“I am demanding my land where I belong, not of Burmese land or Indian land but the land where was I born and brought up. I don’t want to be a refugee in my own place anymore.” This is the simple demand or plea or cry of Kakka D. Iralu, a great fighter of Naga-Indo war. He is the author of “The Naga Saga”, a historical account of long sixty two years of Indo-Naga war and the story of those who were never allowed to tell it
In his own words, The Naga Saga, which the Indian government had considered banning, “is a book about war. But this is not a book that extols war or takes any pleasure in victories or defeats. It is rather a book that is written to condemn the war. It is written with the deepest desire that wars must come to an end and people learn to live in peace with one another.”
From his interview:
What is the history of Naga-Indo war?
The British invaded a small portion of Nagaland in 1832 and ruled it until 1947. In British accounts, the unconquered seventy percent territories of the Nagas were recorded as “unadministrered territories” or “excluded area.” Even on the thirty percent lands that the British administered the Nagas could never lay any claim.
But in 1947 they divided Nagaland and gave half of it to Burma and half to India. As far as its relationship with its neighbour India is concerned, prior to 1947, no Indian king or prince had ever set foot on Naga country and Nagas have never had an affinity with India whether racially, historically, politically, culturally, religiously or in any other way.
So our question is how a foreign country can divide another country and give it to two neighboring countries. We insist that Nagaland is neither a part of Indian territory nor are Nagas Indians, and they have no right to do it.
Then why does Indian government not let Nagaland be a sovereign state?
The Indian government surely knows that our land is floating on fuel and this is why they are not agreeing to the sovereignty of our state and contrary to Gandhi’s wish Nehru might have thought that an independent Nagaland wouldn’t exist politically and economically.
Does the conflict among the Naga people hinder your fight for getting freedom?
Yes of course there does exist a lot of conflict among the Naga people but where the fight to get back the sovereignty of our land is concerned we stand united. All the Naga people longs for freedom and our people continuously fight with the Indian military with whatever weapons we have. Even our women and kids know how to use guns.
The Indo-Naga war that has ravaged the Naga country for the past sixty two years is a result of India’s violation of universal laws with respect to Nagaland. This war of aggression and invasion on the part of India has led to the death of more than two hundred thousand Nagas through torture, rape, starvation, disease and indiscriminate murder. The war still continues unabated and unresolved to date.
Do you get any threat from the Indian government after writing this book?
Once the Indian government decided to ban the book but I challenged them that each word, figure and incident in this book is hundred percent truth and anyone can check that. But, thanks to the generosity of the Indian government they didn’t ban the book.
What does your family feel about all this?
My wife was very anxious about the future of our kids and she once suggested that I leave the country. But I didn’t agree because I believe only cowards flee from situations that demand real courage. I know a mother would be more anxious about her kids.
How does the Non-Naga people, including Keralites migrating to Nagaland influence the Naga people?
We must thank most of them because they teach us a lot of things. But some of them own our land illegally, some of them enjoy our natural beauty and resources and are spreading false stories about us.
What is your comment on Indian government’s action on the Kashmir and Manipur issues?
I think the Indian government cheated Kashmiri people like they cheated us. Kashmir does not belong to India just as Nagaland does not belong to them. Even in Manipur, the Indian government does not really care about the sacrifice of Irom Sharmila Chanu to save her land from the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) and what can she do except torture herself till justice is granted?
