Er. A. Akaho Assumi
Sughuna, Nagaland
I am very conscious to counter on current situation however the issues being very sensitive and the people may be carried away by such a false propagation. That needs clarifications out-rightly. In response to the article that appears in some local dailies by one Kaka Iralu, kilonser, NNC Saturday the 4th March 2017.
The foundation of the Naga National movement laid down as early as 1918 through a small but established Naga Club as a social club and not the political institution. When a time came for the Nagas to assert their National rights, the Naga club represented the Nagas and submitted the first Naga National Memorandum to the British Simon Commission on January 10, 1929, at Kohima as recorded its desire to live a separate life of its own and reiterated it in 9-Point Agreement in 1946. NNC was the only organization that submitted the six Memorandums to the departing British Government before the transfer of power Act in 1947 where copies were sent not only to Her Majesty’s Government in India but even to the House of Lords and the British Parliament through Lord Simon and Clement Atlee the then Prime Minister of England. The NNC also sent ten Memorandums stating the same Naga National stand and declared the Naga Independence on August 14, 1947 to the incoming Indian Government leaders before India was born on August 15, 1947, therefore the Naga case is different; it is Pre-Independent, not Post Independence. This was followed up that event with the conduct of the Naga National Plebiscite on May 16, 1951. NNC also completely boycotted India’s 1st 1952 and 2nd 1957 elections. The NNC holds on to the Ceasefire but not the political part of the Shillong Accord; the GoI abrogated the ceasefire but holds on to the other part of the Shillong Accord as valid. Therefore, the Shillong Accord was necessitated to be condemned, so our leaders (Late. Isak and Muivah) persisted repeatedly to its leader (Late. A.Z. Phizo) to condemn the Shillong Accord but the NNC fails to denounce this treacherous act of Shillong Accord.
The Naga National Council (NNC) was the only political platform but with the signing of the Shillong Accord on 11th September 1975, the future of the Nagas was placed in a very precarious situation. The history of the Nagas would have been conserved in the casket of the infamous Accord had there not been those dedicated revolutionary patriots in the front position under the dynamic leadership of Late Isak and Muivah our leaders tried their best to settle misapprehension twisted by the enemies, but to no avail. Nagas are always the victims of enemies divide and rule policy, in course of time the enemies divided the Nagas into two camps through the 16th Point Agreement and the Shillong Accord. However, the Naga people knew that the 16th Point Agreement and the Shillong Accord are hurdles, not solutions. Which is why, the people have condemned both as a sell-out. They are as a matter of fact; the dividing points of the Nagas where killing among the Nagas started.
In keeping the spirit and letter of the Yezhabo, Mr. Th.Muivah, the then General Secretary of NNC convened a National Assembly on 16th August, 1976, since the President Mr. A.Z.Phizo was in London and Vice President Mr.Imkong Meren was too unwell to attend the meeting. The National Assembly condemned the Accord on 16th August 1976 as an act of betrayal and unanimously elected Mr. Late Isak Chishi Swu as Vice President, but unpredictably on 30th August 1978 Lt. Col. Subong seized power in a military coup, Late Isak Chishi Swu and Th.Muivah along with their cabinet members were arrested on fictitious grounds and detained in military custody to be executed. It was only through the beyond belief intervention of Col. Kholi that our two leaders were saved from the tyrants of the military domination. The Junta Government headed by Lt. Col. Subong faced heaps of disagreement from all quarters. He therefore, organized a meeting at Lao village where Mr. S.S.Khaplang was made President of Federal Government of Nagaland. Soon after assumption of office Mr. Khaplang met Late.Isak and Muivah who were still in the military custody at Hashik village. After a long interaction with Late. Isak and Muivah he (Khaplang) was entirely convinced of the fact that NNC had failed and Nagas could no longer prolong their movement under the banner of NNC. In the light of all these facts he took all mandatory steps to defend Late. Isak and Muivah from the hardliners by shifting them to a protected and secured place.
In the first week of January 1980, Mr. Khaplng called a National Workers’ Conference. In that meeting Mr.Khaplang proclaimed the unconditional release of Late.Isak and Muivah who were then still under captivity. He affirmed that he would step down from the office, so, Brig. Thungbo, the then commander-in-chief of the Naga Army took up the charge of the Government as a Caretaker and Khasui Longvah was made the Interim Speaker to be in charge of the meeting. After a extensive forethought on the creation of new organization the house unanimously decided to form NSCN on that day the 31st January 1980 approved by the National Assembly at Tonou and mandated it the National trust to salvage the Naga Nation. Hence, NSCN is the indisputable Political Organization of the Naga people, not a faction as anticipated by the adversaries of the Nagas.
Nagas were a tough and appalling force when they were living together prepared under the banner of NNC. However, after the death of NNC and with the signing of controversial Shillong Accord, the present state of Nagaland is not the final political solution; the reality is that Naga politics does not end with NNC and Shillong Accord. NNC was created by the Nagas for the Nagas and not vice versa and therefore, it will come to an end to be the organization of the Nagas the day it turn out to be disloyal to the conviction of the Nagas. Which compels the majorities of leaders left with no option, but to rescue the NNC, the NSCN was formed to carry on the struggle. Therefore the Nagas rejected the NNC and look forward to attain their National goal under the platform of NSCN/GPRN as the torch bearer of Nagas that can politically and legally substitute the NNC.
