A Glimpse at the Naga national movement

[dropcap]T[/dropcap] [dropcap][/dropcap]he Naga National Movement began under the aegis of A.Z.Phizo, the 4th President of the Naga National Council (NNC) which culminated from the then Naga Hills District Councul (NHDC) formed in 1918 that later on changed to Naga Club. Starting to voice the rights and aspirations of the Nagas a memorandum was submitted to the Simon Commission of the then British India on the 10th January, 1929 stating that the Naga National shall remain sovereign and independent when the British leave India. When the British were about to leave India, the 10th point agreement or Akbar Hyderi agreement was signed in June 1947. But failing to implement the agreement by India, the Nagas formally declared its independence to the outside world on the 14th August, 1947 one day ahead of Indian Independence declaration on the 15th August, 1947. The same was cabled to the United Nations. To ward off the containment and forced occupation policy of other countries and nations, the historic Voluntary Plebiscite of the Nagas was conducted on the 16th May 1951 reaffirming that the Nagas will be a free and independent people and a Nation whatever the circumstances may be in the fast changing world.Following this historic event, the Nagas did not participated and rejected in the first and second General Election of free India in 1952 and 1957. Mockingly three (3) Nagas who were fourth grade govt. employees in Assam Government were made to be MLAs in the Assam Legislative Assembly, namely; (1) Ao, Chubatemsu, Independent representing Mokokchung S/T having 28,056 voters, (2) Sema, Khelhoshe representing Naga Hills Central S/T having 20,351 voters, (3) Angami, Satsuo representing Kohima S/T having 38,920 voters. Indeed, it is not a surprise that the Election records revealed 0 (zero) voting in all the three Assembly seats. This exposed how India exercised her manipulative policy to contain Nagaland within the Indian Union and forcefully deprive the Nagas of the inalienable sovereignty and freedom of our people. However, Naga movement for freedom was becoming stronger day by day carrying on the Plebiscite process in the un-administered areas of Nagaland called NEFA (North East Frontier Agency) then Honking government was set up at the initiative of A.Z.Phizo and Thungti Chang the first Chief of Naga Safe Guard for self defense. Later on, Naga Safe Guard was changed to Naga Home Guard and became a full fledged Naga National Army in 1962. Through the plans and efforts of the NNC under A.Z.Phizo, the Eastern Nagas under NEFA and the Western sectors were brought together under one identity to be a Popular Republic under the banner of the Federal Government of Nagaland on the historic 22nd March, 1956 (at Pheshunyu/Sendenyu in Rengma Region). Naga National Movement took a dramatic turn when the 16 point agreement was signed with the Government of India by the Naga People Convention in 1960. They were to play mediatory roles, the Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India to solve the Indo-Naga issue but the signatories took upon themselves the authority to crush the will and aspiration of the Nagas and bring about the present Statehood of Nagaland under the Union of India which rocks the Naga nation to this day. This proved to be hijacking the authority of the NNC by the signatories and a step on their part for convenience of facilities and a compromise to sell of the freedom and liberty of the Nagas. During this period of confusion and uncertainty, the Revolutionary Government of Nagaland was formed in 1967 under the Presidentship of Mr.Scato Swu who was a former President of the Federal Government of Nagaland. That was the first split in the Naga National movement which was the result of mistrust, tribalism and differences in opinion and approach among senior leaders to liberate our people. It was a big setback to the Naga National movement. The Revolutionary Government surrendered in 1973 and the 111th BN of Border Security Force (BSF) with Headquarters at Chedema was raised by the Government of India (GOI) to accommodate the surrendered cadres. Let the Nagas judge the gains and losses out of that misadventure. Regrettably, in aftermath too, Nagas are to face further splits which we are experiencing to this day. However, unable to crush the spirits of the freedom loving Nagas, the Government of India signed the historic Bi-Lateral Cease Fire Agreement with the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) on the 6th September, 1964. Practically and legally these very episodes demean the existence of Nagaland Statehood under India but which thrives on to this day. Due to the manipulative policy of India and her agents thereof after the failure of the 6 (six) Round Peace Talks in 1968 at Delhi was followed by the unilateral abrogation of the agreement by India on the 31st August, 1972 and another chapter of terror and nightmare was unleashed on the Nagas. With the imposition of Indian National Emergency in 1975 and the traumatic terrorism that was unleashed on the Nagas, we thank God in purity of our hearts for enabling our people to brace the situation of that time, the controversial Shillong Accord of 11th November 1975 was signed under the capacity of the Underground Organization of Nagaland with the Government of India. This accord had more or less brought a respite to suffering Nagas who were mercilessly left to be butchered in the atrocious hands of India as silent lambs. In the aftermath, this accord became the main factor in the split up of Naga family into different identities. The emergence of NSCN in 1980 followed by further split to become NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) in 1988 shall remain a standing testimony to this harsh reality. Yet the Nagas can never evade the Plebiscite of 1951. The historical and political of Nagas shall ever remain. Clause 1 of the Shillong Accord specifically recorded that on our own volition we accept the Constitution of India. Unacceptable as the Nagas, the then President of FGN, late Zasheyi Huire disowned the Accord on 6th May, 1996 but under the wave of controversy internal conflict and fratricidal killings engulfed our land since 1980 till the intervention of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) in 2008 after Peace Convention at Dimapur. The aftermath shall ever remain to reveal the truth, like it or not, we need to honor what history says because we can create but not change our history. By God’s given grace and the guidance of Shisha Hoho, Nagas had travelled much and resulted into the signing of the Covenant of Reconciliation in 2009 and Naga Concordant in 2011. Let us look forward to the materialization of one Naga National Government for the people by the people and of the people, wherein lies the liberation of the Nagas. Human history, unfortunately fail to solve issues and problems so let us repose our faith and look unto divinity and providence of the Almighty God for self assertion and upholding our identity and freedom. KUKNALIM Dated Oking,the T.S.KEYHO 7th Dec. 2014. Vice President, Naga National Council