The Naga War and the English interference.

A Painting depicting Naga Tribes by Capt. Butler.

These Tribes..... not only defend themselves with obstinate resolution, but attack their enemies with the most daring courage..[They] possess fortitude of mind superior to the sense of danger or the fear of death.

                                           - British official commenting on the Nagas, circa 1840.


Beneath the Mountains of the North-eastern Part of India, a state called Nagaland, the Land of Nagas with the tribal population of many tribes, interconnected & interconnected consists. With the Borders Connected to Myanmar(Burma) and several other countries, and due to their terrain they have distinct characteristics somewhat different from the tan-skinned population residing in other parts of the Nation. Due to the terrain and somewhat the tribal laws & regulations, they were and are kept away from the urban population residing onto the Metropolis. British Administrations were also keen on keeping them away, although there was the presence of the Christian Missionaries which more or less influenced them in later periods. 


At once, they were part of the Assam state, a majority of Hindi speaking residents with diverse tribes like Mizos, Khasis, Garos, etc. and Princely States of Tripura and Manipur. The nagas along with other tribes were almost unaware of the independence movements and Salt satyagraha, from them all, were remote to their, what British and what Indians, they were distinct from both and were exploited from both them, while the former educated them, some baptized, feed them from missionaries while keeping the tribes autonomous. Some tribes fought whosoever came into their contact as foreign, for the Indians and Britz both were of foreign nature and had fought extensively and earned their respect for Bravery and Valour. 


Their Fate came into a problem during 1946 when the Independence ideas and joining the dominion made themselves forming the Naga National Council, consisted of educated Christians and English Speaking Individuals thanks to the Missionaries for laying the hands in the Breaking nation again. There came the idea of an Independent Naga as a nation. There came contradictions between two major tribes in the region; i) The Angami Nagas, the ones who were extremes, and we're always on the verge of fighting whosoever it may be. ii) The Aos, who were moderate and thought of an independent naga state under the dominion of India. There was a huge debate between individuals regarding independence and autonomy. Also the whole of the party was divided into two; the Radicals and the Moderates, formers for the Independence, and the latter for the support to the Indian state. Some under the British officer's influence thought of making Nagaland a 'Crown colony'.


At one meeting of Mahatma Gandhi he said that Nagas could declare their independence if they wished so, no one would compel them to join India but if Delhi calls an Army he would be the first to resist and to get killed too. The Tribal leader, Jaipal Singh in Constituent Assembly told that the Naga situation is getting deteriorated day by day and he was receiving one telegram per day on them, and there was a meeting with Nehru to decide terms. But it was to no avail.\

Then came the Man in question; Angami Zapu Phizo. Once again taught by the missionaries and supported by British Officials. He joined the Japanese onto their march of India, and after the war joined the Naga National Council. He soon was joined in by the young nagas, whose age was of high adrenaline push toward arms and revolution. He then moved all around the region and gathered support. He also had several meetings with Prime Minister, Jaipal Singh and many Indian leaders but he was struck with his independence. While the Prime Minister was in NEFA, Phizo and his men spoke that Indians and Naga have nothing in common, a gloomy feeling od darkness comes into my mind.


During the Summer of 1953, the fire of revolt was gaining its strength. Delhi sent Paramilitary, while the NNC leaders had gone underground and started collecting Arms. Locals helped them in various forms. Apart from the local support and knowledge, they had a plus point in the terrain, just like the Fidel's Guerilla tactics, they were to be the same. In between there were some encounters between the Army and the Radicals but some instances made the matters worse. The knocking of a passer-by of the motorcycle by an Army officer and firing at a crowd consisting of a respected Judge and an NNC member. The Towns were under curfew and another instance depicted killing a solitary old man who was crossing the road, and the jawans beat him, when he protested he was thrown off a cliff. The old man was a respected Doctor and this made the matters more worst. 


Months later a Naga doctor wrote to Mr. Pawsey stating that less is with Phizo and the majority want to be alone but the methods of the Army he added were such that they will affect Naga/Indian relations for the next 50-100 years. The Naga and Army relations deteriorated due to the Practices of alleging the villagers as radicals and killing many of them. There have been many instances of Rape by the Indian army, soo intense that a group of  Naga women tore their clothes and walk onto the Banner stating the Rapes by Indian Army. 


Although on the later period, Nagaland and many other states like Mizoram and others have been Under India, many are now in peaceful means and enjoy the democratic and federal nature of the country, although there have been many instances where the Central workers under the AFSPA Act misused and many of the lives have been gone due to the barbaric practices of the both [Naga citizens as well as the Armed Forces]. Both have lost lives, and even in today's contemporary state, there has been some insurgency on these regions with the support of foreign as well as the internal powers. The Book; India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha has shown intense knowledge about the North-east tribal history, which many of the historians have not written about and ignored them, just like some tribals felt that they were ignored and exploited.