TRIBES AND CUSTOMS OF NORTH-EAST INDIA
CBCC
Submitted by
Divyaraj Jain
SM0121021
3rd Year & 6th Semester
Submitted to
Ishaan Borthakur
Faculty in Charge
National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam
THE RESILIENCE OF THE NAGA PEOPLE: A JOURNEY TOWARDS PEACE AND
INDEPENDENCE
Naga villages were once independent, similar to the ancient Greek city-states, until the British
invaded parts of our land in 1832. The Nagas resisted for 47 years but, in 1879, the British managed
to conquer part of our territory while the larger portion remained free and self-governed by the
Nagas. On January 10, 1929, the Nagas submitted their first written statement to the British
Government’s Simon Commission, demanding to be left alone as they were when the British first
arrived. Foreseeing that the British would leave Nagaland under the Indian Union when India
gained independence on August 15, 1947, the Nagas declared their independence on August 14,
1947, one day before India's declaration, and communicated this to the United Nations.
However, India claimed Nagaland as part of its territory, arguing it was too small and poor to
govern itself. To demonstrate their resolve, the Nagas conducted a National Plebiscite on May 16,
1951, under the leadership of the Naga National Council (NNC), where 99.9% voted for an
independent Nagaland. When India imposed its first General Elections in 1952, the Nagas
boycotted, maintaining they were not part of India and continued their traditional governance
based on non-violence and non-cooperation.
In response, by 1953, India began sending its military to the Naga areas to suppress what they
termed "rebellious Nagas." By 1956, more than 100,000 Indian soldiers were deployed to the Naga
Hills. In 1958, the Indian Parliament enacted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, granting the
military unlimited powers to arrest, search, seize, and even "shoot and kill" on mere suspicion with
legal immunity. This led to the deaths, torture, rape, and maiming of over 200,000 Nagas, with
many villages being burnt multiple times.
Before this law, there were other restrictive regulations like the Assam Maintenance of Public
Order (Autonomous District) Acts of 1953 and the Nagaland Security Regulation of 1962. In 1972,
the Nagaland Legislature Assembly enacted the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. During the
national "Emergency Rule" from 1975 to 1977 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the
Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was imposed, leading to the arrest and jailing of
Naga leaders, youth, and student leaders. This period also saw the signing of the “Shillong Accord”
on November 11, 1975, by some underground representatives.
Despite these conflicts, there were periods of peace initiatives. In 1964, the first Ceasefire was
declared between the Indian Government and the Naga National Council (NNC), which lasted for
about eight years but failed to produce a solution due to India's unpreparedness for an independent
Nagaland and the Nagas' unwillingness to settle for less.
In the summer of 1997, on July 25th, another ceasefire was announced by Prime Minister I.K.
Gujral and the Chairman of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, Isak Chishi Swu. The talks
were to be held without conditions, at the highest level, and in a neutral country. Since then, the
peace process has continued for over 13 years, with around 70 rounds of talks in various neutral
countries and occasionally in New Delhi and Nagaland. In one of the talks in Amsterdam on July
11, 2002, the Government of India recognized the unique history and situation of the Nagas,
marking a significant achievement in the peace process.
Additionally, the Government of India entered into a ceasefire with the National Socialist Council
of Nagaland, led by S.S. Khaplang and Kitovi Zhimomi, in 2001, which continues to this day,
fostering a peaceful atmosphere for open discussions on potential political solutions.
The Naga society has endured immense suffering due to the political conflict and armed
confrontations since India's independence in 1947. One of the worst outcomes was the internal
conflict among Nagas, who began fighting each other instead of the common enemy. Despite this,
various people’s organizations and religious institutions are working towards restoring peace,
forgiveness, and healing. The Forum for Naga Reconciliation, formed in February 2008, is making
significant efforts to heal the land. We now see a glimmer of hope after a long period of darkness.
