Seventy years ago, the Naga people declared their independence on this day, the 14th of August 1947, but sadly government of India did not recognize it. Self declaration of independence is not enough; it must be recognized by others, particularly by the aggressor state. A village which is not recognized by an established court is just a hamlet or a colony. Nagalim must be a recognized entity.
In their tireless efforts to get recognition of their state, the Naga leaders met Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian nation, where he stated, “The Nagas have every right to be independent.” He was followed by C. Rajagopalachar, the first Governor General of free India, who too recognized the sovereign right of the Nagas to independence.
On the eve of the formation of Union of India, the Constituent Assembly of India invited the Nagas to join the Union of India, but it was rejected outrightly by the Nagas. In support of the stand, NNC (Naga National Council) the then political organization of the Naga people under the leadership of A. Z. Phizo, conducted a plebiscite on the 16th of May 1951, in which 99.9% of the people voted in favor of sovereign independent Nagalim.
Unfortunately, the political battle was turned into that of military by Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. He arrogantly stated, “I will never allow the Nagas to be independent even if heaven falls into pieces and rivers run red with blood.” Accordingly, he poured Indian army into Nagalim to subjugate the Nagas and bringing them in the ambit of Union of India by sheer military force. His government unleashed reign of terror in Nagalim where Indian armed forces committed horrible crimes against the Naga people. Nevertheless, the Naga people stood their ground.
With an eye to dampen the spirit of Naga nationalism and perpetually divide the Nagas, his government made a bogus agreement called the 16-point agreement in 1963 with a few Naga bureaucrats. It was however, rejected by the people.
Realizing that the government of India had made the agreement with the wrong people, it initiated peace process through the mediation of Nagaland Baptist Church Council and signed a cease-fire agreement with the Naga government on the 6th of September 1964, even before the ink of the 16-point agreement ran dry. However, the two parties could not arrive at any tangible agreement on the negotiating table on account of rigid stands taken by both sides.
In the mean time, Mr. R. Suisa, a Tatar, tabled a personal proposal for a kind of solution without foregoing the principle called as ‘the Suisa proposal,’ but it was rejected by the Tatar Hoho to be regretted later. In the last round of talks in 1967, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India too proposed to solve the problem on the basis of Suisa’s proposal. It was again turned down. Thus, the Nagas missed the first bus.
Mr. Jayaprakash Narayan MP a renowned Gandhian stated, “It is far better for India to have friendly Nagas on its frontier than hostile Nagas forcibly kept within the Union of India.”
In its another attempt to murder the history of the Naga nation, the government of India created the worst kind of human rights situation in Nagalim by deploying hundreds of thousands troops. Under such circumstances the infamous Shillong Accord was made to sign on the 11th of November 1975. It was however, rejected by the Naga national assembly under the leadership of Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah. The Shillong Accord reduced the edifice of the Naga resistance movement into rubbles. It was the leadership of Isak and Muivah that save the nation from the treacherous accord under the banner of NSCN. Three Months after the signing of the Shillong Accord Mrs. Indira Gandhi sent one of her trusted agents to our collective leadership with a message for having dialogues with them on the basis of ‘Suisa’s proposal.’
In early part of 1980s feelers for political talks were sent by Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s government consecutively for 5 times, but unfortunately talks could not be concretized on account of her assassination in 1984. In 1990, Rajiv Gandhi sent a message to our leaders through Mr. Srivastava the then IB Director for political talks. Late Mr. Angelus P. Shimrah and I were assigned to meet him. Srivastava conveyed the message from Rajiv Gandhi for dialogue with the NSCN leadership if he returned to power. Rajiv Gandhi wanted to finish the work left by his late mother. He also assured us that Rajiv Gandhi would return to power. Unfortunately, Rajiv Gandhi was also assassinated during his election campaigns.
NSCN planned to fight the enemies from three prongs – military front, diplomatic front and prayer band. Apart from military confrontation, NSCN leadership sent groups of its cadres for diplomatic mission abroad covering countries in five continents.
Our collective leadership got NSCN admitted to UNPO on the 23rd of January 1993. UNPO in its General Assembly recognized the sovereign right of the Nagas to independence. In 1994, our collective leadership attended United Nations human rights meeting where the honourable Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali stated, “There is human right situation in Nagaland.”
