Your Excellencies, the collective leaderships, all rank and files of the NSCN/GPRN, friends, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to extend my heartiest congratulations and warm greetings to all of you on this momentous occasion of the fortieth Republic Day of the Nagalim.
I acknowledge with gratitude the invitation extended to us by your leadership to stand amongst you today.
The people of the border areas under United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA) in particular, sincerely acknowledge the leadership provided to the Naga people by the NSCN/GPRN on the struggle for self-determination for many decades now. We are now at the threshold of the political equations owing to the impending lndo-Naga political settlement which we believe will be coming sooner or later.
At this critical juncture, I wish to appeal on behalf of the Naga people to your leadership that the land that rightfully belongs to the Naga people which were unilaterally usurped by the Government of India in spite of its commitment and promises made in the '9 Point' and '16 Point' Agreements was the genesis of the Naga people's struggle for independence in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which clearly means that the land issue between the Naga people and the Indians precedes the struggle of the Naga people's political aspiration.
The boundary and land issue between the state of Nagaland and Assam is not only an issue between the two states, but it is the boundary issue between the greater Indian Subcontinent which ends around Brahmaputra Valley and the greater South-West Asian Subcontinent which begins from the Brahmaputra Valley onwards.
It is therefore of utmost importance that in the impending Indo-Naga political settlement, the land vis-a-vis the boundary issue between Assam and Nagaland should be specifically mentioned for settlement based on the historical perspective, so that the Indo-Naga political issue can be settled once and for all.
I am apprehensive that, if this issue cannot be taken up on priority in any political settlement that may be brought about, it can never be honourable and acceptable to the Naga people and history may never forget the leadership provided by this generation.
Thank You very much.
Kuknalim.
Hukavi T Yeputhomi,
Chairman, UNTABA
