The world looks at the world's largest democracy headed by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the Indo-Naga political issue based on the concluded negotiations of 31st October 2019 with Naga groups.
N Kitovi Zhimomi, Ato Kilonser & Convener Working Committee, NNPG (on Aug 14, 2022)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Remember, God Almighty created Nagaland. It is neither the British nor the Indians who gifted the Naga people this land.14th August 1947 is our greatest milestone. It epitomises Naga nationhood. This is the day Naga pioneers gently reminded the crumbling 200 year old British Indian Empire and the leaders of the newly birthed Indian nation, the will of the Naga people!
Over decades, the blood of thousands of warriors and unarmed civilians have been spilled. We salute their souls.
The Naga struggle is guided by a Spiritual Force and we cannot fail it. We are called to protect and defend our land, our rights and our history, so that our children and grandchildren do not inherit an arid, silenced and doomed Nagaland, bereft of any hope for political, social, moral, spiritual and economic revival.
It would be catastrophic because our forefathers left us a great legacy to take forward the Naga vision. The Naga tribes, CSOs and political leaders of today must insist for a space and time for the younger generation Nagas to regenerate themselves for a nobler existence.
I thank our Almighty God for His grace. His wisdom and His will alone resulted in the creation of Nagaland. Human folly; of uncontrolled pride, monstrous egos, reckless killings, nepotism, tribalism, regionalism, selfish motives, secretive political talks over the years, have further eroded common Naga future, having been divided into many states in India and Myanmar first by the British and then by GoI.
However, with or without integration, Naga homeland will never evaporate and it shall be known and be called NAGALAND and no other, as coined by Naga pioneers. The leaders and followers, both past and present, are mere tools in the hands of a great Sculptor striking and chipping away to fulfil a greater purpose.
Every nation on earth is predestined to rise or perish. The question before the Naga people is, are we preparing to rise or perish? All leaders will eventually be phased out either by fellow humans or by Supreme time keeper.
This natural law applies to everyone be it the Hon'ble Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, WC,NNPG Convener, N. Kitovi Zhimomi or any other leaders.
In the Naga context, history will remember who wasted twenty five years in fruitless parlays amassing wealth and enriching themselves and who negotiated with GoI earnestly and brought out the most transparent practical political roadmap for the Naga people at its most divisive, confused, disgruntled and restless hour.
Today, the Naga people must understand and adapt to the dynamics of a fast changing geo-political environment around us. The past gives us our rightful, legitimate space to pursue our goal as a people. The future is how we salvage our people and land through co-existence and mutually 'AGREED POSITION'.
Nagas cannot live in isolation, illusion or simple hope. It is time to set foot into the practical domain. We must learn from history and call for a meaningful existence with our honour and pride intact.
Today, many Naga leaders have become self worshippers and too slippery in their utterances, unable to define the real meaning of SOVEREIGNTY, INDEPENDENCE, INTEGRATION or NAGA IDENTITY. From 1929 British Statutory Commission Naga memo to 2017, the matter of Naga Flag, which was first hoisted on 22 March 1956, nine years after declaration of Naga Independence, at Parashen, Rengma Naga Country, and the Constitution, which all Naga Political groups swear allegiance to their own, having symbolic, political and emotional space in the Naga struggle, never distracted the Nagas as these elements essentially belonged to the Naga people.
These symbolic issues did not disrupt the flow of negotiations during the late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's time. The talks did not fail because flag or constitution. More recently with successive GoI interlocutors, the twin issues never really reached talks-sabotaging stage.
They do not feature in FA at all since the intricacies of the Indian system were already accepted, appreciated and understood by NSCN IM. I agree Naga Flag is an indispensable symbol of our resistance but, is it the only element denoting Naga Identity?
Is it not a mischief to say Nagas had no Identity before official adoption of the Naga Flag on 22 March 1956? Were we identity-less nomads without land? I tell what is real Naga Identity Naga culture, customs, traditions, defined Mongoloid features, semi naked martial existence, close knit community, generosity, hospitality, simplicity, Village-state governance, rule by warriors and chieftains, finally the entirety of Naga migration and Political struggle against occupational forces, is our Naga Identity.
In the last quarter of 2017, the Government of India, realising the futility of talks with a single group, officially invited the Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGS), a conglomerate of six Naga armed groups, to the negotiation table. Then came the unthinkable, the NSCN (IM) suddenly demanded from the GoI to give them Flag and Constitution unconditionally.
Factually, they officially forfeited Naga integration on 29th Feb, 2012, at Agri Expo FNR meeting. Apparently, since GoI started negotiations with WC, NNPGs, the sudden demand and claim for Flag and Constitution became necessary in order to prolong and sabotage possible Indo-Naga solution.
