Greetings to the Naga people and Nagalim in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a moment of great joy for me to be with you today. My revolutionary journey began six decades ago from here in Tangkhul country in 1964.
I thank the Lord God Almighty for preserving me and making it possible for me to return to my birthplace Somdal today. But many people who I knew and who loved me are missing. Generation comes and goes, but nation stays. The issue we are fighting for is greater and older than most of us who are gathered here at this Tangkhul Naga Long ground today.
Taking this opportunity, I thank and acknowledge the dedication and commitment for my journey to Somdal, my birth place, to the Convener Organizing Committee, Mr. R. Zimik, Kilonser and all the members of the Organizing Committee and Sub- Committee from Ukhrul, Somdal and Tahamzam (Senapati). My appreciation and thanks to all the well-wishers who have facilitated this journey including the non- Naga people, the Tangkhul Nagas, Civil societies including the human rights activist, student’s, women’s organizations and the churches. I thank the rank and file of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) for your sincere and faithful participation in the itinerary. I thank the Government of India (GoI), Government of Nagaland and the present Manipur Government for facilitating the itinerary to my birth place Somdal, Ukhrul district, Wung Tangkhul Region (WTR). Countrymen!
Today, I thank the Lord God Almighty, for in His sovereign wisdom He has given the Naga people a unique history, sovereign and unconquered by any colonial powers. Nagalim that lies in the tri-junction of Burma (Myanmar), China, and India is a territory given by the Almighty God, and the Naga people have defended the sovereign existence of Nagalim for the past 79 years. To defend the God given birthright is the bounden duty of all Nagas, wherever they are. To despise it, is a curse.
Countrymen!
Significantly, after the formation of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), with the help of the Lord God Almighty the Indo-Naga ceasefire and the political peace process began on August 1, 1997 and thereafter, significant unique political milestones have been achieved during the leadership of late Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, late Vice-Chairman Khodao Yanthan and myself as the Chief Political Negotiator, NSCN/GPRN. The Nagalim historic national decision for sovereign Nagalim has been defended and consolidated from the battlefield to the negotiating table. We have not surrendered the free existence and sovereignty of Nagalim, and we shall defend the sovereign national decisions of Nagalim to the last, come what may.
I, therefore, take this opportunity to underline in a nutshell the importance of the following unique milestones which have been achieved during the leadership of late Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, late Vice-Chairman Khodao Yanthan, and myself as the Chief Political Negotiator, NSCN/GPRN:
Firstly, the Indo-Naga Political peace process that began as two sovereign entities from August 1, 1997.
Secondly, the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 that recognized Nagalim unique history and situation admitting that Nagalim is not the internal matter of India and Myanmar.
Thirdly, the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 that recognized and acknowledged Nagalim unique history and sovereignty.
Countrymen!
I reiterate the national decision taken by Nagalim and the Naga people on August 14, 1947; to remain a sovereign and independent nation and the May 16, 1951 Plebiscite wherein we reaffirmed the national decision to be sovereign. For these historic decisions we are truly indebted to our great Naga leaders of the past. The Tangkhuls are not the first people in the Nagalim national movement. It was the Zeliangrong people under the leadership of Haipou Jadonang; it was AZ Phizo and his Tenemia people who led the movement; it was Kughato Sukhai, Scato Swu and Sumi people who manned the front line of the battle; it was T. Aliba Imti and Imkong Meren and Ao people; it was Khodao Yanthan and Lotha people; it was Gen. Kholi Konyak and the people in erstwhile Tuensang who led the movement and many others.
In the Wung Tangkhul Region (WTR) it was Capt. Phungtha Horam who fired the first historic shot in the 1950s and others like Col. Jacob Ramsan, Col. Pamrei Chithung, Col. Pruining Duidang, Col. Neewin, Mr. Khasui Longvah, Col. Masasui Shimray, Col. NK. Ramsan, Col. Thanmi stands heads above in providing leadership with selfless supreme sacrifice. In the early sixties, the General Headquarters of the Naga Army at Tuinem Village, Ukhrul District was under the command of General Mowu Angami. In the famous battle at Paosaitarung, Ukhrul district, brave Naga freedom fighters made the supreme sacrifice including Captain Neihulie Angami (Neihu) of Chiechama village, who was laid to rest at Leisan village in Ukhrul district; RV Horishor s/o Rvs. Leishisan (Somdal village) and Shitao (Maring Naga).
