Thomas
NNC Member
The Naga National Council (NNC) was formed by the Naga people on 2nd February 1946 and brought all the Naga villages into a nation. The objective of NNC was to uphold the sovereignty of Nagaland as in ancient times; as the Nagas had never fallen into any foreign domination in human history. This age-old Naga Independence was declared to the outside world on 14th August 1947 before India and Burma became independent nations. So that no nation can challenge the sovereignty of Nagaland in the future.
Then the NNC conducted a voluntary Naga Plebiscite on May 16, 1951 to affirm the declaration of independence, where overwhelmingly 99.9% voted to remain independent as in ancient time. Also, the Naga people had given immutable mandate to the NNC to safeguard Nagaland and speak for Naga people. With the declaration of Independence and conduct of Plebiscite, the NNC had done well founded Naga nation.
The Indian Chief Intelligent SM. Dutt attempted to replace the Plebiscite by conducting another referendum of the Naga people in 1950s, but to no avail. Again, the Indian leaders attempted to replace the NNC by the so-called Naga People’s Convention (NPC) in 1960 by entering into 16-Point Agreement. But the NNC firmly stood to defend the sovereignty of Nagaland.
However, the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru realized that the 16-Point agreement was not a solution to the Indo-Naga conflict. He, therefore, relented to have signed another agreement with the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) on 25th May 1964 at Sakraba Village, Chakhesang Region which was affected on 6th September 1964. By signing this Agreement, the Government of India (GoI) officially recognized the Federal Government of Nagaland.
Following the Ceasefire Agreement, various peace talks and six rounds of talks at Prime Ministerial levels were held till 1967. But the talk was declared deadlock on 10th October 1967, due to the Indian leaders’ insincerity to solve the Indo-Naga conflict through peaceful means. Because the Indian leaders had been playing divide and rule policy.
Falling into divide and rule policy of India, some of Naga leaders formed a so-called Revolutionary Government (RG) on 2nd November 1968 and pretentiously claimed that the NNC is no more. But the NNC firmly stood its ground by upholding the Naga national Principle enunciated in the Plebiscite of 1951. Then the RG surrendered en masse on 16thAugust 1973 and became India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
As the Indian leaders decided to completely smash the NNC/FGN with her armed might, the Ceasefire Agreement of 1964 was unilaterally abrogated by the GoI on 31st August 1972 and then sent more than five divisions of the Indian Armed Forces to Nagaland in 1975. The occupational Indian Armed Forces carried out scotch-earth operation against theNNC/FGN to compel them to surrender. But God Almighty saved the Naga nation from all odds and dangers.
Again, as a result of divide and rule policy of India, Isak Swuand Th. Muivah the then ChapleeKilonser (Finance Minister) of FGN and General Secretary of NNC along with their socialist comrades defected from the NNC/FGN on January 31, 1980, and on the same day formed the so-called National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), now Nagalim.On the sameday, they also deceitfullyspreadthat the NNC surrendered to India by signing of the Shillong Accord and all historical records of NNC had gone. But the NNC never signed the Shillong Accord and never failed. However, the NSCN deceitfully branded NNC/FGN leaders as traitors, andA.Z. Phizo, NNC President as arch-traitor. Then they started outrageous attacks against the NNC/FGN leaders,National workers and innocent Naga publics whosoever refused to accept socialism. So, the NSCN Armed men have so far killed about 4000 Nagas. They attempted to do away with the NNC, and thus the act of NSCNis the same with the RG. who declared the NNC/FGN is no more in 1968.
As the former NNC General Secretary was defected from the NNC and therefore, the post of NNC General Secretary was laid vacant. To fill up the post, the public general meeting was needed to be held in Eastern Oking (Headquarters),however, no competent NNC official to summon public General meeting, such as NNC President, General Secretary, and vice President were not in Eastern Oking.Therefore, Eno Lumung, President of the Khiamniungan Regional Council, summoned the NNC General Meeting as he is also one of the Central Executive Committee members of the NNC. The NNC General Meeting was thus held on October 28-29 at Phalungtung Village,Khiamniungan Region in Eastern Oking. There, Eno TubuKevichusa was unanimously elected as NNC General Secretary. And Oath of Office was administered to him by the meeting Bampi (Chairman) Eno W. Shapwon, the then ChapleeKilonser of FGN, as the General meeting conferred him the power.
