Patton unveils memorial plaque of Apamo Lotha

Dimapur, May 12 (EMN): The deputy chief minister, Y Patton, unveiled the memorial plaque of Apamo Lotha, British- India interpreter, in Phiro village under Wokha district on May 12.

Apamo Lotha, son of Thunglamo Patton, was one of the signatories of the historic memorandum submitted to the Simon Commission, stated an update from the deputy CMO media cell.

Speaking on the occasion as special guest, Patton has termed it as a proud moment as one of its sons had participated in a landmark event, which has gone down in the annals of Naga history. He has appealed to uphold his ideals by learning to live in peace and harmony.

“Today we are greatly indebted to our pioneers like Apamo Lotha and others from the Naga Club. And because of them, today we have such an illustrious political history that we can be proud of our struggle and political legacy,” Patton said.

As Phiro being the ancestral village of many Lotha villages, Patton stated that people remember and look upon them in everyday situations.

Also speaking on the occasion, president of Naga Club, Kuolachalie Seyie, said Apamo Lotha had participated in WW1 as part of the Naga Labour Corps in the city of Marseilles France in 1917-18 and became the first Lotha interpreter at the deputy commissioner's office in Kohima.

Seyie added that Apamo was the lone Lotha signatory of the famous Memorandum submitted by the Naga Club to the Simon Commission on January 10, 1929.

“Nagas are clear and justly proud because of their forefathers like Aphamo Lotha and others of Naga Club, that their struggle was not an act of secession, that unlawfully or treasonously violated some solemn agreement or undertaking made by them to be apart of the new independent India at any time. Nor was it an anti-India reaction as they were acting on the basis of unquestionable facts of their history and their right to choose their own future as a good neighbour of India as justified by the facts of their history,” Seyie added.

He further stated that Nagas are greatly indebted to the pioneer forefathers such as Aphamo Lotha and others from the Naga Club for their illustrious political history so that the present generation could be proud of their struggle, whose legal and political validities are unchangeable.

Others who spoke on the occasion included retired commissioner, M Patton; principal secretary, EM Patton; and Ekyimthung Patton, on behalf of the family.