Ngainga village located near Paosaitarung was burned down two to three times by the Indian army and the consequent violent military action on the surrounding villages is unparalleled.
Post 1975 Shillong Accord some very decisive military victories were won against the Indian armed forces, and among others, the ambush on February 18th, 1982 at Namthilok in Ukhrul district, present Manipur, the Naga Army, commanded by, now Lieut. Gen. Vs. Atem, VC, AEM (Retd.), Deputy Ato Kiloner, along with senior NSCN members like Mr. Angelus Shimrah and others carried out a successful ambush against the 21st Sikh Light Infantry. The battle was a clear signal to India that the 1975 Shillong Accord was dead at birth. Mr. C. Paul and Mr. C. Daniel of Halang village disappeared in the aftermath of the ambush and countless Naga civilians were tortured, subjected to electric shock, sodomized, etc. On July 9, 1987, the Oinam Assam Rifles post in Senapati District, Manipur was captured successfully by the Naga Army, under the command of Lieut. General (Retd.) Ng. Markson, VC, AEM and Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Ramkathing Varah, VC, AEM as Deputy Commander. Around 14 Naga villagers were brutally killed in a concocted case of encounter, women were raped, and more than 30 villages were turned into concentration camps in the four months of the Indian army counter combing operation. The resultant brutal and ruthless human rights violation was fought in the law court of India by the Naga people’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Women organizations, Naga tribe organizations, Churches and the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), yet, no justice has been delivered till date! We are deeply thankful to the noted human rights lawyer Ms. Nandita Haksar who selflessly and relentlessly fought for the justice and human rights of the Naga people including Oinam and so also late Shelly Chara, a committed human rights and student leader, who was assassinated by the agents of India in 1995. In this regard, we are also deeply thankful to the international human rights organization like the “Amnesty International” who had reported extensively about Oinam titled,
“Operation Bluebird”; A case study of torture and extrajudicial execution in Manipur, October 1990 AI INDEX: ASA 20/17/90. DISTR:SC/CO/GR.
Countrymen!
The Naga victims of human rights violations have not received any justice till today and judgement has never come clearly demonstrating the post-colonial psychology of the totalitarian Indian state. Till date, the GoI has not apologized for the human rights violations against the Naga people. Having recognized the Indo-Naga conflict as political, the GoI and the NSCN declared cease-fire on August 1, 1997, and the political negotiation started at the highest level, without pre-conditions and outside India in a third neutral country. Subsequently, the Milan, Italy MoU of November 2002 revoked the unlawful ban on the NSCN/GPRN, and the invitation of the Prime Minister of India was extended to the NSCN/GPRN leadership, Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, and General Secretary Th. Muivah to come to India. However, during the Indo-Naga political peace process, the violation of human rights against the members of the NSCN/GPRN intensified, and they are all on record and archived by the NSCN/GPRN. Even today in the ongoing political peace process between the GoI and the NSCN, some high ranking NSCN/ GPRN members like Mrs. Alemla Jamir Shimrang, Kilonser, Col. Hopeson Ningshen S/o NK. Pishang of Nambashi village and others are falsely accused of “waging war against India” and incarcerated as Prisoners of War (PoWs) in the infamous Tihar jail in New Delhi and others, elsewhere. Can the Nagas ever trust the hypocrisy and double standard of the GoI, its leadership and agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the National Investigating Agency (NIA)? It is time for the leadership of India to realize its mistakes, change its terror pogrom, and apologize to the Naga people.
Countrymen!
Leadership is given by the people not taken. My friend Isak Chishi Swu and I were mandated by the Naga National Assembly held at Suphao on the 16th of August, 1976. The God of Abraham spoke to us, “Fear not, you lamb of Galilee, I have given you the banner of victory. My presence shall go with you”.
Countrymen!
Kindly allow me to further elaborate and explain, among others, the three political milestones that have been achieved in the current political peace process between the Government of India (GoI) and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN).