How could an entity, having declared successful conclusion of political talks, appreciating the intricacies of the Indian system, demand Flag or constitution? No amount of propaganda can change this fact. There were no subsequent political and administrative initiatives or transitional steps. Till date, the details of FA have been kept away from the Naga people. The bits and pieces which have come into the public domain points to hegemonic, despotic and diabolic agenda straight out of communist rulebook.
Leaders and friends, in Nagaland, ancestral principles of Village administration is an impenetrable fortress because, pure democratic customary laws on land ownership by individuals and community have persisted for centuries. In such a thriving tradition the only way to change and disturb the Naga democratic ethos is by introducing alien land laws through soft propaganda followed by coercive policies.
To push in their plan, they demanded from GoI for the creation of the Pan Naga Hoho (PNH). They sought to empower its chairman absolute authority over Naga people, their land and resources. Nagas opposed and fought British and Indian rulers for these very regressive characteristics and laws enforced in our land.
Is it not akin to throwing out a snake from the house only to invite in another snake?
Having understood the concept and future consequences, in consultation with Naga tribes, the WC, NNPGs during the course of negotiations, flatly rejected the proposed creation of the PNH. The GoI is clear that the Naga people will have a final say over their ancestral land.
I appeal to those accusing WC Status Paper as "edited version of 16 Point Agreement", "Economic Package" etc. to have the courage to surrender the political documents and arrangements of twenty five years, to the Naga people. Feeding on the bountiful harvest of Nagaland is not a political solution and it must not prolong. Using emotive elements to fuel and drive propaganda machinery is unsustainable. Nagas are readying for a practical political solution. Lest we forget, Adolf Hitler convincingly promised the German people that the Third Reich will regain lost German glory and reign for a thousand years. Confused citizens and frightened German intellectuals of the day, fearing terrible reprisals, blindly supported the Nazis and their propaganda. In eleven years time, by autumn of 1945, Germany was in ashes. The German people had to pay a heavy price for one megalomaniac and his cronies!
Today, Naga people are in a self imposed crisis. There is a confusion between illusion and reality. The world will not wait for us to heal our differences.
There are those wide awake but pretending to be asleep. Sixty elected members in the oppositionless Nagaland state assembly led by Chief Minister, as facilitators, having the mandate of the electorate of Nagaland, must translate words into action.
Should electoral politics and desire to occupy the chair betray the century old Naga political problem? God of history and Naga public will seek answers. This is a time to give future generations a glimmer of hope for their future.
Every elected member has a copy of 'STATUS PAPER', a negotiated document based on 'AGREED POSITION' signed between WC, NNPGs and GoI. It is in reality a 'PEOPLE'S DOCUMENT'. Negotiations were committed as advised by and on behalf of the Naga tribes. WC, NNPGs drastically changed the nature of political dialogue from being secretive to that of completely open, transparent, people-centric negotiation. The status paper is a reaffirmation to all our Naga brothers and sisters in different geographical areas, that there is enough Political space for Nagaland state, Nagas in Manipur, Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagas in Assam. WC, NNPGS has negotiated for all Nagas to ensure common interest and aspiration. The goal is for inclusive honorable and acceptable solution for all Nagas.
Allow me to clear the doubts of eternal pessimists with preconceived minds. WC, NNPGs can only convey to them that there have been numerous personal and group consultations with Naga tribal leaders and intellectuals from Manipur, AP and Assam. We have had sufficient discussions with leaders and intellectuals from ENPO, CNTC, TPO areas, former legislators, legal and constitutional experts from mainland India and Nagaland. We have also maintained close understanding with our neighbours like the Ahoms, Meiteis and Kukis.
The statesmanship and decisiveness of Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is most desirable at this hour. Naga people have been assured an honorable, inclusive solution many times in the last few years. Negotiation with the GoI interlocutor has concluded with sincerity and full commitment, putting across the practical aspiration of the Naga people. All contentious issues have been tackled in the spirit of mutual benefit and interest. Unresolved matters have been agreed, in principle, to be further pursued through democratic political process post solution.
The world looks at the world's largest democracy headed by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the Indo-Naga political issue based on the concluded negotiations of 31st October 2019 with Naga groups. This is a decisive moment for we all live in a limited timeline, be it a political career or lifespan. The universal principle attributed to 'TIME' must be taken into serious consideration by the political leadership of India and also by Nagaland State government. The chairs will remain but occupiers will change. May the wisdom of God Almighty dawn on the GoI leadership.
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