DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 17 (MExN): The Eastern Naga National Organization (ENNO) under (Myanmar military occupation) has termed the Government of India’s decision to fence the border with Myanmar as “unacceptable” and a “sadistic plan” to impoverish and isolate the Naga people further from each other.
It alleged that India's sadistic plan to set up arbitrary fence is purely based on religious and racial lines to segregate and isolate the Naga Christians & Zomi Christians and to inflict socio- economic harms and to cripple our spirit.
The ENNO also pointed out that the truth about Nagaland and the region is inundated with blatant false information and rooted in stereotypes. “These blatant false information shows up everywhere-in movies and on the TV news, news papers, social media, in classrooms and workplaces- which make it even more challenging to assert our rights.”
Stating that these stereotypes aren’t just detrimental to Naga people’s existence and untrue but directly contribute to blatant subjugation that prevents the Nagas to live as free people, the ENNO highlighted some common misinformation “peddled by India to confuse the world and subjugate the Nagas.”
On Nagaland being publicized as one of the most vibrant, colourful and smallest states in India, the ENNO termed it as misinformation while maintaining that the Nagas rejected the reformed scheme and instrument of Accession of 1947 based on the memorandum submitted to the Simon Commission in 1929, desiring to "leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in the ancient.”
Besides, the Nagas declared independence on August 14, 1947 and to demonstrate the desire to be left alone, the Nagas conducted a Plebiscite on May 16, 1951 where 99.9% wanted independence free from any external dominance, it also stated.
On the decision by the Government of India to initiate comprehensive measures to fortify the border as a crucial step towards safeguarding the internal security and demographic integrity of the north-eastern states, the ENNO countered this by stating that the “treaty of Yandabo and the creation of Patkai hills was neither consented nor accepted by the Nagas.”
On the contention that following Myanmar’s military coup in February 2021, over 40,000 refugees entered Mizoram, and around 4,000 entered Manipur, exacerbating security concerns, the ENNO asserted that the “Kuki-Zo people are not refugees- they have every right to live anywhere in their land.”
Also contradicting the narrative that the unfenced border has been facilitating drug trafficking into India taking advantage of the porous border, the ENNO pointed out that while the UNODC report underscore that Burma is the world’s largest producer & supplier of chemical substance called methamphetamine (Yaba & crystal meth) and heroin, the same report also suggests that India's pharmaceutical companies are the largest suppliers that provide the essential ingredients to Burma and enable the process of making the final production of the illicit drugs for human consumption.
Over the claim that the “hallmark of India is characterized by spirituality and nonviolence,” the ENNO said this was far from the truth while reminding of the 1954 a campaign of terror unleashed by India against Nagaland when “thousands of villages were erased, over half of the entire population of Nagaland was forced to flee for their lives,” and those who could neither run nor hide were mercilessly put to death, beaten up or rounded up like animals and herded into detention camps.
It further alleged that the Indian army did not waste its bullets on women and children. “Women and girls repeatedly raped before being killed, and children picked up by the feet and their heads smashed against the ground.”
The ENNO also reminded of the declaration of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 which it termed as a “tribunal from hell.”
