
Apart from the many things that the Indian Government has to hide from the rest of the world with regards to Nagaland, the main point for opposing the recent visit of the eight Ambassadors from Europe was the fear that they might internationalize the Naga issue to the world. Now, let the Indian government know very clearly that the Indo- Naga political conflict is not an internal Indian affair of the Home department. It is not an internal Indian affair because the Indo Naga issue had its genesis dating back to Jan. 10, 1929 which is the submission of The Naga Memorandum to the British Simon Commission. This action on the part of the Nagas resulted in the Naga Hills being placed under “Excluded Areas” and therefore outside The Indian Constitution Act of 1935. Besides this historical landmark, the Nagas followed up their stand for sovereignty and independence by submitting another five lengthy memorandums to the departing British Government before the Transfer of Power Act came into operation on 15th August 1947.
These memorandums submitted to both the outgoing British Government and also the incoming new Indian Government were addressed to the following political bodies and officials: (1). Memorandum to the British Cabinet Mission dated April 9, 1946.(2). Memorandum of the case of the Nagas people for self determination and an appeal to Her Majesty’s Government and the Government of India, dated march17, 1947. (3) Letter and copy of the same memorandum to Clement Atlee, Prime minister of England and Winston Churchill, Esquire, dated March 28, 1947.(4). Letter and same copy of the Memorandum to the House of Lords, dated March 27, 1947 and lastly, (5). Memorandum to Her Majesty’s Government through Viceroy Mountbatten, dated May 19, 1947. On top of this, ten memorandums clearly stating the Naga stand for full independence were also submitted to Nehru, the Congress Party and the incoming Indian government before India was born on August 15, 1947. As for the declaration of our independence, our flag was hoisted on 14th August 1947 and the U.N. duly informed. (For details, see the Naga Saga p. 40 as well as the appendixes)
Had Nagas started shouting for their independence only after 15th August 1947, the Indo Naga issue would have become an internal Indian affair. But on the contrary, because of all these historical, political and legal actions undertaken by the Nagas through the NNC, the Indo Naga political issue is an international issue and not an internal Indian affair.
We Nagas have done our political, historical and legal home works well and at all the appropriate times in the flow of history. We have also paid very dearly with our lives for defending all these works. All these heroic works have been recorded in books as well as international websites with dates and names. We are therefore not intimidated by any political or military muscle flexing on the part of India or Burma. After all, India and Burma are not the only two nations in the world who can do whatever they like with smaller nations like us and get away with it. The Indo-Naga- Burmese issue is very much an international issue of invasion by brute military force. It will therefore sooner or later come to an international court of justice for an international solution.
Kaka D. Iralu
Mission Compound,
Kohima, Nagaland