DIMAPUR, OCT 5 (MExN): The Naga National Council today related the statements of NSCN (I-M) leaders VS Atem and Phungthing Shimrang, which appeared in a CNN-IBN story, to a sellout of Nagaland.
Advocating that “the Nagas will defend the sovereignty of Nagaland at all cost,” NNC member Thomas said, “Now, Th Muivah and VS Atem have outspokenly disclosed and admitted that they have submitted 30-point Competencies proposal to sell out Nagaland to India for their own benefits.”
Towards this end, the NSCN (I-M) is “trying to please the Indian leaders” by saying ‘India and Nagaland will be inseparable under a special federal relationship,’ the NNC alleged.
Referring to a news item which quoted Muivah as saying, ‘We have climbed down from our demand of absolute sovereignty and we want a special federal relationship with India but India is neither moving decisive to implement it nor taking a step to unify Naga areas in North East India,’ Thomas termed as “sham and ridiculous’ what the NSCN (I-M) leaders told CNN-IBN.
“They should also remember the word of AZ Phizo, Father of the Naga nation that ‘To give away Nagaland to please India is not a solution’ to the Indo-Naga conflict,” Thomas drew reference to Phizo’s speech delivered on the Naga National Voluntary Plebiscite Day, May 16, 1951.
Stating that no Naga or organization should support the NSCN (I-M), the NNC cautioned that those who do so will be termed as traitors.