The NNC President Dr. A.Z. Phizoapproved Tubu’s election in 1985 and gave him plenipotentiary power to speak on behalf of Naga nation and people. These are norms and protocols that the NNC has been practicing from its inception. No ordinary Naga can be entitled to be a national leader unless he is constitutionally elected or appointed, and the power conferredto him to speak on behalf of Naga nation and people by the head of State who is constitutional elected and blessed as a Naga national leader.
In 1990, on April 30, the NNC President Dr A.Z. Phizo passed away in London at his residence. So, within three hours, Phizo’s colleagues Eno KhodaoYanthan and Eno YongkongNangshi, senior NNC Executive Council Members entrusted Ms. AdinnoPhizo as an Acting President of NNC at London NNC office. Oath of office was administered by Eno Khodao and Rev. Dr. V.K. Nuh said an invocation prayer for Oath of Administration.
Again, Ms. Adinno, the NNC Acting President was formally elected to full-fledged President of NNC by the people in the NNC General Meeting held on May 12, 1990, at Kohima Village Hall.The General Meeting of NNC was formally conducted by the NNC General Secretary, TubuKevichusa.
However, the Indian leaders attempted to replace the NNC leadership by sending KhodaoYanthan to Nagaland in July 1990. As he (Khodao) reached Kohima City, he came to meet his former colleagues in Transit Peace Camp, Kohima. So, the NNC/FGN leaders had a meeting with him at the residence of Eno NeidelhuKhate, the Principal of ABC Bible College, Kohima as his residence was very close to Kohima Transit Peace Camp.
Uncle KeviYallay (Phizo’s younger brother) was in the meeting with Khodao. He friendly asked Khodao, “How you could come to Nagaland?” Mr. Khodaoopenly said, “I was called by the Indian High Commissioner, and he made Passport and Visa for me, and granted money as well, so that I could come to Nagaland.”
Khodao lately reached Nagaland, thus he lost a chance to attend the meeting held on July 17th, 1990 in Ao Region, where he was made as President of the so-called New NNC by Thenoseliegroup. It was reported to us by a reliable person that in the meeting, a Sumi leader stood up in the Meeting and said, “We all are surrendered people, we have no right to speak for our nation and neither to elect a new President. Let the people who did not surrender work for the nation at their best”. Also said, the meeting was attended by around 20 people, mostly Angami, Ao, and Lotha people. Such has been the policy of the enemy to destroy the mandated NNC.However, in 1993, Khodao joined NSCN-IM and became a Vice President of NSCN-IM. Then Thenoselie group made MarhupfuRengma as its President, then Walling Ao and now ThenoselieKeyho.
In1991, the full-fledged election of NNC President Ms. AdinnoPhizoin May1990 was reaffirmed by the NNC General Meeting held on 14-15 March,at Longmisa Village, Ao Region. More than six thousands of Naga people attended the meeting from all Regions of Nagaland. And the political plenipotentiary power was conferred to her by ZasheiHuire, President of the Federal Government of Nagaland to speak on behalf of Naga nation and people. Ms. AdinnoPhizo is therefore, at present, the only constitutionally elected NNC President and enjoying plenipotentiary power given by the Naga people. Beside her, no other NNC President is elected by the Naga people.
The policy of the enemy was, at first to replace the NNC by another organization.Secondly, to do away with the NNC or surrender, so that no more history of the NNC in Nagaland, then to defunct the NNC. And thirdly, to disregard and ignore the constitutionally elected leadership of NNC. It was seen similarly done by some young people on May 16, 2025, the 75th Naga Plebiscite Day held at Khuochiezie (Kohima Local ground), where the NNC President Ms. AdinnoPhizowas not given due honor to address the nation,and also, lack of respect to her as President of NNC was seen during the time of presentation again to confuse the Naga people.
At the same time, the Naga National Council and the Federal Governmentof Nagaland also celebrated the 75th Naga Plebiscite Day at Transit Peace Camp, Kohima, Nagaland as well.
With this write up, I want the Nagas people at largeto understand the poisonous policy of the enemy, and unswervingly stand together with the constitutionally electedNNC/FGN leaders to achieve the cherished goal of our Nation.