- The ongoing Indo-Naga political peace process began as two sovereigns based on the following principles:
i. That the talks would be unconditional;
ii. That the talks would be at the highest level, that is, at the Prime Ministerial level; and
iii. That the talks would be somewhere outside India in a third neutral country.
Hence, the principles of the current Indo-Naga political peace process are a recognition and acknowledgment that Nagalim is sovereign and the Indo-Naga conflict is not an internal matter of India and Myanmar. - With the signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002, the Government of India had officially recognized and acknowledged the unique history and situation of Nagalim. Unique political position is official admission by the GoI that this violent conflict was forced upon the Nagas and in no way the Nagas had initiated the violence. Peaceful struggle of the Nagas from 1946-1955 March is an unmistakable fact of the Nagas’ innocence. The country-India that preached non-violence, peace, justice, and peaceful coexistence had unleashed brutal savagery and genocide upon the Nagas for their love of their freedom. It is beyond expression and measures to tell the history. The Nagas were forced to resist in defense of their land and people. When their land was being swarmed by ruthless Indian soldiers drunk with powers of Martial Law bequeathed by the British rulers. Our villages were set ablaze and innocent public were reduced to shooting target practices; womenfolk were molested, raped and killed. Scorched earth policy was applied. Villagers were massacred. Recording of details will produce tons of books. The Amsterdam Joint Communiqué is an official admission by the GoI that Nagalim is never a part of India either by consent or conquest of India and Burma (Myanmar). Hence, it is an official recognition and acknowledgement that Nagalim is sovereign.
- The Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 was signed between two entities officially recognizing and acknowledging the “unique history and position” of Nagalim, “sovereignty lies with the people” and “sharing of sovereign power”.
Therefore, since sovereignty represents and constitutes national identity, the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement have recognized and acknowledged the Naga national flag and the Naga national constitution.
Countrymen!
Therefore, the letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the Framework Agreement have laid the foundations for an honourable negotiated political settlement because the GoI has acknowledged and duly corrected the factors that were responsible for the decades-old Indo-Naga violent military conflict.
Kindly allow me to explain the rectification done by the GoI in the ongoing political peace process with the NSCN with the signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the Framework Agreement.
First, the recognition and acknowledgement of the “Unique history and position” of Nagalim is an official acknowledgement and admission that the Indo-Naga conflict is not the “internal matter” of India and Burma (Myanmar), hence, not a “secessionist” movement, it’s rather a war of resistance and therefore being a political conflict needs a political solution.
Second, the recognition and acknowledgement that “sovereignty lies with the people”, is an acknowledgement and admission of Nagalim sovereignty. Sovereign identity is represented by the national flag and the national constitution. Therefore, the Naga national flag and the Naga national constitution are logically and officially recognized and acknowledged in the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015.
Third, the “sovereign powers” are concluded from the political negotiation and the “sharing of sovereign powers” shall be between two sovereign nations. The mutually agreed “sovereign powers” concluded from the political negotiation shall constitute the constitution which shall be called Yehzabo/constitution in Naga language.
Fourth, Nagalim shall be sovereign in all matters of her own affairs as mutually agreed upon and defined in the competencies.
Fifth, “An enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities” shall be realized by acknowledging and honoring the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement.
Sixth, the “new relationship” of “peaceful co-existence of the two entities” by sharing of “sovereign powers” shall be according to the “uniqueness of Nagalim history”. This “new relationship” shall be concluded from the negotiated political agreement upholding the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement, and it entails a “new relationship” outside the Union and constitution of India and Myanmar.
Seventh, the NSCN represents Nagalim in the ongoing political negotiation with the GoI, and the final negotiated political settlement shall be inclusive of all Nagas, wherever they are based on the Framework Agreement, duly recognizing and acknowledging the Naga national flag and the Naga national constitution.
Eight, therefore organizations and groups who have compromised and agreed on a solution within the Constitution and Union of India and Myanmar must fall in line with the negotiated settlement based on this Framework Agreement which upholds the sovereign right of Nagalim. All Nagas shall have due share in the future of Naga nation building, so also its fruits.
Countrymen!
(To be concluded)
Th. Muivah
Chief Political Negotiator-cum-General Secretary/Ato Kilonser
(Prime Minister)
NSCN/GPRN