Moji Riba

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Moji Riba
Moji Riba.jpg
Indian Freedom Fighter
Personal details
Born1911
Dari village, Lepa Rada District, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Died11 October 1973
Dari village, Lepa Rada District, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse(s)Karpu Riba
ChildrenJito Riba, Jibom Riba, Jiyo Riba, Jikir Riba, Jie Riba, Jiter Riba and Jijum Riba.
ResidenceDari village, Lepa Rada District, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Awards

Moji Riba (1911–1973) the eldest son of Gomo Riba and Nyapu Riba, was an Indian freedom fighter from a small village called Dari in Lepa Rada district of Arunachal Pradesh erstwhile known as North East Frontier Tract/North East Frontier Agency, who participated in the Indian Independence Movement.

Early Life and Education[edit]

When Moji was twelve years old he was admitted to Lower Primary School at Sadiya in Assam which was run by the American Baptist missionaries. He studied there for four years from 1923 to 1927. Thereafter, in 1927 he changed the school and took admission in Mission High School at Jorhat, Assam. Unfortunately while studying at Jorhat in class seven his father grew very old and his family members demanded his presence back home for being the eldest son to look after him during the last days of his life. So in 1931 he left his schooling and came back to Dari village. His father passed away on March 1, 1932 and the whole burden of his family fell upon him making it impossible for him to go back and pursue his studies at Jorhat. He was one of the first person to get any education from his area.[1] [2]

Path to Nationalism[edit]

What he acquired while studying at Assam stayed profoundly embalmed into his memory. He was highly knowledgeable in English, Hindi and Assamese languages. While studying in Assam he studied about freedom fighters like Maniram Dewan, Piyoli Phukan and their battle for independence. He also became acquainted with Mahatma Gandhi, his principles and the Indian National Congress that were fighting for the country’s freedom from the British colonial government. He was motivated by the concepts of nationalism.[3] Following his return to his home, Moji’s patriotic yearning to fight against the foreign rulers further increased incensed after observing atrocities and unfriendly attitude of the colonial authorities towards his people. So, he began plotting against the British administration and organised operations in the villages against colonial authorities who had their headquarters at Pasighat. He achieved enormous renown in the region as a guy who was spreading the liberation struggle. After the Quit India Movement (1942) started in India, Moji felt the urgent need to start a movement in the hills, this desperation was only aggravated when in the same year Moji and his group learnt about a scheme that some British officials were propagating in the hills; it was the Crown Colony scheme or the Reid Plan envisaged by Robert Reid, the Governor of British Assam. According to the proposal, the British administration were hesitant to bring the territories of North-East India and North East Frontier Tract under far distant Delhi. Governor Reid said that the future of hills surrounding Assam's should be determined by the British Parliament and not by the Indian political leaders, they intended to carve off North-east as a distinct colony of Britain.This proposal became an unsettling problem for Moji.[4][5]

News Paper cutting of Moji Riba being awarded Tamra Patra by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President V. V. Giri at Red Fort, New Delhi on 15 August 1972

Dipa Congress Movement[edit]

Moji recommended his team that they would initiate a freedom cum congress movement in the hills. For this aim, they travelled to Dibrugarh where he met Lalit Chandra Hazarika, the General Secretary of Dibrugarh District Congress Committee. Moji offered his wish to join the Indian National Congress with support from Assam Congress in order to start a Congress campaign in the hills hence forming a Congress committee in the hills to obstruct the colonial administration. Lalit pledged them to obtain full assistance from Dibrugarh Congress Committee in creating a Congress committee in the hills. From Dibrugarh Congress’ assistance, Moji started the movement in the hills with the aid of people like Moje Riba, Rimo Riba, Ligin Bomjen, Dagi Angu, Kore Bagra, Kargo Basar and many other from his area. In 1946, they constructed their headquarters and a school in a village named Dipa in the foothills of Lower Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, hence, Dipa Congress Committee was formed of which Moje Riba became the President since he was the senior most member in their team and young Moji himself took the office of General Secretary.[6][7][8][9][10] This was the first time a political party was formed in Arunachal Pradesh, also, it was in this Congress headquarters at Dipa where for the first time the Indian national flag was hoisted in Arunachal Pradesh by the men of Dipa Congress Committee.[11] During the stretch of their movement, Moji and his Dipa team even met with Gopinath Bordoloi. Moji Riba, Moje Riba, Rimo Riba, Ligin Bomjen and many of his Dipa Congress team were harassed and also put behind bars for their movement in the hills by the British Political Officer Peter Loren Seton James. Eventually the movement succeeded and the British officer P. L. S. James was removed from his post at Pasighat.[12][13]

