Five Naga political movements including:
- Khole-Khitovi faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-KK),
- Naga National Council/ Federal Government of Nagaland (NNC/FGN)-S. Singya/Zhopra Vero,
- Naga National Council (NNC) Z. Royim/V. Nagi,
- NNC Kiumukam/Hangping,
- NNC Temjen Yanger/Hozheto
on February 23 issued a joint statement affirming exclusion of “Nagaland and its people while creating Nagalim”, reports
Nagaland Post. Following a joint meeting of representatives of five groups in Dimapur, the joint statement was issued making their stand clear and to uphold and safeguard the sanctity of the Naga political right. The signatories stated that Naga nationalism movement was originally the movement of the Naga people, for the people and by the people with a single vision which was ‘Sovereign Naga Nation’.
The signatories asserted that they upheld the Naga plebiscite conducted on May 16, 1951, which they said was the truth of Naga national movement. “As such, no individual or group has the right to make any political treaty or agreement without the consent of the Naga people,” they said, adding that the error of Naga People’s Convention (NPC) should not be repeated to further divide the people, their territory and their aspiration to live together as free people. They said it was in recognition of the above mentioned historical truth and desire of the people that the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) had come up with slogans and concepts such as, ‘Journey of Common Hope’, ‘Nagas are One’, ‘Naga National Government’, etc. to reconcile and unite different NPGs. As a result, they said important agreements and covenants have been reached amongst the NPGs with the full support and blessings of the people. Therefore, the five NNPGs maintained that any individuals and groups who either failed to uphold or work against those political principles and commitments “ought to be declared as traitors and anti-Nagas”.
The groups statement said instead of seeking the will of the people through consultations and deliberations, or instead of finding a political space to discourse and consult the NNPGs for seeking a political solution, or instead of seeking clarity and transparency of the Framework Agreement that may decide the future of the Naga people,
they (NSCN I-M) were “ignorantly and unabashedly trying to seek the support of Indian political leaders.”
NNPGs also demanded that Parliamentary Working Committee (PWC) clarify to the people of Nagaland four points:
1) whether terms of the agreement were available to them.
2) Who endorsed them to take the name of stakeholders when no consultations were initiated at any level.
3) Clearly define how the agreement was going to benefit the people of Nagaland.
4) How the agreement with NSCN (I-M) was going to bring the final solution to the Indo-Naga political problem without the knowledge of the people.
The signatories stated that to blindly propagate the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement was “an intrusion to the Naga national question unequipped and ill prepared. This, they said pointed to “investing for their personal interests at the cost of national interest.” In the light of the above, the signatories said they questioned the wisdom of PWC of the JLF of NLA led by Nagaland state chief minister and the speaker.
Condemning, what they called “the activities of the PWC”, the signatories said they interpreted the initiative as anti-thesis to the PWC aims and objectives, “a sell-out their own principle.” They cautioned that should there be a fallout from “their sinister campaign, it shall be their own earned responsibility.”
They expressed their belief that the rights of the Naga people and the reason of “our national movement” were “not unknown to the Indian state”.
Therefore, the groups strongly appealed to the “conscience of India to show political maturity in handling the Indo-Naga issue, one that is befitting a growing power the world had come to recognise” instead of using state machineries and resources to violently oppress the rights and aspirations of the Naga people.
NNPGs stated that the aspiration of the Naga people “as expressed in the history of our national movement” should be respected and corrective measures taken accordingly to ensure that
(1) no divisive or oppressive policies will be initiated from within or without to repeat the tragic errors of the past and
(2) any promise and agreement on its part at any point of time be honoured both in spirit and letter.
In the context, the joint statement expressed hope that the government of India would not retract its stand to bring into the negotiating table all the stakeholders so as to find a timely solution that was honourable and acceptable.
The signatories underlined that the
Naga people would never accept any solution without their consent and they were prepared to continue their struggle to uphold the aspiration of the people.
Separately, Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) welcomed 22 Naga cadres from various groups* for their decision in joining the mainstream on
February 22, reports Nagaland Post. In a press release, NSCN-IM Ministry of Information & Publicity (MIP) said that they have realized that after the signing of the “Framework Agreement” on August 3, 2015, the road to permanent settlement has been paved and “today they are here to strengthen the on-going peace process”.
NSCN (R), NSCN
(U), NNC (N/A), NNC/FGN, NSCN (K) and MNRF.
