Thomas
NNC Member
Let us, all the Naga national leaders and young educated Naga youths, retrospect pros and cons of the past 75 years so as to take a good step for the future of Nagaland. The historical events within 47 years are noted in brief as follow:
In 1975, the Indian leaders decided to wipe out the Naga nationalism with their armed might and sent more than five hundred thousand Indian armies to Nagaland adding paramilitary forces and Police. Which forced and compelled some of the Naga leaders to sign a Shillong Accord under duress on behalf of the underground organizations with Government of India (GoI) on 11th November 1975. However, none of the Governments, the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) and the GoI did ratify the accord. Hence the accord faced its instant dead and became none starter.
The Naga Army alee Mission led by Th. Muivah, NNC General Secretary, and Isak Chishi Swu, Chaplee Kilonser (Finance Minister) of FGN along with 150 Naga soldiers returned home in January 1976. I appreciated their decision to stay back in the Eastern part of Nagaland to establish a Naga Army Based there. It was, however, a contention among the Naga national workers in Eastern Oking (HQ) started in the same year as Muivah and Isak formed a government on the pattern of socialism, known as one party one government, or centralized government on 16th August 1976.
At this, the prediction of Brig. Ngamlao Konyak became true, He said; “we should establish the Naga Army base in the Eastern part of Nagaland but we should not allow Muivah to stay there, his presence with us shall surely cause division among us”.
As Brig. Ngamlao was so outspoken and frankly opposed Muivah’s policy, Muivah killed him at the 2nd Brigade area of KIA (Kachin Independent Army) on December 3, 1975, while they were returning home from China, Brig. Ngamlao was thus the first victim of Muiva’s socialism.
In 1977, Th. Muivah, General Secretary of NNC went back to China again along with 300 Naga soldiers. In China Muivah openly advocated overthrowing Phizo’s leadership and adopting socialism. He even warned Naga soldiers, saying; “Kun kun Phizo piche jabo, guli ekta ekta khabo”. (Whoever sides with Phizo will each get a bullet)”.
In the same year 1977, it is noteworthy that a historical event also happened, i.e. the meeting with the NNC President A.Z.Phizo and the Prime Minister of India Shri Morarji Desai took place in London at the Indian Embassy office on 14th June 1977 while Th. Muivah was still in China. With this meeting, the FGN leaders passed the Indo-Naga case to the leaders of the Naga National Council (NNC) led by Late A.Z. Phizo, Eno Thuingaleng Muivah, the then President and General Secretary of the NNC, Late Hkudao Yanthan, and Late Yongkong Nakshi, the then NNC Executive members, (in those days they were in London along with A.Z. Phizo). Hence, they have a chance to take up the Indo-Naga case to have internationalized.
But Muivah rejected to cooperate with his leaders A.Z. Phizo, rather attempted to overthrow Phizo’s leadership as mentioned above. The leadership of NNC Vice President Imkongmaren was already sacked out on August 16, 1976, which badly displeased Ao National workers.
In January 1978, Goodwill mission to China returned home with completely divided minds from China because Muivah advocated for adopting socialism and overthrowing Phizo’s leadership. The Naga officers except for Tangkhuls and some Semas in Eastern Oking, prepared to seize power if and when Muivah forcefully imposed socialism on them and overthrew Phizo’s leadership.
In April and May 1978, we (I and T. Venuh, Mayanger, Ngathing Khui Ahum) Knew the fragile situation and requested Muivah fervently not to adopt socialism and neither reject Phizo’s leadership. If we adopt socialism the blood of Nagas will run like a river. But Muivah never paid heed to our request and advice, telling Isak; “we are leaders; no need to listen to them”. And he rather adopted a resolution to overthrow Phizo’s leadership on 2nd August 1978. Which triggered declaring Martial Law by the Naga Army in the Eastern Oking on 30th August 1978. This political development happened because Naga Army officers outrageously rejected Muivah’s Socialism. Such development would not have occurred in history if Muivah take heed of our advice, or if the two leaders (Muivah, Isak) had properly and correctly dealt with the fragile situation.
