At the outset, I thank Almighty God for sustaining us
through another year to come together and commemorate this auspicious day.
Today is the 79th foundation day of the Naga National Council (NNC). It was on
February 2, 1946 when the pioneer Naga leaders had gathered at Wokha.
In that mammoth gathering, the Naga leaders in the House
decided to form the Naga National Council (NNC). The tribes’ representative
body was formed into a council of the people to assert that we are a people of
one country. NNC was established on the model of the time-tested institutions
of the Naga village states. For that reason, the NNC is called an institution
and not an organisation.
An institution is established on what already existed
whereas; an organisation is a new creation, an organisation is formed by
like-minded people for a common objective. In an organisation, membership is by
rights of registration. It is an exclusive club of like-minded people. On other
hand, NNC membership is by right of birth by blood. It is inclusive in that,
every new born child is spontaneously counted and accepted as a bonafide
member. By structure and function, NNC became an organised apex/central
institution for all village institutions which were until then, independent of
each other.
The ultimate objective and vision of the NNC was for a
common future in a free nation. The working system of the NNC was spontaneous
as it was established on a system already in usage. NNC under the leadership of
three successive presidents in a span of four years negotiated with the British
government and the British India government for a smooth transition of power,
the power to govern ourselves again as in ancient times.
It was under the able leadership of AZ Phizo, the fourth
president that the NNC charted a resolute path for the Nagas to live as one
people, one nation after the British exit from the Indian sub-continent.
The NNC leaders left no stone unturned for a negotiated Naga
future based on inherent historical rights. The 9-point agreement signed in
June 1946 between the NNC and Sir Akbar Hydari, the Governor of Assam of the
British India government was a living testament to the commitment of the NNC
for a negotiated settlement.
However, the Indian leaders had pre-meditated minds to
impose their will on Nagas for forced union. The efforts of the NNC leaders to
reason with the British government too were brushed aside.
As a last resort action, the NNC took a pre-emptive measure
and declared the Naga Independence on August 14, 1947, a day before the power
transfer of the British India government to independent India. Consciously or
subconsciously, the Naga Club memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929
asserting “leave us alone as in ancient times” culminated into Naga
independence declaration.
Thereafter, the NNC leaders went on to reason with the
Indian leaders led by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India so as
to avoid confrontation. NNC adopted the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence to
find peace with the government of the new independent India. NNC was committed
to democratic ways of working.
To that end, the NNC conducted a national plebiscite on May
16, 1951. The result was an overwhelming mandate of 99.9% for an independent
Nagaland. However, instead of respecting the people popular mandate, the Indian
government tried to crush that mandate by using its military power. Needless to
say that the NNC had done everything under its powers to secure the
independence of Nagaland.
The NNC is the sole author of the Naga independence
declaration and plebiscite. Plebiscite mandate was the climax of Naga unity.
Today, the Naga people talk much about unity.Unity is possible only on the basis of truth. NNC is the truth. The
Nagas have been crying for peace. Nagaland has been under forced foreign
occupation for over seven decades. Our common objective is to work together to
bring an end to foreign occupation. Ours is a God-given sovereignty established
under the banner of NNC. NNC was the foundation and the standing institution.
Let us unite under its platform to free our nation of foreign occupation and
live the God-given freedom.
