Naga forest areas in Manipur as Manipur state forest reserve which forbid the Nagas to practice Jhum cultivation in their ancestral Land.
13. Consolidation of Contiguous Naga Areas in India:
Presently it is known as Integration of Naga inhibited areas ,for example Nagaland bordering in Assam State ,The state shares a 87-km border with Nagaland in Sivasagar district, 109 km in Jorhat district, 124 km in Golaghat district, 74 km in Karbi Anglong district and 40 km in Dima Hasao district. There have been several incidents and violation of status quo in the border. Now if existing boundary remains the status quo then for small example only 3 villages of Western Sumi Areas will remain in Nagaland including whole Northern Sumi Areas will be administered by the Golaghat District, like wise Major part of the Ralan Area villages,part of Yanmhon Area, part of Merapani Area from Wokha District will be administered by the Golaghat District, Mokokchung district will Loose from tuli Paper Mill Belt and Dimapur District and Jaluki District will loose, Intaki forest with all the associated Naga villages in that Belt. So Nagas want a small integration of particular tribes or integrating all Nagas Inhibited Areas? And if we Look beyond Nagas of Nagaland we Need to think about Nagas of Burma too.
But General Ne win in the 1974 constitution of Burma reduced Nagas to 4 township ,where we have lost Tamu and Khampat.And again under 2008 constitution Nagas been reduced to three town ship Layshi, Layhe and Nanyung now known as Naga self- administration Zone where we have lost the only water transport available like Chindwin River that flows through Naga inhibited areas now no More and the only Minerals Rich areas like Tanai township well known for Gold nuggets freely available in the water streams and precious stones which is very popular in Tuensang and Kiphiri district in Nagaland are brought from this District.
If Nagas want to keep Naga as its Identity , Naga civil society,Naga revolutionary and the churches should condemn the General Ne win policy of encroaching Naga Areas and reducing the Nagas to Minority ethnic tribes in Burma by which the lost township are forced to convert Buddhism and forced labour are practiced .
What does Article 371(A)
(i) religious or social practices of the Nagas,
(ii) Naga customary law and procedure,
(iii) administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law.
That involves all the inhibited Naga areas in India, for example Lotha’s in Assam are directly administered by the Lotha Hoho Nagaland for the Above mentioned points, like wise other tribes of Nagas in Assam, Manipur and arunachal and Burma are administered and monitored by the Apex body in Nagaland and Manipur is it not emotional integration or Naga integration. Nagas are not ruled by any neighboring state but under India and if Nagas are specifically mentioned in article 371(A),I,ii,iii, Nagas living in India should take all the privilege. And if Neighboring state(Assam and Manipur) feels that Nagas are encroaching their Land let Ahom Families and Manipur Royal family say in these affairs because Nagas and Manipur King knows where is the Boundry.Like wise Nagas and Ahom Kings boundary i.e Western boundry of the state should be the traditional “Ladai Garh” boundry recognized and defined by the Ahom Kings until the arrival of the British in the Ninteenth Century.
What is Ladai Garh?
The Ladai Garh was a security road built by the Ahom Kingdom along the foot hills to check raiding on the plains. The road was the recognized boundry between the hill tribes and the plains people. Traces of the Ladai Garh and its boundary are still visible in many locations to remind Nagas of their traditional Boundaries.It is also clearly marked on the 1926 Survey of India Maps and runs along the plains side of the reserved forests.
Conclusion:
Nagas have come to the most important part of Naga History where every decision and agreement are digitally documented no matter what the Naga politician’s or the Naga revolutionary takes decision for Naga Political settlement. Nagas in India and Nagas in Burma will be held responsible by the future Naga Generation its not about peace but about Identity ,resources, and Land for survival.
Er.Albert Ovung
