Gen. (Retd.) Thinoselie M. Keyho
President Naga National Council My dear beloved Nagas,
I greet you all in the name of our Almighty God and I am grateful to Him for getting the opportunity to address you all on this Historic and momentous day of the Naga people.
It was on this day, in the year 1951, that the Nagas under the banner of the Naga National Council boldly stated and showed in action to the world the desire and aspiration to live as a free and sovereign nation, thereby exercising the right to determine our own future, a solemn and irrevocable vow symbolically expressed with thumb impressions popularly known as the PLEBISCITE of May 16, 1951. A remarkable feature of the Plebiscite was the overwhelming 99.9% voting in favour of Naga Independence and stands as a testimony of the unity of the Nagas which at the same time serves to express our continued affirmation of both the historic Memorandum to the Simon Commission of 1929 and the declaration of Naga Independence of 14th August, 1947. It conveys a strong twin-message: the spirit and aspirations of the Naga people and the resentment against the forceful occupation by India and Myanmar and the territorial division without the knowledge and consent of the Nagas. We celebrate this day to contemplate why we feel proud and fortunate to be Nagas and to rededicate ourselves to pursue with more vigour and vitality the Naga National Cause.
The Nagas threw a challenge to the Government of India and the Indian leadership when in 1952 the first Indian General Election of Free India was held but Nagas did not cast any vote in deference to the Plebiscite of 1951. If India had any respect for Democracy it should have respected the mandate and desire of the people even if the Naga Nation is small, weak or the size of population few, amicably solve the political problem but India miserably failed to accept Naga democracy. India claim itself to be the biggest democracy in the world, followed the policy of non-violence under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and won Independence from the British by adopting the non co-operation method. India has always being proud of these achievements but to the Nagas they are nothing short of mockery.
India is a large and strong country and it showed its might against the Naga when it invaded the Naga inhabited land in 1955. Nagas wanted peace and India wanted war at any cost – this left the Nagas with only two options or alternative to surrender our rights lest we be crushed by the might of India or to fight for our rights. Our leaders decided no matter what happens, we will fight for our rights. This decision of our leaders is responsible for the history that we have and what we are today. The Nagas declared independence on 14th August 1947, one day ahead of India and after almost ten years, on 22nd March 1956 out of necessity established the Federal Government of Nagaland to protect and defend our people and our land. But it had only been through the providence of our Almighty God that Nagas have managed to survive the onslaughts of India. We believe that these are all part of God’s plans for Nagas and the reason He has been protecting us thus far.
When we look back at our Naga history, we have been fierce lovers of freedom and equality. Each village enjoyed unquestionable freedom and no matter how powerful a village maybe, it does not go on conquering other villages and threatening them into submission. We even lack such colonial-imperial vocabularies as “submission” or “surrender”. It’s true that powerful or mother villages were recognised in terms of certain nominal tax or tribute, however, the practice was more of recognition either of their political leadership or for customary roles rather than surrender of their autonomy. Autonomy and freedom of any Naga village was non-negotiable and inalienable.
The occasion is an opportunity for our people to ponder on our foundational and fundamental beliefs, the legitimate right of the Nagas to choose our own destiny and also bring to the attention of the world that the Nagas still continue to suffer against her will at the imperialistic hands of occupational forces, viz., India and Myanmar.
Modern Civilization values, including democratic values, have sadly failed to truly, educate these occupational forces that no people group, big or small, can be forced to live under the domination of another against her desires. In spite of our unfulfilled dream and aspiration to live as a free nation, we still remain proud and continue to live with dignity because on this day, sixty six years ago, the Naga people boldly stood up to express our resentment against the dehumanizing practice of imperialism.
The Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India have been in conflict for more than sixty years now but the Government of India has not been able to crush the Nagas. India has been using some group of Nagas which has somewhat weakened the Nagas and the political issue has remained unsolved. India’s plans and acts have always been counter-productive. For example, the Federal Government of Nagaland had conflict with the Government of India. The Government of India instead of trying to solve the issue with the NNC/FGN, the owners went ahead and signed an agreement with the Naga People’s Convention which is known as the 16 Point Agreement, leading to the creation of the Nagaland state within the Indian Union and certain provisions in the constitution of India.
However, it should not be forgotten that the Nagaland state was earned through the sacrifice of the Naga patriots, freedom fighters, and the Naga National movement. It was earned through blood, tears, and sweat and nothing is more precious before God and man. The 16 point agreement has weakened the unity of the Nagas but has not affected the Naga cause. Then the Government of India in 1975 signed the infamous Shillong Accord with underground organisation which somehow divided the Naga National workers but did not weaken the Naga National Cause.
Likewise, the Government of India signed ceasefire with the NSCN (I-M) a breakaway group of the NNC/FGN and after many years signed a framework agreement on 3rd August, 2015. However, there is not much hope that Government of India will implement the settlement. At times, it appears that we are fast forgetting our self-defining history of struggle but let us remind ourselves that we are a group of people resolutely determined and committed to live as free people, free to be who we are and who we want to be. For it would be ignominious to turn our back to the great event in history that took place on this day, where the citizens of Nagaland, from the mountain tops to the valleys, courageously registered themselves to live as a free and independent nation. The Naga Plebiscite of 16th May, 1951 is a pillar on which our rights and aspirations are embedded, a foundational pillar which cannot be undone and which will not perish so long as heaven and earth exist.
May the Almighty God who guided our people in the past and gave us courage to so boldly declare to the world that we are a free and sovereign nation guide our path and instil the same desire in each one of us today as we celebrate and commemorate the Naga Plebiscite Day. Kuknalim.
