S.C. JAMIR - A PROFILE

1. Son of late Senayangba, Mr. S.C. Jamir was born on October 17, 1931 at Ungma, a progressive village of Nagaland, in the present Mokokchung district.

2. Started early education at Mokokchung, he shifted to Allahabad University for higher education in 1954 and received his degrees of B.A and LL.B in 1958.

3. Returning home he found the political situation disturbing which needed a healing touch. The elders, under the guidance of late Dr. Imkongliba were forming the Naga Peoples' Convention; Mr. Jamir, threw himself with their lot and was given the assignment of Joint Secretary.

4. Playing an active part in deliberations and meetings of the Naga Peoples's Convention, Mr. Jamir actively worked for the formation of Naga Hills Tuensang Area (NHTA), which meant the extension of Naga district to include Tuensang, from NEFA.

5. Having achieved their first aim of integrating Naga areas, the NPC, then passed a 16-Point resolution for the solution of the political problem of the Nagas. Mr. Jamir played an active part in the drafting and explaining the spirit behind it.

6. On July 26, 1960, the then Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru met the NPC delegation led by Dr. Imkongliba Ao, when the 16-Point resolution was thoroughly discussed and an agreement was reached. Mr. Jamir is one of the signatories of the Agreement which brought Nagas their State. The Prime Minister, Nehru, announced in Parliament on August 1, 1960 the formation of Nagaland as the 16th State of the Union. The Naga delegation witnessed this historical event sitting in the VIPs galleries.

The acceptance of Nagaland by the Centre ended the controversy which the interpretation of the 9-Point Sir Akbar Hydari's agreement with the NNC had generated.

7. As a preliminary step an Interim Body was formed to which Mr. Jamir was elected in 1961.

8. His active role and depth of political acumen was appreciated by the elders and the Central leadership and Mr. Jamir was nominated to Lok Sabha in the same year (1961). He was the first M.P. from Nagaland.

9. Immediately on his arrival in Delhi as MP he was spotted by Mr. Nehru and was appointed as his Parliamentary Secretary. He was also appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the External Affairs.

10. Mr. Jamir was sent to the UNO as the Political Advisor to the Indian Delegation in 1962.

11. Mr. Jamir was a member of the Indian Delegation to I.L.O. in 1968.

12. During his first visit to London in 1963, Mr. Jamir also had talks with Mr. Phizo. Mr. Phizo was also impressed by his transparency and clarity of vision that he wrote a number of letters to him. The ceasefire in Nagaland in 1965 was possible through the efforts of Mr. S.C. Jamir, who conveyed the feelings of Phizo to the Church leaders.

13. During his stay in Delhi as a member of the Lok Sabha from 1961 to 1970, besides being a Parliamentary Secretary, he was appointed as Deputy Minister, first of Railways, then Labour and Rehabilitation, Community Development and Cooperation, and still later Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.

14. In 1969, Mr. Jamir was the Deputy Leader of a high powered Indian delegation to International Social Welfare Conference at Manila. In 1990, he represented Nagaland in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at Harare.

15. At the State Level political life, Mr. Jamir became the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the fifth time after the election to the Nagaland Assembly in 1998.

16. Elected to Nagaland Legislative Assembly for the first time after his return from the Centre in 1971.

17. He was again elected to the State Assembly in 1974 and was appointed as Minister.

18. In 1977 he was again elected to State Assembly and was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister.

19. In 1979 he left the Regional party and led like minded politicians of Nagaland to formally start a National Party in Nagaland by joining the Congress(I) Party.

20. In 1980 he was appointed as Chief Minister and continued upto 4.6.1980.

21. Winning the general elections as leader of the State Congress in 1982, Mr. Jamir assumed the charge of Chief Ministership till 1986.

22. Responding to the call of the Central leadership, he resigned from the post of Chief Ministership and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1987.

23. Sent back to the State by the Central leadership in 1989, Mr. Jamir again won elections and assumed the charge of Chief Ministership in 1989.

24. On 19 February 1990, he was ambushed at Kohima by the Undergrounds, his body guard and driver were killed and his wife was injured.

25. On 19^th November 1992, his life was attempted by the underground Nagas at Nagaland House, New Delhi, which was almost fatal. He received three bullet injuries to his upper abdomen. He miraculously survived the attack.

27. Again winning the Assembly elections unoposed in 1998, unanimously elected as CLP leader on 2nd March and returned to power as Chief Minister on 5th March,1998 for the fifth time.

28. On 14^th March, 1994, an attempt on his life was made by some miscreants at Farm House, Chumukedima by planting pipe bombs. This was detected timely and the incident was averted..

