FGN says political solution must not compromise Naga historical rights

Dimapur, July 2 (MExN): The Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) has asserted that while the growing public demand for an early resolution of the Indo-Naga political issue is understandable, any settlement must not come at the cost of what it described as the "truth" of Naga history and political rights.

A press release from the NNC/FGN, under the leadership of Zhopra Vero, the FGN said the frustration expressed by the recently held "Fed-up Nagas" rally reflected the accumulated impatience of generations of Nagas waiting for a political settlement.

"It is understandable that Nagas, in the recent time, have grown increasingly impatient with the unresolved political issue," the statement said, adding that "their call for an early political settlement deserves serious consideration."

However, it cautioned that "we must guard against the temptation to embrace any settlement simply because it promises immediacy," maintaining that "a hurried solution devoid of historical rights and political vision is no solution at all."

According to the FGN, the challenge is to find "a solution that is immediate, pragmatic, honourable and acceptable" without compromising the historical foundation of the Naga political movement.

The statement maintained that the Naga political struggle, beginning with the formation of the Naga National Council, "is a political struggle founded upon the inherent sovereign rights of the Naga nation and the inalienable right of its people to determine their own destiny."

"This is the unquestionable and inalienable truth that lies at the heart of our movement," it stated, adding that historical events such as the "14th August Independence Declaration of 1947," the "1951 Plebiscite," and the "boycott of the 1952 Indian General Election" derive their significance from this principle.

"As such, any deviation from it, as part of the solution, amounts to compromising this truth," the statement said.

The FGN further contended that agreements and arrangements between the Naga groups and the Government of India, including the "Shillong Accord," "Framework Agreement," "Agreed Position," "16-Point Agreement," and ceasefire agreements, "presuppose this truth" and should be judged by how they uphold it.

It also claimed that "many Indian leaders and Prime Ministers, led by Mahatma Gandhi, recognized and respected this hard truth," although it said "no decisive political action was taken to match it and bring about the final solution."

Recalling the sacrifices of past Naga leaders, the FGN said they "rejected positions, privileges, and political compromise because they believed that the future of the Naga nation was more valuable than temporary personal gain."

"Their sacrifices and uncompromising stand remains the moral compass of the Naga political movement," it stated.

The statement further maintained that the present generation has "a solemn responsibility" to preserve that legacy, warning that "it will be tragic betrayal if we use our freedom of thought and expression to dilute, reinterpret, or barter away the political inheritance entrusted to us."

It added that the pioneers "struggled not for temporary political arrangements but for the recognition of the Naga nation as they understood it, proclaimed it and fought for it."

The FGN urged that, "as we envision the future and hope for early solution, let us remember that our historical rights and the truth of our history are not inconvenience to be negotiated away but the very foundation of our national existence."