The recent letter by Mr. Zeneituo Angami calling on Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo to name his ancestors is nothing more than a transparent attempt at “Killing the Messenger”. When the contents of a message cannot be refuted or bears ill tidings, the first reaction of the recipient is to lash out at the bearer of the news. The status and ancestry of Mr. Solo is for he and the Angamis to decide; but the general public should know that prior to this issue surfacing in the newspapers, there was a post on Facebook questioning Mr. Solo’s ancestry; my comment on it was simply, “I do not care if Mr. Solo is an Alien from Mars, all I know is that He is a Man of Truth.”
Mr. Zeneituo Angami’s statement itself needs to be carefully considered by all Nagas everywhere.
1. The contention that any Naga from anywhere can speak and act for what he feels is best for the Nagas is right. Any Naga can speak on any issue that he feels is in the best interest of all Nagas; any Naga is free to act by taking up social activism, entering government by recruitment or via politics or by joining any of the various underground factions if he feels that it is in the best interest of all Nagas. But who gives any Naga the “Right to Decide” what is best for All Nagas? I say that only the Nagas of a particular geographical area, have the “Right to Decide” what is best for their area. Just as the Nagas of Manipur are free to decide on what is best for them in Manipur; the Nagas of Nagaland, along with the Non-Naga Tribes indigenous to Nagaland, have the right to decide what is best for us.
The Nagas of Manipur have called for strikes and bandhs on various issues, the latest being the division of their districts; but have remained silent on the issue of integration with Nagaland. We, in Nagaland, have never questioned them, nor felt that we have the right to decide anything on their behalf. When I, as a Sumi from Zunheboto have no right to decide what is best for the Aos of Mokokchung or the Angamis of Kohima without consulting them; who are we to decide for the Nagas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh what is best for them, without consulting them? Similarly, who are they to decide what is best for us without consulting us?
2. I have raised the issue of some of the alleged clauses of the “Framework Agreement” in two prior letters, requesting the N.S.C.N. (I-M) to either verify or refute them. The silence of the N.S.C.N. (I-M) on this matter speaks volumes about the veracity of the clauses. The failure to address the issue directly is a very ominous sign.
I cannot comment on the status of Mr. “Elian Z Lotha”, who, in his last letter said that he was a Lotha, but strangely, did not mention his Clan or Village, or whether he is a functionary of the N.S.C.N (I-M). The articles by “Er. Akaho A. Assumi”, puzzled me; it seemed to be written by an ordinary member of the public who wholly supported the N.S.C.N. (I-M); I do not claim to know all the Sumis in the world, but the only Akaho A. Assumi I know, was an old friend of mine who studied engineering, and who, according to my last knowledge of him, was a member of the N.S.C.N. (I-M). Now we have a letter by a declared member of the N.S.C.N. (I-M), voicing his support for the “Collective Leadership” and the “Framework Agreement”. But none of these voices, along with the M.I.P. of the N.S.C.N. (I-M) seem to answer the question that all Nagas, everywhere, along with all the people of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, want to know; which is, ‘What are the contents of the “Framework Agreement”?’
All of the above facts seem to point to one thing only, which is that in the “Framework Agreement”, the N.S.C.N. (I-M) allegedly:-
(a) Seeks to “Share Sovereignty” with India over the State of Nagaland.
(b) Seeks to take away the status of indigeneity of the Naga Tribes of Nagaland by creating a new class of citizens called, “Permanent Citizens of Nagaland”. These “Permanent Citizens” will have equal access to all jobs and opportunities and will also have the right to buy and own land anywhere in Nagaland.
(c) Seeks to take control over all of the natural resources of Nagaland.
(d) Seeks to control Nagaland by force of arms by refusing to surrender their arms in the event of any agreement with India.
(e) Seeks to further strengthen their control over Nagaland by maintaining an “Armed Force” for the internal security of Nagaland.
I have no objection to any of the abovementioned alleged clauses of the “Framework Agreement” If the lands of the Nagas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are integrated with the State of Nagaland. But without integration, the alleged clauses seek to take away the present rights enjoyed by the indigenous tribals of Nagaland, both Naga and Non-Naga, in an effort to give Nagas indigenous to other states equal status with us. Under these alleged clauses, Nagas from outside Nagaland will have all the privileges of those from Nagaland; at the same time, they will keep the privileges enjoyed by themselves in other states while denying us from Nagaland those privileges. It is the classic case of, “Having your cake and eating it”.
With the above points in mind, I answer Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo by stating categorically, ‘No, Mr. Solo, people from outside the State of Nagaland cannot make secret pacts and agreements with the Government of India and decide the fate of the people of Nagaland.” We honour or dishonour our ancestors by our deeds today; Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo has honoured his ancestors, his village, his clan and his tribe by his words and deeds. I will not dishonour my ancestors by surrendering my rights to my lands without gaining any perceivable benefits.
My ancestors laid claim to these lands battling with the very Forces of Nature itself. They braved the unknown, braved the heat, the rain and the drought; battled hunger and starvation, fought diseases and wild animals and innumerable enemies; just so their descendants could walk free and tall in a land that they could call their own. Their blood still runs in my veins and I will not roll over meekly and allow others to grab, by means of secret pacts and conspiracies, what they fought so hard, with so many, to achieve. You may kill me, the Messenger, but my Message will remain and the Message is, “In My Land, only God and I decide my Fate.”
