Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) celebrated the 50th anniversary of “Naga Army raising day” on January 3 at Oking Kohima. A press release by FGN secretary, Thongkiubui stated that the keynote address was delivered by chief of staff, “Naga Army” FGN, ‘maj. Gen’, Poushuheing while the message of the FGN kedallo, Namrikiu was delivered to the gathering by FGN killo kilonser, Zaleo.
During the programme, a two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to all “Naga patriotic martyrs” from the beginning upto today.
In his message to the “Naga national army”, FGN kedallo highlighted briefly the circumstances and the factors leading to the raising of “Naga Army” on January 3, 1964.
He said the Naga National Council (NNC) was formed on February 2, 1946, and the “Naga Independence” was formally declared on the August 14, 1947. Kedallo, Namrikiu said there was no standing army at that time and the youth movement under the NNC played the role of volunteers upholding the democratic principle of non-violence and non-cooperation peacefully.
Deliberating on the circumstances that led to the formation of “Naga National Army”, he said the “Naga National Army” was declared on January 3, 1964 with ‘gen.’ Mawu Gwizantsü as the first “commander-in-chief of Naga Army”.
Namrikiu also asked the gathering to remember all the patriots whose mortal remains lay scattered from Sylhet of Bangladesh to Nagaland through Mizoram, from Kunming, China to Nagaland through Kachinland. He said the martyrs cry and beckon the living today to be unwavering to uphold “our national cause” till the goal was reached.
He further stated under any circumstance, NNC/FGN and the “Naga National Army” shall ever remain steadfast in upholding and defending the sovereignty of “our nation and the freedom of our people” under the leadership of the NNC president, ‘gen. (Retd)’ Thinoselie M. Keyho and the FGN.