Liquor Prohibition War in Nagaland

By R.C Chiten Jamir

Historical briefs:

1. The American Missionary conference decided to fight the liquor and its evils in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1875 by passing a resolution on the “Total Abstinence from Liquor”. This decision was binding in all Churches of the Naga Hills. It was a right and a Biblical decision. Jesus shall say: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”-Paul filled with the authority of the Holy Spirit said: “No drunkards shall enter the kingdom of heaven. No thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, not extortionists shall inherit the Kingdom of God”- I Cor. 6:10.

2. From the founding of the Christian Church in Naga Hills till the departure of the British administration, prohibition was opposed by the British administration but the Church stiffly and vehemently stood against prohibition in the Naga Hills.

3. Subsequently, the Naga Hills deputy commander, Borkakoti declared the NNC as illegal and issued warrant of arrests against the top NNC leaders including A.Z Phizo. Thousands and hundreds of Assam police and other para military forces poured into the Nagaland Hills including the Tuensang Frontier division. Assam police operation was carried out in every village and Naga areas.

Large number of Nagas were arrested. From 1953 onward, severe army and police operations were carried out. The Assam government conceived a satanic ingenuity of introducing to the Naga Hills and the Tuensang Frontier division, the so-called political rum. The greatest evil that was given to the Nagas.

4. On March 29, 1990, the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act. After 28 years, Nagaland was a dry state.

5. The Nagaland Legislative Assembly and all the council of ministers, parliamentary secretaries are bound by the assembly decision to lift the said Prohibition Act. The Nagaland Assembly, the government of Nagaland and other secular organizations are to fight out with the NBCC and its ramifications and the local Churches.

Uniqueness of the Nagas:
1. Ever since the forefathers of the Nagas were introduced to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, they remained true to their faith in Jesus and abstained from the wicked evil, the liquor. Dr. W. Clark and Rev. Rivenberg made the total abstinence from rice-beer as a basic condition for Baptism and admission into the Church membership. From day one, the Baptist Church in the Naga Hills and later in Tuensang Frontier division, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through love, grace and mercy of God, converted the pagan head-hunting Nagas to Christian faith.

The missionaries challenged the opium of the Nagas-the Liquor. By the grace of God, the Nagas have been slowly brought to the fold of Jesus and kept them from the evils of liquor. The missionaries and the local Churches have been able to tame the evil lion, the poisonous snake. It appear now, the NBCC can no longer control the liquor monsters. The NBCC and all the affiliated Churches have to face it as a Holy war redeem the believers from the evil liquor-which is making Nagas drunkards to be condemned to eternal death! “Who will stand on the Lord’s side?”

2. Uniqueness of the Bible: The Bible condemns-Liquor drinkers. “Do not drink wine nor strong drink….Levi 10:9”. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging….Prov. 20:1. “The drunkard shall come to poverty-Prov: 23:21. The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers all those who believe in Jesus, who receive salvation, forgiveness, eternal life and who are made to become to the children of God (John 3:16; 1:12).

The Bible offers every man a righteous life, cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus- I John 1:19. Jesus forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. The Holy man of God spoke, namely Dr. Clark who was moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Tim. 3:16)- to first believers of the Nagas to totally abstain from the use of liquor. The missionaries made it firm decision to dissociate the lives of the believers from the use of liquor.

3. Our great adversary, the devil Christians have a great and glorious saviour who is able to save us to the uttermost-Heb. 7:25. It is true that the Christians have a very powerful and sinister adversary whose name is Satan-Cur.2:11; 2 Thes. 2:9. Peter refers to our great enemy-adversary-1 Peter. 5:9. We better understand who this devil is and how he exercises his devilish ministry.

God’s purpose is every one of His children should experience perfect peace-Isa.26:3; peace of heart and mind-Phi.4:7. Satan tries to upset this peace. He attracts the peace of the family-he poisons the minds with the liquor. He destroys the family. He destroys the Christian community and fellowship. Liquor destroys the country.

Uniqueness of the Nagas-state identity
1. The first Christian state in India. The decision was made nor any resolution was passed by any one-on its own, it made its own identity. The 16th state of India positioned itself in December, 1963 as a Christian state. This is the uniqueness of the Naga state identity.
2. The country was covenanted by ABAM to stand for Christ in 1967. In 1975-the Nagaland for Christ. In 1988-Nagaland was dedicated as missionary country and dedicated 10,000 missionaries were decided to be sent out for the world wide evangelism.

3. The NBCC promised God to restore peace and good will for the Nagas. Secondly, NBCC declared the Nagaland liquor battle. God will surely ask the NBCC to give an account of their stewardship (Lk.16:2).

4. The Church members should be separated from defiling sinful habits, for example divers’ lusts, pleasure, drunkenness etc. There is only one who can stop this defiling habit of drinking and that one is the Lord Jesus Christ. The true meaning of Church membership should emphasize that we are living faithful lives for the Lord Jesus.

“We must all appear before the judgment of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in His body, according to that he had done, whether it be good or bad”-2 Cor. 5:10.
Prohibition of liquor in Nagaland to continue or to lift it?

This question should be left to the people-the NBCC and the Baptist Churches who spear head to prohibit Liquor in Nagaland. It is illegal to manufacture, impart liquor into Nagaland, or use or drink.

The Bible prohibits the use of liquor. It is one of the chief evil of making a person to sin against God is against sin in any forms. Liquor is one of the greatest enemies of man. It is the greatest destroyer of the family. In fact, the liquor is the greatest criminal in the human history.
“No drunkards shall enter the Kingdom of heaven”. If ever could we get rid of the evil-liquor from the Nagas! If every Naga family could be free of the demon, snake and poison liquor, the rattle snakes from the family altar. Some day, gracious God willing-the government of Nagaland will abolish liquor in any form and it recognize liquor as the most deadly evil. Someday the most intelligent and gifted Naga boys and girls will be free of all evils including the liquor.

According to the Jewish religious traditions, one day two Jewish Rabis went to Mount Zion. They were Elizer and Joshua. Both together saw a vision. Seeing it, one of them laughed and the other wept. “What is the matter, both asked? Look down the Jerusalem”, they said. What was the vision? The vision they saw was recorded in lamentation 5:18-“Mountains of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it”. Let the Nagas remember the lonely city of Jerusalem, which become only a tributary. Are we not satisfied with the gift of a Christian land and a dedicated country for the glory of Jesus Christ? Hallelujah.