‘Gen’.(Rtd.) Thinoselie M. Keyho, NNC President
My dear Naga brothers and sisters
I take this opportunity as my proud privilege to address the Naga Nation once again on this 76” Voluntary Plebiscite Day, a day of historical importance for the Naga people.l convey my special greetings to all of you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I also pay my respect to all National workers who have been sacrificing their services for the nation all these years and for whom the Naga National Council continues to uphold the democratic right of our Naga people firm and strong.
On every occasion, we remind ourselves of what our parents had told the British Government in their memorandum submitted to the Simon Commission in 1929 and how the Simon Commission gave recognition to our stand as a people and placed the then Naga Hills as Excluded Area, this means that the Commission placed the then Naga Hills outside the constitution of British India in the Government of India Act, 1935. This decision of the Simon Commission placing the then Naga Hills as Excluded area is unique, and we highly appreciate the understanding of the Naga stand by members of the Commission that Nagas are not Indians and their land is not part of India.
This status continued as long as the British Government ruled over her territories in the South East Asia, But when news for the British Government to leave her territories in the South East Asia was made known to the people without any decision for the Nagas, the Naga National Council declared Naga Independence on 14th August, 1947, one day ahead of Indian Independence.
A clear example of the failure of the British Government to keep their commitment was that Clement Atlee was a member of the Simon Commission who came to Kohima in 1929 and Clement Atlee was the Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1947. This betrayal of the British Government rendered untold sufferings and miseries to the Nagas in the hands of the Indian aggressors for more than six decades now. But these sufferings inflicted upon our people by our adversaries in various ways can never deter the Naga National Council stand from upholding the oath administered to God and to the world by the Nagas through the voluntary plebiscite of 1951.
I want to share with you today the circumstances which prompted the situation for the conduct of this Voluntary Plebiscite by the Naga National Council under the leadership of Phizo. When the British Government left without giving any decision for the then Naga Hills, the New Indian Government took advantage of this silence and stretched her administrative arms over the then Naga Hills. Inspite of all these injustices done to them, the Nagas wanted to put across their right through democratic process and, therefore, Phizo went to meet the new Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru in Delhi to assert the right of the Naga people. But record says that Delhi took Phizo lightly thinking that he was a crank. Phizo was determined and, therefore, he met Nehru again in Assam and told him that he wanted a definite clause to be inserted on the term of the original 9-Point Agreement that the Nagas would have the right to decide their own future. Prime Minister replied that everything can be done under 6th Schedule of the Constitution and gave no further comment. Phizo left disappointed and as soon as he reached Kohima, he convened a meeting of all tribal leaders on 14th and 15th May. 1951 at Kohima. At this point of time, the Intelligent Bureau advised the Prime Minister saying that, Nagas were feeling betrayed on 9-Point Agreement and if they were allowed to meet, it was certain that they would talk about Independent and so Government should do something to divert the course so that this meeting was not held. Their advice was not taken seriously by P.M. as well as Assam Government. The tribal representative Naga leaders met at Kohima as scheduled and decided to conduct a voluntary plebiscite to decide their future. Accordingly, Voluntary Plebiscite was held on 16th May, 1951 in which 99.9% voted in favour of Naga Sovereignty. The Indian Government also sent their representative to see it by themselves how NNC conducted that voluntary Plebiscite.
The Voluntary Plebiscite is not just history but it was an act of pronouncement of a solemn oath before God by the Naga elders and, therefore, this oath is binding on every Naga wherever we may be or whatever profession we may pursue.
With these few words, I shall now reiterate my stand once again:
- Our first and foremost policy is Non-Violence. With this policy, we will continue to put across our democratic right as a people to the world and to Indians in particulars. Because, what we have been talking here is history based on our ancestral democratic right.
- We are not against India, rather we are expecting India to act as a guardian power to the smaller nations around her for her own safety. Butitis unfortunate, India failed to look down to see the ground realities.
Therefore, the problem in Nagaland is external aggression. We are not asking anything from India but only telling them to go away from our land. Our problem is ‘political’ which can never be
solved by military prowess. We firmly stand by the 1951 Voluntary Plebiscite. This stand can never be changed under any circumstances. Citizens of Nagaland, let us observe this Voluntary Plebiscite Day with Prayer and not just a celebration in name. Let us observe it in letter and spirit to renew our vow as was done in a solemned way by our forefathers 75 years ago.
May God bless the Naga people. Long live Naga National Council.
KUKNALIM.
Senka Ao, President, NNC
Dear Naga brothers and sisters,
I extend my greetings in the name of our Almighty God. This day holds profound significance for our people. On this historic day, the 16th of May, 1951, under the grand leadership of the Naga National Council (NNC), the “Plebiscite Day” was conducted through a democratic process marked by the thumb impressions of our Naga people.
This was not merely procedural; it was the expression of our unity and political aspiration to declare to India and the International community that the Nagas wish to live as a free and sovereign nation, determined in our commitment to the principle of self-determination.
