Another Nagaland in the Making

Disturbing reports continue to pour in from the Mizo Hills area and it seems that the administrative machinery in the area has collapsed, as militant tribesmen are attacking police posts and looting treasuries with impunity. It appears that another Nagaland is in the making. The trouble in Nagaland itself was really an eye-opener but we have failed to learn any lesson from it.

A glance at the map of India will show that both Nagaland and Mizo Hills are strategically located on our eastern border. The Mizo Hills area is sandwiched between Burma and East Pakistan and there are Mizo tribes in India, Burma and East Pakistan. They are called Chin in Burma. But actually all these Mizos and Nagas have the same culture, customs and language. The fact that they are armed with hand grenades, sten-guns, rifles and machine-guns is very suggestive of foreign aid and incitement, overt or covert. If we are not careful we shall have more trouble in Kachar, Garo and Jaintia Hill areas as well.

There has been unrest in all these areas since 1947. Certain foreign countries and some so called missionaries are the main factors behind this. But this is not all. We will have to go deep to inquire into the genesis of the trouble. Assam is a peculiar province. The valley of Brahmaputra is the only settled area in the state where life is more or less the same as in other parts of the country but the rest of the State is made up of hilly areas, inhabited by tribal people. The British had so organised their political machinery as to suit the local conditions. They had, what they called settled areas” where normal administrative machinery functioned as in other parts of the country but in the tribal areas they followed a different system altogether. They appointed political or tribal Commissioners who never interfered in their tribal Government and so long as they attested their royalty to the British Government, they were left to themselves.

Again it is a fact that the Mizo area has the second place in literacy in the whole of India, Kerala having the first. There are as many as 45 per cent people literate. The tribes have a system of government of their own which, in practice, is more efficient than the elaborate administrative machinery of the settled areas. As a matter of fact, their tribal system is more democratic than the eleborate socio-administrative machinery in settled areas. In a Naga, Garo or Mizo village the land belongs to the whole community. Children are separated from their parents and brought up and trained in communal hostels, till they come of age and then join the community as useful members. Justice is rough but prompt. They have a sense of fair-play and their conventions hold their society together. These people lead hard lives and private proprietorship is unknown among them. They clear a strip of the forest, build a village nearby and practice agriculture. When the fertility of the land diminishes, they just clear another strip and shift to the new area, allowing the jungle to grow again in the previously occupied area. They hunt their meat, brew their own liquor, and live in peace. Of course, there are tribal feuds and it was only then that the Political Officer stepped in to preserve peace.

The British were very particular in choosing the right type of person to hold the post of the Political Officer or Commissioner. He had to be honest, truthful, just, impartial and above corruption. He studied their language, history, ritual, customs and taboos, but he never became over intimate with them. He dispensed justice impartially. Consequently the tribals respected and trusted him and his word was law to them. The British, as far as possible, never changed the officers, and if at all they were transferred, they were sent to a similar area. These officers usually recorded useful information for the benefit of their successors.

But all this changed after 1947. The old British officers left the country and their places were taken by Indian officers who looked upon their postings to these remote areas as penal servitude. We tried to introduce modern methods of administration with a horde of officials who had no understanding of the delicate task entrusted to them. We tried to enforce laws and regulations which were completely alien to the tribal people. We tried to civilise them. This they resented. We tried to stop them from changing their abodes and advised them to settle permanently at fixed places. This they could not understand, and felt they were being robbed of their freedom of movement and means of livelihood. Our Court and Court Procedure were too complicated and cumbersome for the tribal people to follow. Till 1956, there was no attempt at developing these areas. Only after the Naga trouble had assumed serious proportions did we realise the need for the economic development of these areas. The new administrative machinery brought in its wake, peons, clerks, head-clerks and petty officials followed by petty shopkeepers and ruthless businessmen. Bribery and corruption on the part of officials destroyed the old image of the Government representative, whose integrity was taken for granted. These officials were looked upon as alien tyrants.

Nehru felt the reality of the situation. In November 1963 he accepted the principle of autonomy for these hill areas. But alas, it was not implemented at that time and only in 1965 a Commission under the chairmanship of Shri Pataskar was appointed to report in this matter. But now it is very late.

Again, these tribals were half Hindus–half Pagans. During the last 70 or 80 years foreign Christian missions have been working in these areas. The missionaries learned the languages of the people, started schools, hospitals, and small technical institutions. They printed books in the Roman script for them and at the same time they spread Christianity among them. Practically all Nagas and Mizos under 45 are Christians. The percentage of literacy is high. But these missionaries did not try to disrupt their way of life and consequently earned the respect of the tribals. Hindu or Buddhist missionaries have done nothing to counteract their activities.

The granting of freedom to India was not liked by many countries. These tribals are occupying areas which are strategically important. They are located in an area where the boundaries of four nations meet–India, Pakistan, Burma and China. Some pseudo-missionaries, who were really secret agents of foreign powers, now began to operate in these areas and we simply played into their hands. During World War II, both sides had recruited Mizos, Nagas and Kachins. Large dumps of arms were left in the jungles and the tribals helped themselves and collected a formidable arsenal of arms. These pseudo-missionaries incited these tribals against the Indian government and put ideas of independence in their heads. The Government had to admit the presence of these pseudo-missionaries and some of them were deported.

The Government of Burma is co-operating with India in curbing the activities of the Nagas because Burma too has a Naga problem on her hands. But with Pakistan, the case is different. Nagas and now Mizos are being trained in East Pakistan. But Pakistan must realise that India too can play the same game. We too can arm and train dissidents in East Pakistan and the N. W. Frontier Province and this must be brought home to Pakistan with emphasis. Then only will she refrain from aiding and abetting these tribes.

The Peace Mission has failed in its efforts. For eighteen months the so called peace talks have led to nowhere. In spite of a ceasefire, Naga attacks continue. Shri J. P. Narayan has resigned and we are allowing a foreign missionary to move freely in and out of the tribal territory. We need no foreign intermediary to settle our domestic problems. Strength must accompany understanding of the basic grievances of the tribals. We should withdraw the army of non-tribal officials and leave local matters in the hands of the tribals. We should abstain from changing their age-old way of life. Urban civilisation will be unsuitable for these children of the jungle.

What is needed is prompt action and promises must be implemented at once. A new cadre of officials, well versed in tribal history, usage and ritual, must be trained and raised. Above all, they must have character. Justice must be dispensed quickly and red tape must have no place in tribal areas. We must understand their problems and grievances and solve them with understanding, sympathy and firmness. Side by side we must endeavour to improve their economy through local effort.