WAR SURVIVOR's DIARY

BLUE BIRD FLASH MEMORIES EPISODES

This story retrieved back the horrific event that shook the heart of a child who survived the BLUE BIRD OPERATION war between the Naga Freedom Fighters and the Indian Army on 9th July,1987 at Oinam Hill Village. The story follows her village turbulent passage through the frenzied war years and interestingly shocking human undying spirit of love, Heartrending sufferings of innocent children, Poverty, Depression, Sacrifice, Heartbreaks and the long waited thunder of Justice.

1. Dead cold night : The noise of the heavy boots of the Indian army trouting through outside at the dead of the night.- I can still feel the soft breath of my younger siblings who agreed not to cry for parents who just left the village for mission work few days before the outbreak. 
2. Waiting for the sunrise : Grab my cloak and rush to the concentration camp site to look out for the best location to build our tent through the day.
3. The almost run away event : Birds were silenced, forest retreated – displaced, people for the first time wish to run away from home once the abode of the loved once turn red and darken with a deep sense torn between the long forgotten Naga underground and the fierce gnashing teeth of the Indian army.
4. A day with Pi Soni (Pi is a local dialect term for granny), the enchanted old granny every children talk about : Who was famous among the neighbourhood children. The strange enchanted Pi who outsmart the Indian army during one of the raid. 
5. Our church that turn into a mockery theatre : Though they may have exploited and silenced our physical church that stood there, they're not able to mock the temple of God that is within me. The Indian army converted our village church into a movie hall. I vividly remember the hindi movie Tarzan shown inside the church. I remember all the sequences of how Tarzan came to save his lady from the forest. The animals coming to help him was much liberating to see because it was that spirit of freedom i was longing for. 
6. Helicopters and truck load of fully armed armies: Felt so uneasy and strange to see how many helicopters landed in my humble sleepy village each new day after at 9th July. The sound of the landing choppers, the sound of war within each heart, I will never forget the sound of my heartbeat that resounded for many years after.
7. The RADIO: Our family price possession "radio". I was assign by my grandparents to safeguard this family treasure. The size of the radio was much bigger than me. I took charged and protected with all the pride and head held high. Each time i carry my family price possession, i remember my dad who always listen to the early morning show "voice of america".

8. The salted potatoes (saving grace) : That kept us alive until the war slowly died down. I still remember how I cried and had my food and how I quietly kept some food inside my pocket fearing for another new day of hunger.  
9. The burning HOUSE: I will never forget how my grandparents cried and deeply mourn over their beautiful home when it went up to flame. The house once stood as the monument of love and sacrifice they share with their children has become but a black ashes the next day. Granny woke up early in the morning to look around and see her home... She must have had a longest night waiting for the sun to rise. Three days later, the Army came back again to sow mustard seeds. They say this is the ultimate sign of rage and an insult to the mother earth.
10. HELL on EARTH : Many of the village elders and leaders were blindly arrested and beaten them until their last blood stops dripping.

• Uncle 1: buried alive
• Uncle 2: hang him upside down and made the 100 ton rice press his weaken body and kept him breathless.
• Uncle 3: Beaten and smashed his eye balls.
• Aunties (2 of them): gave birth to a baby in the open community view with no mercy shown by the army.
• Aunties : sexually assaulted. 

10. The Martyred: That night all my villagers mourn in their own home as the villagers brought the remaining physical bodies of my uncles-great warriors and champions of our hope and spirit. The sun refused to shine. The sky was dark the next day, my village was clouded with the cry of the orphans, widows and their loved ones. Their spirit still invoke us today to share such stories of human undying spirit.
11. POST war depression : Many children and adult alike who survived the war went through deep depression post war. Many of us bear the invisible scars of bluebird. It was like a new birth and new second life i felt as i slowly started to cope up with new me with hopes and dreams. My parents after the war ensure that we move out of the village and start a new chapter of life. They gathered all possible means to safeguard our dreams that almost turn a nightmare. I went to a new school, met new friends and long after i started to write letters to my cousins and friends.

13. The land (Oinam) worth dying and living for : This is the cradle of the Naga war of independence from the Government of India. The story takes the readers through soul searching journey between pure childhood dreams and painful human realities that continue to move the hearts of the Naga hills and Human Rights community in India and abroad.... (under the process of publication).