Zapuvisie Lhousa
Member, Executive Council, NNC
“The Nagas are not Indians and Nagaland is never a part of India”: this had been the declared stand of NNC since the very beginning.
Except for some Nagas below 40 years of age, everyone else is well versed about the Naga Story.
Therefore there is no more need to extensively teach one another, and also to annoy others by exhorting by repeating what are already written in various print media found everywhere. There are enough resources available where one might very well clear doubts and clarifications.
1. In 1929, the Naga Club had submitted Naga Memorandum to Sir John Simon Commission; the crux being “leave us alone”.
2. On August 14, 1947 the Nagas had declared her Independent status and had intimated the United Nations Organisation and many Countries to this effect.
3. On January 24, 1950 the Nagas declared that we would not be bound by the Indian Constitution being launched on January 26, 1950.
4. On May 16, 1951 the Nagas conducted Plebiscite and 99.09% vouched for complete Sovereignty.
5. Indian General Elections of 1952 and 1957 were both boycotted totally.
“The Nagas abide by the original stand” means that we are following the principles of the above stated actions. The Nagas have always been pursuing the Non-Violence principle advocated by the NNC and Federal Government of Nagaland. The 78 personnel of the Indian Armed Forces (Assam Police Battalion) were captured on March 24, 1956 and not to speak of killing; they were all released without even being harassed. On August 26, 1960 one Indian Air Force Dakota was downed at Phor Indian Army post; and the Pilot Fight Lieutenant Anand Singha and 8 of his subordinates who were captured were all released after a few months without any form of torture coming on them. Besides these two classical examples, there are many more of our Non-Violence stories.
Indian Government and people in high positions, on the other hand would be harping much on Non-Violence and its champion Mahatma Gandhi would be very loudly praised; but would not at all pursue Non-Violence. This led to NNC President A Z Phizo to once utter in utter exasperation that “Unless India embraces Christianity they will not understand the meaning of Non-Violence.
Therefore the saying “The Nagas will abide by the original stand”, is nothing new but only reiterating what has always been there. The prudent Elders had warned us not to mettle with the “Sea of Indian Politics”; lest we be most surely sucked into its murky waves and disappear altogether.
Finally: “Not by the milling majority, but the truth shall prevail”
“Not by the physical might, but the righteous shall overcome”
Kuknalim