The two leaders were detained under house arrest on August 30, 1978, but released unhurt in May 1979. In November 1979, the two leaders summoned the NNC/FGN leaders and Naga Army officers, for a reconciliation meeting based on a compromise formula. All leaders and Naga Army officers accepted it as a good gesture and came to attend the meeting but they were slaughtered one by one because they opposed socialism.
After they had finished those who opposed Muivah’s socialism, Isak, Muivah, and Khaplang formed the so-called NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) on January 31, and GPRN on 2nd February 1980. Then started systematically killing NNC/FGN leaders and members or supporters of Phizo’s leadership, following his words; “Kun kun Phizo piche jabo, guli ekta ekta khabo”. They attempted to finish the NNC/FGN but God never allowed them to do so.
On April 30, 1988, after eight years of NSCN formation, the NSCN split into two factions led by Isak, Muivah (NSCN-IM) faction, and Khaplang (NSCN-K) faction. Because Khaplang came to know Iask and Muivah stand for a political solution within the Indian Union based on Suisa’s proposal, as such solution will be no use for the Eastern Naga people. Since then the two NSCN factions fought against each other and lost many lives again.
Th. Muivah and Isak slipped out to abroad in 1992. Their supporters applauded them for internationalizing the Indo-Naga case after they were admitted in the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organization) on 23rd January 1993. They, however, submitted a 31-point competencies proposal to the GoI in 2001 for a solution within the Indian Union (Suisa’s proposal). Lastly, they landed at New Delhi Airport on December 4, 2004. At the Airport, Muivah shouted, three times, saying; “we will never betray Indian leaders”. And then the Indian leaders allowed them to go to Nagaland and thus the two leaders landed at Nagaland airport, Dimapur on 14th December 2004. They were provided Z+ Full proof Security by the GoI and led them to Hebron Camp on the same day evening. After more than eighty rounds of talks with the GoI, they did sign a Framework Agreement on 3rd August 2015 with the GoI in New Delhi for implementing the competencies proposal or for demanding shared sovereignty.
This is history now, and none of us can erase it even if we like or dislike it but we have to learn from it.
leaders explicitly pointed out or can give accurate answers to the young people or poor knowledge about Naga nation. . On my part, I would say as follow:
1. God has bestowed sovereignty to the Nagas and when it fell to the brink of doom in 1975, He stretched out His mighty hands and saved the Naga nation by signing a mere Shillong Accord. It was a miracle for the Nagas. But who branded the Accord as a capitulation rejects God’s mercy and is committed to telling lies.
2. After the Accord, the FGN leaders sagaciously diverted the Indo-Naga conflict from the battlefield into political war fair without any political commitment to accepting the Indian Constitution and passed the case to the NNC leaders for a peaceful solution to the Indo-Naga conflict. But it was unfortunate for the Nagas because of Th. Muivah, the then General Secretary of the NNC rejected to jointly work with his leader NNC President A.Z. Phizo. Instead formed the NSCN deviating from the Naga nation stand “a sovereign and independent nation” and then wrongly stood for “demanding shared sovereignty” or a political solution within the Indian Union.
3. Because of his wrong step, the Nagas are suffering. He knows, he has done wrong but he has no courage to admit his misdeed. His subordinate leaders know their leader Muivah has done wrong, yet since they have built up their luxurious lives with the formation of NSCN, they won’t admit the misdeed of their leader. By now, there is no one from among them to take the correct step for the Nagas either.
4. The NNC/FGN leaders have become very old, they can’t do active work now, and even then they don’t build up new leaders to march ahead. They know what is right to do, but do not let the others do as well. That’s wrong. Then who will actively work for the nation is a question for the young people of today.
5. Some Naga NGO leaders have poor knowledge about the Indo-Naga case but support NSCN-IM’s political solution without knowing such a political solution from India will never happen.
6. Most of the educated people have no interest to defend the sovereignty of Nagaland even if they know the right of Naga nation but just work for the sake of money even through sordid gain, which is tantamount to worshiping money.
Though unpleasant, we have to admit the truth that in the past 47 years we have done nothing good for the achievement of our nation to recognize us as a sovereign and independent nation by the world.
