Matmur Jamoh and Moje Riba (India’s Forgotten Heroes)

 

                                                                   (Matmur jamoh)

                                                                            (Moje Riba)

Matmur Jamoh and Moje Riba

Moje Riba (1890-1982) (India’s Forgotten Heroes)

Moje Riba (1890-1982), called lovingly as Aboh Nyiji, he was arrested by Britishers in 1947 for campaigning and distribution of Congress pamphlets. He was the first person from Arunachal Pradesh to host the national flag at Dipa Village of Arunachal Pradesh on the 15th August, 1947. He was awarded Tamrapatra in 1972 at Shillong by Government of India In recognition of his sacrifices and contributions towards freedom struggle.

Moje Riba, one of the prominent martyrs of India's freedom movement,and one of the noble sons of the country, was a patriot and a kind human being who was always ready to help others. He was affectionately called as Aboh Nyiji, which means old father of all. His village people had made him Gaon Burah.

This great soul was born in the 1890's in the Daring Village (now known as Dari), in West Siang area. He was into cane business. He used to trade cane products to his Hindi-speaking friends across the huge, River Brahmaputra, in Dibrugarh. In Dibrugarh he heard about the freedom movement against the British Rule. He also got an urge to take a firm stand for his country.

He was motivated to join the freedom movement against Britishers. In an act of supporting the freedom struggle, along with the village representatives of the Daring village, Moje Riba gathered at Dirang and decided to go to Sadiya to render support. And, there, they met Gopinath Bordoloi and Lalit Hazarika. He was advised to join INC to work more and gather support for the party. Thus, he joined the Indian National Congress (INC).

After joining INC, Moje Riba became the first INC President from Arunachal Pradesh. He lead the marches and his supporters in the path of the country's freedom. He has contributed in this freedom struggle in different ways.

For his sacrifices and contributions in the India's movement, he was conferred with Tamra Patra by the then PM of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi. It happened on the red letter day of the silver jubilee year of India's Independence Day i.e. on 15th August, 1972.

This great, lion-hearted soul left us on 1982 at his residence in Daring. His sense of patriotism, boldness in action will always inspire and motivate the generations to come.

Forgotten fighter of Arunachal - Matmur Jamoh  Work on promised memorial yet to begin

Matmur Jamoh carries his name with pride steeped in history that is over a century old, a pride that is rekindled particularly on certain occasions. Like Independence Day, for instance.

 

A man by the same name had killed British assistant political officer of the time, Noel Williamson, at Komsing village, while another band of his followers killed one Dr Gregorson at Pangi, both in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, on March 31, 1911.

 

The village chief of Yagrung, nearly 20km from here, had at last avenged the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Williamson two years before the twin strikes by the Adi warriors he led.

“He was my great, great grandfather,” Matmur says of the braveheart, removed from each other by three generations.

 

“I remember him each time the country celebrates Independence Day. He did not like the British supremacy and their interference in the lives of his people,” Matmur says.

 

Some things rankle, though.

 

For one, work is yet to begin on the war memorial at Komsing promised by former governor J.J. Singh.

 

Official recognition has not come either, though Jamoh has etched his name in the hearts of the Arunachalees.

 

Matmur said the brave warrior had died in obscurity and very few records were available of his last days at Cellular Jail, where he was sent after he surrendered, along with some others a few months later, unable to hide any longer in the face of an intense operation called the Abor Expedition of 1911-12.

 

Narrating the events leading to the killing of the two Britishers, he said in 1909, Williamson, accompanied by Col D.M. Lumsden and Rev. W.L.B. Jackson, visited Kebang village.

 

On their return journey to Sadiya, they planned to halt at Kemi-Tolon (currently known as Yagrung). Accordingly, a message was sent to the Yagrung village chief Jamoh to make necessary arrangements.

 

“He refused to oblige because he disliked the British supremacy and interference of the white man in their free life. Williamson felt insulted and assaulted Jamoh in the presence of the villagers,” his grandson said.

 

After two years, on March 20, 1911, accompanied by Dr Gregorson (medical officer), Williamson revisited Pasighat en route to Komsing. But at Sissan, most of the porters fell sick, forcing Gregorson to halt while Williamson went ahead to Komsing.

 

On receiving information, Jamoh gathered young warriors and decided to resist the British expedition team.

 

They chalked out a plan to teach a lesson to the “arrogant” Britishers. They followed Williamson and Gregorson in two groups at Sisen and Komsing.

 

On March 31, 1911, the warriors deputed by Jamoh from Kebang, Pangi and Sisen villages attacked Gregorson’s camp at Sisen and killed him, along with his escorts and porters.

 

At Komsing, another group headed by Jamoh killed Williamson the same day.

 

“The retaliation was swift and brutal. October 1911 was the toughest time for the great Adi warriors. The Abor Expedition was undertaken by Maj. Gen. Hamilton Bower in order to avenge the killings. Bower attacked Adi habitations looking to punish Jamoh and his friends. His wife Yasi and son Matkep were tortured. Jamoh, who was forced to go into hiding in Yagrung area, had no option but to surrender,” Matmur said.

 

In 2005, Arunachal education minister Bosiram Siram visited Cellular Jail in the Andamans where political prisoners from the mainland were interned. But the authorities were unable to provide any records about the brave hero.

 

Siram told The Telegraph today that work on the war memorial would begin soon and the state government was also working on plans to accord recognition to those who gave their lives for the country.

Tributes paid to freedom fighters Matmur Jamoh and Moje Riba

Rich tributes were paid to late Matmur Jamoh and late Moje Riba, two revolutionary freedom fighters of the state during a programme to commemorate the 75th year of independence under the banner of ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ at the MPCC auditorium hall here on Saturday.

 

During the programme organized by the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur (NEZCC), in collaboration with the directorate of art & culture, mementos and certificates were presented to the kith and kin of both the freedom fighters as recognition of their supreme sacrifices.

 

Late Matmur Jamoh, a native of Yagrung village, with his team of seven members had murdered Noel Williamson, who was the then assistant political officer of Sadiya and Dr Gregorson on 31 March, 1911 along with their entire entourage of sepoys and coolies at Komsing and Pangi village, respectively.

 

This incident led to the famous Anglo-Abor War of 1911. Eventually, he along with Lomlo Darang and Bapok Jerang were given life imprisonment and sent to Kala Pani at Andaman & Nicobar Island and never returned even after the country achieved independence. Late Jamoh had fought against the slavery policy of the Britishers.

 

Late Moje Riba had first hoisted the national flag in the state on 15 August, 1947 at Dipa village in Lower Siang district. Born in 1890 (approx.) to late Gomo Riba in Dari village, Moje Riba joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in the 1920s and participated in many freedom movements for which he was jailed in the 1930s (possibly in Sadiya or Pasighat).

 

In the late 1930s he was appointed as the president of INC for Arunachal Pradesh (then North Eastern Frontier Tract, NEFT). He was the recipient of ‘Tamra Patra’ from the Government of India. He passed away on 22 January, 1980.

 

Earlier, addressing the programme, state Minister for Cultural Affairs Taba Tedir said, “We are very much inspired by these two freedom fighters. Their sacrifices inspire us to work hard and serve our countrymen in every possible way.”

 

He further stated that there are many unsung heroes of the freedom struggle in Arunachal and that their names needed to be brought to light, which would be done under various programmes of ‘Azadika Amrut Mahotsav.’

 

Secretary of Cultural Affairs Remo Kamki and Art & Culture Deputy Secretary Mabi Taipodia Jini also spoke during the programme. (DIPRO).

NOTE: forgive me if I am wrong or if there is any kind of spelling mistakes, please.