Starson Lamkang
Ato Kilonser, NSCN/GPRN
Giving all glory to Almighty God for having sustained the Naga people all through our lives, I bring greetings to you all on the occasion of 76th Naga Independence Day.
Let us pay homage to those patriotic Nagas who stood against all odds with great courage and undying sense of nationalism and faith fought for our rights. In the light of their priceless sacrifice and patriotism, we gather here this morning remembering and honouring them.
It is an undeniable fact to the world that since time immemorial Nagas were never subjugated to anyone but lived as free people, ascertaining our own beliefs and culture as one people without any boundaries among the people but it was the British colonialism that first drew imaginary boundaries and later, India and Myanmar demarcated boundaries creating territorial division without the consent of the Naga people. Otherwise, Nagas irrespective of boundaries have remained one and shall remain as one people for ages to come.
The aspirations of the Naga people to live as sovereign people and sovereign nation and the resentment against the forceful occupation by India and Myanmar led to Naga Plebiscite on 16th May, 1951 in which, an overwhelming 99.9% of the Naga population testified of its unity and voted in favour of Naga Independence. The NSCN/GPRN, as Naga people's movement is firm on its stand based on 1951 Plebiscite and at all cost whatsoever, shall uphold wishes of the Nagas to live as free people and not under forceful occupation of others.I call upon all the Nagas once again to reaffirm the pledge to uphold and respect the sanctity of the Naga Plebiscite and let it be the one voice of the Nagas for self-determination.
Nagas have been through critical situations because of the divisive policies of the external elements which have always been hell-bent to wreck the unity of the Naga people. Numerous efforts made to reconcile various Naga political groups on the foundation of the historical and political rights of the Nagas could not be materialised. Naga people, after years of armed conflict and political turmoil, have come to understand that killing among one another will not help resolve the Naga problem.
The NSCN/GPRN is not a part of any group that is negotiating with the Government of India but the NSCN/GPRN have been closely monitoring the talks and it is clear on the part of the Government of India that any kind of so called solution will be inclusive of all and not a partial solution nor a separate solution for Nagas of Nagaland neither for that matter of Nagas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur or Myanmar. However, that final settlement with the Government of India will continue to be elusive as long as we, the Naga people, are not ready to do away with our egos, forget our personal differences and come to terms of understanding and accepting one another in the larger interest of the Naga people. It is unfortunate to note that Nagas are no longer fighting for the greater cause of the Nagas but for personal interests only and if such trend is to remain rooted within the society, the solution which, every Naga aspire for, would still be a distant dream.
How long are Naga people going to be the victims of political vendetta? Today, Nagas are talking about inclusive solution and I believe that it should be the inclusive and collective decision of all concerned and every political group should be dedicatedly sincere towards this effort.
The NSCN/GPRN revived the ceasefire with the Government of India adhering to the wishes of the Naga people and to give peace a chance; in order to resolve the Indo-Naga political issue through political dialogue. Signing or reviving a ceasefire should not be mistaken as surrendering our political rights before the Government of India but it is a step towards finding ways and means to resolve the conflict through a dialogue. Nothing can be achieved without the unity of the people, Naga civil societies and most importantly the Naga political groups.
Public must be apprehensive of why the NSCN/GPRN have not placed its charter of points before the Government of India and that is because the NSCN/GPRN wants the Naga people to be united in the first place and then to march together with the strength of unity to achieve our goal.
Therefore, the NSCN/GPRN firmly calls upon all to unite because no solution will last long as long as there is disunity among us. It is the unity of the Naga people only that will enable the Naga people to overcome all obstacles and usher in a new dawn of hope and peace in the land of the Nagas. We must learn from the past mistakes and let us all come together to ascertain our inalienable rights as there is no future without forgiveness and reconciliation.
God bless the Naga people. Kuknalim!