Late Mr. Angelus and I were assigned for political campaign in U.S.A. Prayer support of the Churches and political support of the people of America was immense: - 24 Congressmen and Senators from United State of America extended their fullest support to the Nagas in written. Jimmy Carter, the former President of the USA wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Ato Kilonser of the Nagas stating, “I encourage you to move ahead with your conversations to present an acceptable solution that will assure the rights of the Nagas and the security of India.” Support of the Washington-based Lawyers committee for human rights, PILPG (Public International Law and Policy Group) USA and International Relation Committee were outstanding.
Moral support of the Society for Threatened Peoples, a strong organization in Germany, continuous support of KWIA from Belgium, support of the European Parliament, Forum for Asia in Bangkok, AIPP (Asia indigenous peoples Pact), Other Media from Delhi, Idasa from South Africa, Geneva Call, PNSD (Parliamentarians for National Self-determination) London, NISC ( Naga International Support Centre) Netherlands and its coordination offices in South Korea, Germany, and UK, Constant support of KREDDHA from Netherlands, Individual well wishers and steadfast support of the Civil Societies in Nagalim are highly commendable.
The political supports from some well wisher countries including Netherlands are quite laudable. Continuous prayer support of all the Churches in Nagalim and abroad is remarkable. Thus, the international political campaigns of the NSCN have a great impact on the mind of the Indian authorities in Delhi.
Consequently, feelers from Chief Minister, Governor and Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India came for political talks. However, our collective leadership rejected them all on the ground that talks should be held only at the Prime Ministerial level. Finally, ‘olive branch’ from the Prime Minister office for peace process was sent to our leaders. Therefore, talks with Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, the then Prime Minister of India was held in Paris on the 12th of June 1995. It was mutually agreed between the government of India and NSCN that talks would be held on three terms: talks without condition, talks at the Prime Ministerial level and talks in third countries.
Mr. H. D. Deve Gowda succeeded Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao. He was also fully committed to working out an honourable solution to the Indo-Naga political problem.
After series of talks between the two parties the cease-fire agreement was signed and declared on the 1st of August 1997. The honourable Prime Minister of India Mr. IK. Gujral announced it in the Indian Parliament whereas our honourable Yaruiwo Mr. Isak Chishi Swu announced it in the UNPO General Assembly in The Hague, Netherlands. Former Prime Minister of India, Mr. V. P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar extended their fullest support to the peace process.
On the 11th of July 2002, government of India and NSCN made a historic agreement, where GoI recognizes the unique history and situation of the Nagas. It was during the time of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. On the question of cease-fire area coverage, he clearly stated, “Wherever there is fighting there is cease-fire. Cease-fire is everywhere.”
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the then Prime Minister of India and the Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi are among those leaders who are also deeply committed to the Indo-Naga peace process. It was during their time that non-paper was tabled in the formal talks. Dr. Manmohan Singh went even to the extent of saying, “Solution outside the box.” He also said that he would go ‘the extra mile’ for finding honourable solution.
On the 3rd of August 2015, honourable Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi made a big name in history when he declared the historic Framework Agreement signed between the GoI and NSCN as two entities. This Framework Agreement is based on the unique history of the Nagas. Our genesis is in our history; our identity is in our history; our culture and custom are in our history; our land is in our history; our people are in our history and our future is in our history. We will perish when our history is murdered. We must therefore, defend our history at all times and at all costs.
Basing on the universal principle of democracy that ‘sovereignty lies with the people,’ it is mutually agreed that sovereignty of the Nagas lies with the Naga people and sovereignty of India lies with the Indian people as well. However, for bringing an honourable solution, peace and progress in the land the two peoples shall co-exist as two entities sharing sovereign power in some areas. Interdependent relationship among peoples and nations is the law, not choice. India and Nagalim are also interrelated.
No lasting solution to any problem or dispute between contending parties has ever been brought about by force in history. All problems are solved by mutual agreement and consent through dialogue. To settle our issue with India, an agreement with India is indispensable.
This Framework Agreement will be the beginning of a new relationship between India and the Nagas. We need India in many ways as much as India needs us. I convey the good will of our people to all our neighbouring peoples and nations. The Framework Agreement was signed on the 3rdAugust of 2015 through the grace of the Lord and the wise statesmanship of leaders of the two peoples, which will certainly open the ‘Era of the Nagas.’
KUKNALIM!
