56 anniversary of Naga “voluntary” Plebiscite Day
Dimapur, May 15 (MExN): Despite the prevailing interminable militarized tyranny thrust upon the Naga people by the “enemy,” Nagas have no fear of “man’s evil designs” because “God (is) on our side,” president of the NNC, Adinno Phizo stated while calling for continually praying “in humility” for the freedom of the Naga nation in God’s own time.
In her message on the occasion of 56 anniversary of Naga “voluntary” Plebiscite Day (May 16), Phizo said whether ‘big or small,’ no nation came into existence ‘willy-nilly’ in modern times, so also, Nagaland. “The universal verdict given to the core subject of ‘our country belongs to our people’ by the Naga people on 16 May 1951 splendidly fulfilled A Z Phizo’s political vision for Naga nation” she maintained.
It was undoubtedly in response to his indefatigable tour of reaching out to the people to persuade them on the Naga common destiny that changed the course of modern Nagaland history, the NNC chief explained.
She said that after the May 1951 “irrefutable verdict,” the hitherto untested Naga communities unequivocally opted for Naga “national” identity, and as significant, affirmed national support for independence declared earlier on 14 August 1947, a day ahead of British India. “For the record, from ancient time the Naga people and the Indians did not share a common history nor belong to the same race” Adinno reminded.
Following the Naga people mandate “immutably entrusted with the Naga National Council (NNC),” A Z Phizo, the president of NNC reached out to the Nagas in the uncharted east and persuaded the regional leaders to enter into an organic integration to be duly enshrined in the first “Naga Constitution” circa February 1956. Accordingly, with the “legal” sanction vested in the constitution, the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) was founded on March 22, 1956, she explained adding that nothing can deter the Naga people from upholding the “Naga Constitution.”
The NNC chief also cautioned to guard against letting go of the rich cultural heritage that the Nagas are blessed with. She exhorted thus: “In the past six decades, our people have not seen normalcy, taken for granted in most countries. While our resilient people endure the unremitting Indian occupation army militarized tyranny, it is difficult but we must not let our rich heritage disappear. Our oral tradition of hand down learning is declining rapidly, exacerbated by the war. All of us who love our country must feel the vacuum it has created with no suitable alternative. We know it is not just knowledge about our history but the tradition covers such wide interests as: upbringing, social discipline, harmony, ethical principles, sustaining eco-management, and also, individual and community responsibility. Any people ignorant of their heritage cannot be expected to appreciate their nation.”
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