Speaking Tiger Kuknalim, Naga Armed Resistance: Testimonies of Leaders, Pastors, Healers and Soldiers

by Nandita Haksar

An immensely valuable and revealing book about the decades-long Naga national movement, containing interviews with leaders, ideologues and soldiers that have never been published before.This first-of-its-kind book tells the story of the Naga national movement from the inside. Based on extensive interviews of the Naga nationalists, conducted in the late 1990s in Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dimapur and Delhi, it explains why the Indo-Naga conflict has lasted more than seven decades, and why successive prime ministers of India, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, have personally met the Naga leaders and tried to resolve the conflict.In Kuknalim, leaders and members of ten Naga tribes spread across India and Myanmar speak directly to the reader about their childhood experiences, reasons for joining the armed struggle, and their personal triumphs and tragedies. They recount their journeys from small impoverished mountain villages through the jungles of Myanmar to China--from where they carried back arms to fight for an independent Nagaland--and finally the journey to the negotiating table. These stories relate to the period of the Naga movement from World War II to 1997, when Naga nationalists under the NSCN (IM) entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Indian state and began peace talks. And in the introduction to the book and the different sections in it, the authors also write about subsequent events, besides providing the political context for each interview.A groundbreaking work, Kuknalim offers invaluable insights into the world of Naga insurgency and its geo-political significance. Without asking the reader to agree or disagree with the people and movement it profiles, the book also examines complex questions of identity politics; the role of religion in nationalism; and the sentiments that drive men and women to take up arms and endure extreme hardship in pursuit of their dreams.

Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Apratim Mukherjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book from a book fair because I was inquisitive about the oldest insurgency of India i.e. Naga insurgency. This is collection of testimonies of Naga separatists on basis of interviews conducted by the authors in late nineties. Most of these people are either dead or irrelevant today. However, it is interesting to note that most of these separatists were interviewed in fancy locations like Bangkok or Goa, not in jungles of Nagaland which actually somewhat goes to show that Naga insurgents have no vision now. Furthermore, it was clear that there were too many factions within the underground and a Naga independent state doesn't seem a possibility as of now.
The problem with the book is that it contains no testimonies of pro-India Nagas who are not a small number. S.C.Jamir was painted as a 'traitor' but his comments are no where to be seen in the text. He is just reduced to a footnote. No explanation was sought from Khaplang as well.(Though some damage control has been done by the authors at the end).
The book is biased and paints a one sided narrative to this contentious issue. I would suggest, after reading this book, read a book explaining the Indian side of the argument to get a balanced picture.

[Karan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad, brutal and captivating