29. On 18.11.96, some miscreants attempted to ambush on his motorcase near Chumukedima culvert.

30. On 29^th November, 1999, the fifth of the attempt to his life was made by the undergrounds by ambushing his motorcade near Phepima, which he providentially escaped with some minor injuries. This was one of the fatal attack on him in which two of his security personnel were died on the spot and five of them were injured.

31. Mr. Jamir's services to his State and tribal communities as also to the nation have been appreciated and recognised by the Centre as well as by the NGOs. In July 1989 the Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi, awarded him the title of "LOKSHREE". He is the receipient of "Hind Rattan" Award, initiated by the All India National Unity Conference. The Rajiv Gandhi Birthday Celebration Committee, West Bengal, honoured him with "Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Award", 1993. The West Bengal Journalist Association honoured Jamir with "Indira Gandhi Smriti Puraskar" in recognition for his contribution to the national integration in 1994. In appreciation of his services towards the nation he was conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award, 1994. Receipient of "Arch of Asia Award" at Bangkok. Receipient of National Citizens Award, 1996 in recognition to his outstanding contribution to the political and economic development of Nagaland and bringing back the youth to the mainstream. For working relentlessly for national unity and communal harmony he was conferred with Rashtriya Ekta puraskar, 1997 by Committee for National Integration. Receipient of National Integration Award, 1998 instituted by Forum for Unity & Integrity, New Delhi. The American Biographical Institute, USA awarded Distinguished Leadership Award titled MAN OF THE YEAR-1998

32. Mr. Jamir is a forceful speaker, an impressive writer and shrewd politician. His house is always open to the people to meet him. Perhaps that made him an easy target, in 1992 when four armed assailants forced their entry into his small room in Nagaland House Delhi and fired at him at blind range. But his reflexes and the protection of God saved Mr. Jamir though he was seriously injured and carries the scars as a badge of honour for the service to his State and the country.

33. The hallmark of his life is work for the unity and integrity of the nation, peaceful solution of the Naga political problem and reconciliation and graceful rehabilitation of those who led the movement for Naga political awareness. He is also driven by a deep commitment and vision to uplift the Naga people economically and socially.

Publication – Book titled Reminiscences of Correspondence with A.Z. Phizo.

PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ZELIANGRONG AND KUKI TRIBES

Peren area inhibited by Zeliangrong and Kuki tribes was badly affected due to unfortunate ethnic clashes beginning from 1992 to 1st week of May, 1994. During this period a number of steps were taken by the State Government to prevent the clashes between these two tribes and ensure security of life and property. Peace initiative was started so that the two communities could come together and put a stop to the internecine strife but it did not achieve any tangible result and the conflict continued which resulted in burning down of houses, granaries and has also taken a heavy toll of human lives from both the communities.

All along the State Government under the leadership of Mr. S.C. Jamir, Chief Minister of Nagaland had been keeping in touch with the leaders of both the communities so that they could come together to enable them to live peacefully as in the past. It was finally on 16th May, 1994 at the initiative of Mr. Jamir, Chief Minister, leaders from both the communities had a joint meeting with the Chief Minister. With great personal effort and persuasion of Mr. Jamir, the Chief Minister, the leaders of the Zeliangrong Hozam and Kuki Inpi have agreed to bring harmony and amity between these two tribes and accordingly a "Peace Agreement" between themselves was signed in presence of Mr. Jamir, the Chief Minister on the 16th of May, 1994 thereby putting an end to the continued ethnic clashes.

PEACE MOVES IN NAGALAND

During his recent tenure as Chief Minister Mr. S.C. Jamir has publicly announced unconditional forgiveness to his assailants who tried to assassinate him many time. He has been advocating forgiveness and reconciliation in Naga society particularly among the Naga undergrounds so that the Nagas could come together for a permanent settlement of the Naga Political issues through peaceful negotiations with the Government of India instead of resorting violent means. His conciliatory moves have apparently been mis-interpreted and taken undue advantage of by the Naga undergrounds who have been unleashing a spate of terror in the State through indiscriminate killings, armed extortions, robberies, threats and intimidations. Seeing the situation getting out of hand and at the risk of his personal life Mr. S.C. Jamir took the Cabinet into confidence and a decision taken to seek the assistance of the Army to deal more firmly with the prevailing situation and lawlessness in the State. This is a clear instance of taking a bold and courageous step in the larger interest of the nation at the risk of one's own life. Simultaneously, Mr. S.C. Jamir has also given directions for activisation of human rights functionaries in the State in order to ensure that the civil liberties and human rights of the citizens are fully protected.

E-mail :cmngl@hub.nic.in

Back to Previous Page