Ato Kilonser of the NSCN (IM), Th Muivah and others during the the 76th Naga Independence Day celebration at Hebron, the NSCN (IM)’s Council Headquarters on August 14. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 14
Ato Kilonser of the NSCN (IM), Th Muivah asserted that there can be no peace without freedom. “We look for peace, but peace without freedom is a wishful thinking. Peace… goes along with freedom, truth, justice and rights,” he said, in his address at the 76th Naga Independence Day celebration on August 14 at Hebron, the NSCN (IM)’s Council Headquarters, where Neingulo Krome, Secretary General of the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) was the guest honour.
According to him, Cease-fire, as a political terminology has been with the Nagas for 25 years. But he added that it would have no meaning if it cannot deliver “solution.”
While warning of “divisive elements and collaborators” working against the Framework Agreement, he accused the GoI of keeping “pretentious silence” on the Agreement. “But the truth shall prevail in the long run,” he said. On the disagreement over the Naga flag and constitution, he maintained that they are indivisible parts of the recognized sovereignty and unique history of the Nagas.
As committed during the signing of the Cease-fire, he said that the Nagas have kept their side of the bargain for 25 years, while also waiting for 7 years since the FA was signed. He further said that the Nagas remain indebted to “our friends abroad for their unflinching support to the cause of the oppressed Naga people.”
World knows Naga story
Neingulo Krome, Secretary General of the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights said that it was the vision and foresight of the pioneers of the Naga movement alongwith the undying spirit of the Naga Army that has brought the Naga issue to the world stage. According to him, the Nagas today have friends in the international community sympathetic to the naga cause, only that “we are not creating the right atmosphere.”
“The world knows our story and ready to help us, the UN is in our doorstep, but we are not allowing them to come because we are not creating the right atmosphere for them to come,” Krome said.
He lamented that the Nagaland Government, Naga civil society organisations and even churches are making contradictory statements by claiming that the Indo-Naga talks have concluded on October 31, 2019. He asked, “On October 31, 2019, with whom did the GoI talk and sign an agreement with?”
“The CF has dragged on for 25 years, people are saying we are tired, we are fed up. But whatever it takes, Nagas are patient,” he added.
While recalling the military atrocities on Nagas, he reminded that the Naga Army has had the fortitude to maintain “sanctity” despite many provocations. “Till date there is no record of the Naga army targeting Indian civilians,” he claimed.
Full text of Th Muivah’s speech: ‘All Nagas unite with one decision, one faith and one politics’
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