NSF DIRECTS ALL UNITS TO OBSERVE ‘NAGA INDEPENDENCE DAY’
Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU) organised a debate competition on the topic “an unhealthy paradigm movement has emerged in today’s age; its diverging the movement’s true nature” at Bethesda Higher Secondary School, Walford colony, here, on Friday.
Panel judges for the debate included Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) Neingulo Krome, Forum of Naga Reconciliation (FNR) convenor Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, Naga Students Federation (NSF) former president Achumbemo Kikon and DNSU and NSF former president, V Phushika Aomi.
Nagas have been forced to remain unsuccessful in their struggle for ‘one people, one nation’: DNSU president
Focusing on the topic, DNSU president Moayanger Jamir in his keynote address said it had been more than 10 decades of political crusade and struggles where Nagas have been either forced or intimidated to remain unsuccessful in their struggle for “one people, one nation”.
During the process, he said the Naga family has been divided by forces seen and unseen, leaving it to be fragmented.
He added that an unhealthy paradigm shift in the history of Naga political movement has emerged “where we can visibly notice that the movement’s true nature is being diverged from the vision of our forefathers who laid the foundation more than 10 decades ago”.
Moayanger stated that history had undoubtedly witnessed an unhealthy paradigm shift because people were divided like never before and because of the shifts that have been happening since the declaration of Naga Independence on August 14, 1947, by the president of Naga National Council (NNC) until today.
“The changes, transitions, and transformations that are supposed to be healthy for the Nagas as one family has somewhere devastatingly gone wrong”, he asserted.
“Who is/are responsible for all the hazardous divides? Are individuals asking these difficult questions to themselves and to the leaders who are supposed to be accountable to the Nagas across borders and barriers?”, the student leader asked.
He informed that with all this in mind, DNSU believed that conducting a debate would help the younger generation and elders to be ignited “with a sense of responsibility towards the unity and progress of Nagas as one people, one nation.”
“It would also be a meaningful platform to highlight the history of Naga national/political movement because many of the student community or generation today, are ignorant of our history and we believe it must be known by every Naga”, Moayanger stated.
In the solidarity message, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep lauded the initiative of DNSU and said such activities should be conducted in order to broaden the minds of the students.
Pointing out that Nagas were not confused but were distinct and their history was “very clear”, Kegwayhun he urged upon the younger generation by saying that it was time for them to come together in order to unite the Nagas as one.
He also informed that NSF has directed all federation units and sub-units to observe “Naga Independence Day” on August 14.
NSF also appealed to the public to observe the day and the churches to pray particularly for Nagas on the day which falls on Sunday.
Earlier, the debate began with six participants (Dimapur-based Student Unions) each form motion and against. The best debater (motion) was awarded to Visimetuo Nagi while Libong Walling was declared best debater (against). Meanwhile, against the motion was declared winners of the competition.
Earlier, invocation was offered by Tangkhul Baptist Church, Darogajan, Dimapur, Wungrieshang Khamrang.
