[ 5 ] UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IN ASSAM FROM 1921 TO 1947: Naga Resistance
The country occupied by the
Angami Nagas, South of Nowgong (Nagaon) is bounded on the North by the
Dhansiree river, South by a high range of mountains forming the boundary between the Manipur territory and
Nowgong. Paplongmue is the most
Southern Angami Naga village within the district. The western boundary extends as far as Hassenglajoo. ---- but the
Dayang river on the Northeast spread to Latah Nagas in the Sibsagar District
from the Angami Nagas[1]
The Angami Nagas opposed the British entry into their place from the very beginning. For
the first time, the Angami Naga country was visited by Captain Jenkins and Pemberton with a party of 700 soldiers
and 800 coolies in January 1832. “ The party was opposed in its progress from
Yong to Papoolongmaie by the Angami Nagas, and having no ideas of the effect of
firearms, their opposition was most determined. They rolled down stones from
the summit of the hills, threw spears, and did their utmost by yelling and
intimidating the advance of the force, but all in vain, the village of
Papoolongmaie, consisting of 300 or 400 houses was occupied by the troops, and
a constant firing of musketry was necessary to keep the Angami Nagas at a
distance. A stockade was taken at the point of the bayonet. The village was
burnt, some lives were lost and many wounded[2].”
The Nagas lived an independent life having their own village administration and well-organized social institutions. The British faced many problems and obstructions to subdue the Nagas. Because of their nature, the British remarked them as ‘dangerous offenders. The Nagas often attacked the neighboring territories of the Kacharis to loot. The most serious of which was committed in April 1853. The marauders killed 86 persons, wounded many, and carried off 115 as slaves after burning and plundering 4-5 villages. ‘’Between the year of 1835 to 1851, ten military expeditions were led into the Naga hills’’ by the British[3]. In 1866, the present Wokha District of Nagaland was attached to the British territory on the plea of depredation of the Angami Nagas on the British areas. Like other Naga foothill areas, this tract was firstly made a part of Sibsagar district. But later on, all the areas of the Naga Hills, annexed by the British, were constituted into a district called Naga Hills District[4].
In
October 1878 the Angami Nagas killed Mr.
Damant, the political officer, who was shot as he was attempting to enter the
village of Khonoma, and some of his escorts were also killed or wounded. They
even invested Kohima for eleven days.
Mr. Damant was the third officer in succession, in charge of these
hills, to meet with a violent death. Captain Butler had been killed in a fight
with the Lohta Nagas in 1876 and Mr. Carnegy was accidentally shot by his sentry in
1877[5].
Hence it was seen that the British had to work hard to bring the Nagas under
them.
In 1835 the Tagee Rajah ( King of Kuppachor Aka) and his people cut
up a small gourd of the First Assam Subunits posted on the frontier, but he managed to escape and was again continued crime against the British, latter the chief
was captured, and sentenced to imprisonment for life at the jail at Gowhatty (Guwahati). Other hill tribes hill tribe the Lushai, also carried out regular raids in the
frontier region during the period. The
Garos also gave some trouble by attacking surveyors to resist the British entry
into their villages to save independence in 1871 and 1872.
No comments:
Post a Comment