Kohima, October 26 (MExN): With the Indo-Naga peace process gaining an additional element recently, the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) has reminded everyone of the basic contours of Naga history.
The 5-point statement on the ‘Indo-Naga Conflict’ was issued by Kedahge of FGN, Gen. (Retd.) Viyalie Metha after the “parley between the so-called National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and the Government of India has now added a new twist by inclusion of six other NNPGs.”
The first point noted that the “Indo-Naga conflict did not begin with any aggressive action by Nagaland against her neighbor India. On the contrary, as stated by BN Mulik, the conflict started when: ‘Troops moved into Tuensang (Nagaland) by October 1955, and the war with the Nagas started from then.’.”
“As for Nagaland's Independence and sovereignty, the Naga people declared Naga Independence on August 14, 1947 one day ahead of India's own independence declaration on 15th August, 1947,” stated the second point.
Third, “The NNC and FGN shall firmly stand on the verdict and mandate of the May 16, 1951 Naga Plebiscite which was to be a sovereign independent Naga Nation.”
Accordingly, “the Republic of Nagaland known as the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) was set up on March 22, 1956.”
And, “Unlike other states in the Indian Union, the NNC, FGN and the Naga Army have been defending Nagaland's sovereignty from 1947 to the present.”
The FGN Kedahge maintained that “any Naga citizen from any Naga Organization, who would ignore these irrefutable facts of our history and make any sham settlement with India, would be guilty of treason to the Nation.”
Meanwhile, the NNC and FGN are “still holding on to the 1964 Indo-Naga Ceasefire between the Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India in order to have a peaceful solution to the lndo-Naga conflict,” it noted.
