Britain is responsible for the Nagas’ misfortune

October 15, 2017 424 Views No Comment

The British came and conquered the Nagas with their superior weapons. Once conquered, the Nagas remained most friendly and loyal subjects to Great Britain. From 1881 to 1947, during the rule of the most civilized Britons over the Nagas (‘head-hunters’, they called the Nagas), not a hair fell in conflict between the conquered and the conqueror. Days had Britain then Nagaland a glorious corner of her empire.

In the World War I, thousands of Nagas had served in distant France to help the British. The World War II came right into the hearth of Naga home. Every able Naga, man and woman, took it as their loyal duty to help the Bristish, and fought in every possible way, both in jungle warfare and in intelligence, and paralysed the Japanese forces, thus saving India from devastation of war. The turning point of the World War II in the East—Nagaland.

Nagaland, small though it may be, Nagas were, though thought to be ‘head-hunters’,

The best of the Nagas’ had been served to the British what they could.

Man may forget but history will tell;

Nagaland as a nation gave best of her loyal service for Britain in hour of her need for a noble cause.

The world was was over. Britain let down Nagaland. Britain gave to India independence; but left Nagaland to stand tremble under India’s feet. Today India has invaded and occupied Nagaland. The world has not seen the actual scene of what the Indian armies have done to the innocent Naga villagers. Hell was let loose until the whole of Nagaland lay waste. Then Indian told the world: “Nagaland is not the 16th State of the Indian Union”. But India’s war on the Nagas goes on.

Britain has been keeping quiet too long, as if she is an innocent. There will not be an excuse. Naga blood has already been run enough to reach Britain. Nagas have cried too long to Britain to repair her past commitment.

On the 9th April 1946, Nagas warned the British Cabinet Mission, camp—New Delhi, that the Nagas’ case should not be implicated with that of India; and demanded that the Nagas should be independent the day the British left India. The Nagas asked for ‘fish’ but the British gave them ‘snake’ (India?); but to the Indians the British gave ‘bread’, not ‘stone’.

The British came and conquered the Nagas and, when they left, slung them off at the mercy of India’shands. Britain is today directly involved for the Nagas’ misfortune.

What is Britain going to do for the Naga people???

Khadao Yanthan

41, Queensborough Terrace

London, W.2

(Holder of the Burma Star, served twice in the Burma campaign, whose great-uncle MuyothungYanthan was the last reigning chief of the Lotha tribe when the British conquered the Lothas in 1875. Muyothung was beaten to death in December 1875, between Lakhuti and Pangti villages by Captain Butler’s men because the Lothas carried their chief instead of the wounded Captain Butler from Pangti attack)

The above article by Khadao Yanthan is reproduced here in its original draft

In : Nagas—History, culture...