Nagaland state was created by handful of educated Nagas that was by no means the best thing to have come about for the Naga people. This was against the aspiration of Naga National Workers. Naga people know how it did arrive on a critical moment and deceitful situation the Nagas were facing then. When GoI leaders say they now will comprehend the ‘Naga’s situations’ they do not mean the present state Nagaland and it’s ridiculous situation today.
And when successive Indian Prime Minister Say the case of the Naga people is recognize as “unique”, the realization explicitly asserts that case between the Naga and GoI need be settled politically. Section of our own people, groups and individuals who have stated different fairy-tale about the current political situations try to further mystify our own people. These individuals and groups have persistently stressed on safeguarding the sacredness of death NNC or sanctity of Nagaland state had also at the same time “ mock the Framework Agreement” as being devoid of sovereignty and integration. What truthfully do they know? Naga integration or defending the death NNC or protecting the 16th state of India? These individuals and groups should be brave enough to dare and officially declare themselves that they stand for protecting the 16th state of India or already death NNC and refrain themselves to talk about the Naga issue. These individuals and groups who demand ‘inclusiveness, integration, or Naga sovereignty, at the same time, when scandalously uphold the integrity of present Nagaland and keep on shielding the NNC, befool themselves other than perplexing the Naga people at large. The issue of settlement does not refer to what they call ‘Naga’s of Nagaland state, neighboring state or outside Nagaland’; it is the Nagas and GoI under the initiative of NSCN.
Most of the people have least knowledge of how much efforts the GoI and the Naga leaders in association with internationally well-known legal experts, constitutional experts, on legal matters and conflict resolutions, people who are so much dedicated to peace for the Nagas, have worked this far to allow permanent settlement between the GoI and the Naga people.
Naga must also learn to be grateful to each other. NSCN could succeed in introducing Naga in many International Forum viz. UN Human Rights bodies; NSCN leadership was given the privilege to speak in the UN human right meeting for a number of times, Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organization (UNPO), which has recognized the sovereign right of the Nagas in its General Assembly, NSCN is the member of UNPO. It is a parallel organization to the United Nations (UN), Parliamentarians for National Self Determination (PNSD) a London based organization, Naga International Support Centre (NISC), based in Netherlands, NSCN is the member of “Geneva Call” an organization under UN, Kreddha (The International Peace Council for States, Peoples and Minorities) and PILPG (Public International Law & Policy Group) both US based organization under UN. “Idasa” a strong South Africa Human Right Organization, European Alliance, Society for Threatened People a strong organization in Germany, and International Alliance of the Indigenous- Tribal People of the Tropical Forest, KWIA, AIPP and many others who extended their kind support to the Indo-Naga peace process.
Mr. I.K.Gujral, the then Prime Minister of India and Chairman Late. Isak Chishi Swu declared the cease-fire Agreement in the Indian Parliament and in the general assembly of the UNPO respectively. Mr. I.K.Gujral further affirmed that apart from NSCN all others are terrorist organization.
No one is supposed to have suspicions about it that NSCN is the legitimate organization of the Naga people, which symbolize the aspiration of the Nagas. After the downfall of NNC, NSCN has brought the Naga nation thus far in the face of all adversities and conflicts.
The Naga Freedom Movement after the decades of struggle, we are on the threshold of a historic settlement through the ongoing talks between the GoI and NSCN. One Kaka Iralu, NNC, Kilonser should bear in mind that the peace process that began in 1997 since then the framework agreement was sealed only after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning nearly 19 years, series of collective and wide ranging consultations that have taken place right from the start of on-going peace talks. The NSCN have never failed to garner the wisdom and strength of the Nagas. Today NSCN had held eight consultative meeting and has the full support and blessing of the Nagas. In January 6TH and 7th, 2005, at the consultative meet organized at the Hebron camp, more than 20,000 representatives of all Naga tribal Hoho’s, GB’s Association, church groups, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights, ENPO, United Naga Council, Naga Women Union, Naga Students Federation, Naga Mother Association, Concern Naga Senior citizen Forum, All Naga Students Association, Forum for Naga Reconciliation etc gathered and after thorough deliberations unanimously mandated upon the two leaders of NSCN to bring about a peaceful political settlement to the Naga issue with GoI based on the GoI’s recognition of the “uniqueness of Naga History and its situation”. The mandate so given cannot view lightly by any groups or individuals. No matter how obnoxious it may be to some groups.
Today heeding the aspirations of the Naga people all the MLA’s irrespective of party affiliations has taken a unanimous decision to step down and pave way in the event for the negotiated political settlement to take place. It surely motivates the spirit of Naga political struggle. It is an incredible and outstanding decision announcement. The Framework Agreement in place today announces the way the on-going political talks between the two separate political entities will culminate into what is best for both the parties.
