DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 4 (MExN): The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) today said that the “Naga people have been standing their ground” and have been “steadfastly braving the challenges coming our way for the past many decades.”
A press release from the NPMHR said that the “make believe that Indo-Naga peace settlement can be achieved with promise of material appeasement, packaged as developmental programmes, is but an utter lie and misconception.”
It asserted that the Naga people have the “courage and commitment to achieve our political goal through just approaches.”
“Our understanding of humanism informs us that we too must be recognised and respected as any other human group or nation. We cannot allow ill-informed individuals or groups to hinder our progress to our rightful place. We must come together and help heal our spirit, a wound self-inflicted in addition to the wounds inflicted upon us by the invaders and occupational forces,” it said.
While stating that memories of atrocities are still fresh among the Naga people, the NPMHR said that the State of Nagaland “is only a symbol of oppression, a convenient tool of suppression and discrimination, selfishness and utter disregard for fellow brothers and sisters and alienation of their own ancestors and future generations.”
It termed the commemoration of the 58th Statehood Day “like never before, at a time when the world is keenly watching for an honourable and acceptable political settlement, is nothing less than an insult to India’s very own claim to greatness.”
The NPMHR asked Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to “live up to his words” and accused the Nagaland Governor, RN Ravi of “undoing his efforts and is hell bent on demolishing the very fabric of the Naga society.”
It called for a “sincere and immediate translation in action” from the Government of India in order to realize the Prime Minister’s “deepest admiration for the great Naga people for their extraordinary efforts to the peace efforts.”
