The Nagas
Sir: As a member of the Anti-Slavery Society, I Wuas greatly interested in Rawle Knox's article on e4 Nagas of India (December 6). A report was publishe,' a year ago by the Federal Government of Nagaland.° which numerous examples are given of atrocitlea committed against the Nagas by Indian troops. The fully-documented accounts of torture and rape — sickening in their barbarity — might come as, !, salutary shock to those simpletons who think of inao' as all sweetness and light in racial matters (apart fr, the Untouchables — but that's another story, and G is doing her best, isn't she?). The Nagas have had a hell -of a raw deal. Th,e, majority are Christian, of course; and we all kn°7 how uninterested the World Council of Churches. 15 when Christians are persecuted in certain countea Unlike a lot of Indians (honoured since the war), th Nagas helped us British against the Japaneae. Field-Marshal Sir William Slim has written: "Desthe!PIt•e floggings, torture, execution and the burning o villages, they refused to betray our troops. • Therie active help was beyond value or praise." They we' promised by Gandhi that they would not be for t°
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loin the Indian Union. The Revd Michael Scott was Ported by the Indian Government when he Produced evidence of vicious persecution; his records were seized. Indians in this country are quick to holler for their iritrOts. (some of which, incidentally, are denied to [tons in India). Britain continues to give millions in I4irl to India. I'd be a bit more enthusiastic about this if tnonght that the ruling-caste Indiana who have here are even slightly troubled by, say, the .w.ell-authenticated reports that almost every Chris'Ian church has been destroyed in Nagaland, in one of Which an Indian company commander had joined his 'nen in a collective rape of four Naga girls.
b_ Bradford Community Relations Council.
'racIford
9 Grammar School, Keighley Road, Bradford
West Yorkshire
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