Tamra Patra of Moji Riba

For his contribution in the Indian Independence Movement, Moji Riba was included among the first batch of Tamra Patra recipients. He was awarded with this prestigious award at Red Fort, New Delhi by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President V.V.Giri on 15th of August 1972.[14][15]

Moji Riba with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the first batch of freedom fighters cum Tamra Patra recipients at Red Fort, New Delhi on 15 August, 1972

After India's Independence[edit]

Moji Riba with his family in the late 1950s. Behind them is the Jeep vehicle which people recall as being one of the first in the region

Bharat Chandra Bhuyan, the first Indian Political Officer in Siang region recognised him as an important figure in the society and appointed him as a Gaonburah of his village and took him to tours into the District. Moji also served as the Bango secretary of the Ego Bango. Further, Moji Riba was involved in the construction of Aalo-Likabali road. He also became the first person to purchase and use Jeep vehicle in the region. At the age of 62, on 11 October, 1973, Moji Riba took his last breath in his village Dari leaving behind his wife, a son, six daughters and grand children.[16]

Bibliography[edit]

  1. ↑ Koyu, Geri, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021, pp. 72-73.
  2. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Moji Riba". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Koyu, Geri, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021, pp. 73-75.
  4. ↑ Koyu, Geri, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021, pp. 84-87.
  5. ↑ Nyori, Tai (2021). A Freedom Movement in the Twilight: Tribal Patriotism in the North-Eastern Frontier Tracts of India (1st ed.). Delhi: Nation Press. pp. 143–155. ISBN 978-93-90812-54-7.
  6. ↑ Koyu, Geri, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021, pp. 96-100.
  7. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Kargo Basar". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Kore Bagra". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Ligin Bomjen". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Rimo Riba". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Koyu, Geri, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021, pp. 98-103.
  12. ↑ Pandey, B. B. (1997). Arunachal Pradesh: Village State to Statehood (1st ed.). Delhi: Himalayan Publishers. pp. 89–98. ISBN 81-86393-12-9.
  13. ↑ Pandey, B. B. (1991). Leadership Pattern in a Tribal Society (1st ed.). Delhi: Spectrum Publication. pp. 62–110.
  14. ↑ Mahotsav, Amrit. "Moji Riba". Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  15. ↑ Nyori, Tai (2021). Freedom Movement in the Twilight : Tribal Patriotism in the North-Eastern Frontier Tracts of India (1st ed.). Delhi: Notion Press. p. 155. ISBN 978-93-90812-54-7.
  16. ↑ Nyori, Tai (2021). A Freedom Movement in the Twilight: Tribal Patriotism in the North-Eastern Frontier Tracts of India (1st ed.). Delhi: Nation Press. pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-93-90812-54-7.

References[edit]

  • B. B. Pandey: Arunachal Pradesh: Village State to Statehood, Himalayan Publishers, Itanagar, 1996.
  • B. B. Pandey: Leadership Patterns in a Tribal Society, Spectrum Publications, Guwahati, 1991.
  • Geri Koyu, 'New Patterns of Tribal leadership: Moji Riba and the Aborted Congress Activity in Lower Siang, 1947-48,' M.Phil. Dissertation submitted to Department of History, Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, 2021.
  • Tai Nyori: A Freedom Movement in the Twilight: Tribal Patriotism in North-Eastern Frontier Tract of India, Published by NOtion Press, Delhi, 2021.

External links[edit]

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