DIMAPUR, AUGUST 14: The NSCN (IM) celebrated 75th Naga Independence Day at its Council Headquarters, Hebron on Saturday.
On the occasion, a short programme was held where the speech of the President, Q Tuccu was delivered by Kilo Kilonser (Home Minister), M Daniel Lotha, on behalf of the president.
In his speech, Q Tuccu said for the sake of exercising flexibility the Nagas cannot forego the Naga National Flag and Yehzabo (Constitution).
“NSCN cannot do such abominable thing before our Almighty God and before our Naga people”, he added.
“In what can be construed as unfortunate turn of irony is that some sections of the Nagas are awed at the coaxing call of the Government of India as gospel truth. This is too big a shame for the Nagas to be manoeuvred”, he stated and urged Naga people not to lower down their guard defending their historical and political identity, come what may.
Clarifying on the August 3, 2015, Framework Agreement signed with the Government of India the NSCN Chairman said; “We have to admit that Naga nation needs to have good neighbourly relation. No nation can survive on its own. Inter-dependent relationship is the system of international diplomatic relationship. The relationship between India and Nagas on the basis of peaceful coexistence must be established to a meaningful level to benefit each other. We can never do away with each other. That is the political meaning in signing the Framework Agreement to protect our sovereign identity. Fulfilling the commitment towards executing the FA details will give us the solution that is honourable and acceptable to both the Naga people and Government of India”.
Tuccu said Nagas are proud of their history and the determined leadership of their pioneers who dauntlessly handled the Naga political struggle against all odds adding that it was on this day the 14th August, 1947, one day before India got independence that the Nagas declared independence before the world.
“Going beyond that, our leaders put on record before the world. The declaration was sent to the King George VI of England, the Government of India and to the Secretary General of the United Nations Organisation (UNO). It was to deliver the message that the Nagas will decide their own political destiny. No wonder Naga people were never a part of Indian Union”, he said.
He further said NSCN is keeping a wary eye on the Government of India since its representatives pointed out that they (NSCN) are being too rigid in their stand. However, in reality it is the other way round of repeating the same policy of shifting blames than taking responsibility. “It pertains to GoI not respecting the rights of the Naga people. We cannot go on talking with the Government of India to suit its own convenience by dabbling with the legitimate rights of the Naga people”, he cautioned.
He said had the Nagas been too rigid the Indo-Naga political talks would not have lasted this far.
He said defending the rights of the Nagas that are bona fide cannot be wrongly interpreted as being too rigid. He said NSCN has exhibited flexibility and spirit of understanding in a very sensible manner by appreciating the difficulties of the Government of India.
“Flexibility may be considered as political urgency to hasten the process of negotiation. But in the case of Naga political issue we have to draw the line as it matters safeguarding the identity of Naga people’s historical and political rights. The Government of India must show reciprocal sensitivity in the spirit of accommodating the legitimate rights of the Nagas. The Nagas cannot, however, go beyond the limit as it is the bounden duty of the Naga people to protect the sanctity of Naga political issue that our forefathers have faithfully withstood at the cost of blood, sweat and tears”, Tuccu said.
The NSCN Chairman insisted that Pan Naga Hoho, which must constitute as an integral part of the Naga solution, should be given the thoughtful consideration it deserves, but to denigrate the Pan Naga Hoho is as good as insulting our own political identity. Significantly, while negotiating for political rights NSCN cannot belittle ourselves by foregoing nationhood and accepting statehood. This will be tantamount to selling out God’s given political identity as a nation, he said.
“With regard to the crucial issue of reconciliation and unity, it is critically important to look back on the June 10th 2009 Chiangmai, Naga Covenant of Reconciliation and Unity signed by late Isak Chishi Swu, (L) SS Khaplang and S. Singnya. The covenant stated that Nagas have to forgive each other and have agreed that reconciliation and unity shall be obtained on the basis of historical and political rights of the Nagas. Significantly, as a follow up, FNR (Forum for Naga Reconciliation) relentlessly pursued Naga reconciliation and unity in the following years. Let us recall the five days reconciliation programme, “Reconciled for a Shared Naga Future” from August 20 to August 26, 2011 in Dimapur. The two outstanding agreements among others are: Naga Political leaders are prepared to work towards a shared Naga future based on the foundation of Naga historical and political rights, and any interim arrangements of the political rights of the Nagas shall be outside the purview of the Indian Constitution per se”, the NSCN supremo said.
The top Naga leaders that signed the agreement were Isak Chishi Swu, Th. Muivah, Gen. (Retd.) Khole Konyak, Kitovi Zhimomi, Brig. (Retd.) S Singnya and Zhopra Vero.
On delay in finding a solution Tuccu said it is unfortunate to point out that the process of Naga solution has passed the expected timeline, but it is not the NSCN that is at fault, delaying the process. Nor NSCN has ever or tried to change the goal post, it is for the Government of India to examine the urgency of working out all the details of the Framework Agreement, and act on it at the earliest without tampering a single word. “What has been signed with much fanfare before the world view should be pushed forward in letter and spirit. There is no other way forward. The Government of India needs to prove before the world its credibility in handling the Indo-Naga political issue that had hung on for too long”, he added.
(Page News Service)