We, the Nagas, from the very beginning have always been fierce lovers of freedom and equality as the foundation of our way of life. We have been living as an independent people until the arrival of the British.
The advent of British imperial expansion led only to the partial annexation of a small portion of our land in the south-western region; it neither defined nor diminished the essence of our independence. And as the British prepared to withdraw from the subcontinent, we did not seek freedom as a concession, for it was never lost in spirit.
Rather, in our memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929, we affirmed what had always been our position: “Leave us alone, and when you—the British—leave, we shall remain as we have always been—free and independent.” In this same spirit, we reaffirmed our historic and inherent independence on the 14th of August, 1947, a declaration not born out of demand, but of assertion: that we are, and have always been, a free people.
The 1951 plebiscite should not be interpreted merely as a statistical outlier; rather, it was an assertion of our national identity and inherent sovereignty, as evidenced by the outcome with 99.9% in favour of independence to live as a free and independent nation. On this day, we pay our tribute to A. Z. Phizo, the father of the Nation and the erstwhile President of NNC, for his visionary leadership in proclaiming and officially placing on record the unity and aspiration of the Naga people for a separate, sovereign nation without any external interference.
The plebiscite was neither conducted in secrecy nor clouded by ambiguity; it was a clear expression of our political will, carried out with probity and verifiability, and preceded by prior notification to the Government of India through two formal communications addressed to the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in January and March 1951, respectively.
These missives clearly outlined the Naga people’s intent to determine our own political future through peaceful, democratic means.
The NNC also extended an invitation to the Government of India to send official observers to witness the Plebiscite. In response, the Indian press (Hindustan Standard) and B. N. Mullick, the Director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB), served as observers, and in his meeting with A. Z. Phizo at the Foreign Guest House in 1951, Mr. B. N. Mullick stated: “YOU HAVE ALREADY WON. I AM SURPRISED TO SEE YOUR PEOPLE THEY ARE SO DISCIPLINED AND SO HAPPY EVEN IN SUCH A BIG MEETING”, (A.Z. Phizo diary, London) further affirming the legitimacy, openness and our political aspirations for a free sovereign nation.
The historical mandate of the 1951 Plebiscite serves as a foundational pillar of our Naga people, which continues to guide our commitment to self-determination, reminding us that our sovereignty is not a negotiable commodity but an inherent right grounded in our distinct historical, cultural, and political identity, and to pursue our rightful position within the world community as a free and sovereign people. It is therefore incumbent upon us to carry this legacy forward. Like a guiding flame, let this truth illuminate our consciousness and, in all we do as a people, shaping both our political reality and also the very ethos of our national identity.
As we commemorate this day, may the Almighty God guide our people to a time of true peace, where the weight of fear and the weight of arms are lifted from our peaceful land, and strife to be a free sovereign nation where the dignity of each life is respected and honoured- WE SHALL BE FREE.
Kuknalim
‘Brig’. (Retd.) S. Singnya. Kedahge NNC/FGN
My Dear Nagas,
For many years, we have observed the anniversary of the Naga Plebiscite on the 16th of May each year. Since the historic Plebiscite of 1951, many years have passed, and many of our great leaders and participants who were responsible for this historic event have long departed from this world.
Unless we urgently recapture the vision that inspired our people in those days to make the Plebiscite a reality, everything connected to it may gradually fade into cold and lifeless history. We must uphold it as a living part of our heritage and transform it into a symbol of hope, unity, and victory for our tomorrow.
Today, with the changing times, some among us may question the importance of such an event in our history, while others may doubt the relevance of commemorating this day itself. Yet, for those who love our Nation and our Land, it remains one of the strongest foundation pillars of our rights to live as a people with identity, dignity, and freedom. The 16th May Plebiscite is a “decree of the Naga people”; it is both a law and an oath that we have given unto ourselves. The Plebiscite was conducted with utmost solemnity. Some placed their thumb impressions with their own blood, and true to their commitment, they stood firmly behind the Naga National Cause through thick and thin, fully convinced that they were doing so for the freedom of their children and generations yet to come. They did it for us.
We must never forget that the oath of the Plebiscite provided the unshakable foundation for the rise of many great leaders in our midst. It gave honour, legitimacy, and authority to those who led the Naga Movement for self-determination to greater heights.
For all who love the land and the people, history continues to teach and inspire us, because no vision for the future can ever be complete without an understanding of our past. The blood and sweat shed by our people in upholding their Plebiscite commitment have given us the voice to speak and the courage to stand for ourselves with dignity and respect today.
The call of the Plebiscite, seventy-six years ago, was an expression of our unity. Before it, we had no common goal that united us as one people. It is never too late to learn from our noble history. Now is our time. We must reflect deeply and make our stand for our tomorrow, for those who will come after us, just as those before us sacrificed for the sake of our today. May God grant us the wisdom and courage to uphold the legacy of those who showed us the path of self-respect, unity, and freedom.
Kuknalim