In a memorandum, the Nagaland Senior Citizens Association apprises Prime Minister of India on key Naga political and social issues
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 21 (MExN): Nagaland Senior Citizens Association (NSCA) has written to the Prime Minister of India apprising him of their “considered views on key Naga political and social issues” while at the same time urging India to acknowledge the Nagas as equals in all their future dealings.
“Ours is an apolitical association of elders having weathered varied experiences of life at the age of 60 years and above from various tribes of Nagaland. We are trying the very best we can to sensitively understand the evolving political and social scenarios beyond and around us with honest concerns. At our ripened age, we have neither the energy nor the inclination to pick up an axe to grind and therefore our opinion is purely limited to what we sincerely believe to be in the fair interest of India and our people,” the introduction to the memorandum read.
Dwelling on the “Framework Agreement,” the Association said it was convinced that there is no alternative to an inclusive approach of all stakeholders being taken on board as equals as the best and only possible option for achieving genuine lasting peace.
“A repugnant enigma because of the non-transparent nature of this agreement that has persistently spawned unmitigated suspicion in the minds of the original stake-holding majority from Nagaland,” the Association expressed on the Framework Agreement. Nonetheless, it lauded the effort of two adversaries to settle their differences through peaceful means.
The Association articulated that in Nagaland context, it is all the more imperative for the Government of India not to casually misread or misjudge the complex ground reality where multiple armed factions are in contention, aggressively nursing divergent views on the subject of Naga Sovereignty and Integration.
It feared that this could potentially lead to an “explosive confrontation in the aftermath of a settlement with a single faction claiming dominance.”
On the issues on “Transfer of Traditional Ancestral Land and “Integration,” the Association reminded the PM that the Nagas have never been seriously consulted in any major political decisions undertaken by the GoI in the past, which directly and adversely sabotaged the legitimate destiny of the Naga.
It said the International boundary settlement between India and Myanmar is one such heartless instance where immediate families and clans within the same village were dismembered as foreigner overnight with Longwa Village in Mon District bordering Myanmar as a glaring example of this fact with the International Boundary running right through the centre of the Angh’s residence.
It also recalled the “9 Point Agreement” entered between the Naga National Council (NNC) and GoI, which envisioned, among other important issues, the transfer of all the ancestral traditional land back to Nagaland, but was unilaterally abrogated by the GoI.
While asserting that the legitimacy of the subject remains relevant and the “Nagas will continue to claim their traditional ancestral land now or later,” the Association felt that it is incumbent upon India to honourably right this wrong, which was arbitrarily committed against the Nagas without being consulted.
“It follows that if GoI truthfully acknowledges the unique history of the Nagas, the litmus test for India is to translate this unique status in real terms which, from the Naga’s standpoint, can only mean acknowledging the sovereign status of Nagaland.” The Association then envisioned that constructively focusing more on a friendly bilateral relationship between two sovereign neighbours would then bear dividends that are more positive for both people.
On declaration of December 25 as Good Governance Day, the Association maintained that the GoI would first have to declare that India is no longer a secular Nation. Pointing out that the Nagas are not against Good Governance Day in itself, it however said the Christian of Nagaland and Christian community everywhere else finds this decision extremely offensive that GoI should insensitively select 25th December, the most important day in a Christian calendar, out of 365 days in a year to declare Good Governance Day. “This is a very deliberate insult to Christians throughout the country and we therefore demand that it be immediately withdrawn,” it stated.
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