Bitter past, hopeful future

September 6 has two chapters containing episodes of Naga political movement, each representing the conditions which people during those years lived with. The first chapter on September 6,1960 is written with the blood of martyrs of Matikhrü(under Meluri), near Phor village; while the second chapter is the first Cease Fire that took effect on September 6,1964. On September 6,1960 the people of Matikhrü, a small village, with around 15 houses, were subjected to the most horrific treatment and several were either butchered or shot in cold blood by the 16th Punjab Regiment. The 16 Punjab unleashed their fury on the helpless villagers in retaliation for the attack on the 16th Assam Rifles camp at Thuda(Phor), by the Naga Home Guard on August 14,1960 and later on August 26,1960 when an Indian Air Force Dakota DC3(Reg. HJ233) was shot down by the Naga army while trying to drop relief materials and ammunitions to the besieged post. All nine crew members captured and treated well and later released unharmed. Prior to the September 6 Matikhrü massacre, the 16 Punjab on September 1, tortured six villagers of Phor village to death; while two from Moke village were beaten and slaughtered to death on September 2. Also three from Yisi village were beaten to death on September 3. A villager from Lurari village was buried alive after being severely beaten up on September 4, while two from Meluri village were beheaded in front of the villagers. On September 5, 13 villagers from Lephori were arrested, tortured, tied together to a post and had boiling water poured on them. Women were also raped and those pregnant were forced to give birth in the open. The September 6 Black Day was published in this newspaper during the late 90s and brought to light the untold inhuman sufferings which innocent villagers had to undergo during the turbulent period. The massacre at Matikhrü is also a reminder about how the Indian national media imposed a total black out at the genocidal crimes committed in the erstwhile Naga Hills district(under Assam) and Naga Hills Tuensang Area(under NEFA).It is also a dark chapter of inhuman suffering perpetrated by state actors under the cover of the Armed Forces(Special Powers)Act 1958, which was first imposed in Naga Hills and NHTA. It is also a reminder that till date, none of the uniformed personnel who committed heinous crimes on civilian population were brought to book. The government of India certainly owes an apology for these heinous crimes committed under the plea of enforcing law and order through use of a draconian law. On September 6,1964 the first cease fire agreement was reached between the Naga political group-NNC/FGN and the government of India. In order to save the innocent people from such humungous tragedies, Baptist Church leaders led by Rev. Longri Ao and Rev.Kenneth Kerhuo decided to prevail upon the government and NNC to give peace a chance. The declaration of Naga cease fire on September 6,1964 led to people erupt with joy as church bells rang to herald peace. Though solution could not be achieved; yet the 1964 cease fire ushered an era of transformation through peace and progress, which is the biggest takeaway of the agreement.