Message of Th. Muivah, General Secretary/Ato Kilonser, NSCN/GPRN

1)            Mr. Asiisii Hepuni                            Punanamei Village, Volunteer (shot dead on the spot)

2)            Mr. Mahriili Lohrii                            Kalinamei village, Student (shot dead on the spot)

3)            Mr. Modo Kholi                               Kalinamei village, Student (shot dead on the spot)

4)            Mr. Daikho Hesho                           Chowainamai Khullen, Volunteer (succumbed to injuries)

5)            Mr. Obow Adani                              Punanamei Village, Volunteer (succumbed to injuries)

6)            Mr. Kaisii Mathibo                          Punanamei village, Volunteer (expired 12th Aug, 2013)

7)            Mr. Obow Ashiho                           Punanamei village, Student (survived by God’s grace)

Countryman!

The Nagas in this part of the Naga country have borne the brunt of the state’s repressive and suppressive violence. In May 2010 we had witnessed the brutal and cold-blooded killing of students by the police commando of the Government of Manipur during the itinerary to Somdal, my birthplace. The names of the students who made the supreme sacrifice were Dikho Loshuo (B.A second year student of St. Joseph's College, Jakhama) from Kalinamei and Neli Chakho (B.A second year student of St. Joseph Evening College, Bangalore) from Kalinamei. May the younger generation be inspired by their ultimate sacrifices!

Countryman!

Nagalim national struggle against India and Myanmar have witnessed brave and committed Nagas who stood up for the defence of their motherland as one people. In this regard kindly allow me to mention Ashiho Chaomai from Tungam village. He was a dedicated and true compatriot, well respected and inspired many young people of this generation. As the Deputy Naga army chief, NSCN/GPRN he made a supreme sacrifice for the national cause in the eastern front in 1988. The “AC Battalion” in Khurmi Region was instituted in his honor. Mr. Nganping Gonmei Rongmei of Khongcharon village was one of the first few educated Nagas of his time, well-respected Naga nationalist he was martyred in 1964. We have instituted the “Nganping Battalion” in the Makuilongdi Region in honor of his supreme sacrifice to the Naga Nation. Mr. Mono Monshang from Khurmi was a humble person who loved his people and gave his thumb impression for the Naga plebiscite. Mr. Shelly Chara from Khurmi Region, a dedicated and prominent student and human rights activist who represented the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) in the UN Working Group for Indigenous Peoples (UNWGIP) at Geneva in 1993 was martyred in the year 1995 when he was assassinated by the agents of India in Imphal, Manipur.

From Shepoumaramth region Mr. Kreni Dili of Chowainu village, Mr. Hrili Mathibo (Akamu) of Song Song village and Adani Asosii of Punanamei village, were the volunteers who submitted the plebiscite thumb impression covering all Nagas from southern Nagalim at Kohima. Sanyi Johnny of Tungjoy village, a close associate of A. Z. Phizo, actively helped organised the Plebiscite. The Zeliangrong Nagas did a yeoman service in escorting A.Z. Phizo to East Pakistan (Bangladesh). The volunteers who had escorted A. Z. Phizo was led by Tadingpou Gangmei, who later joined the Naga Army and became a Tatar (Member of Parliament) till his demise.

Mention also may be made of the pioneers in faith and politics from the Wung Tangkhul Regions including Capt. Phungtha Horam who fired the first historic shot in the 1950s; the Christian faith pioneer, Rev. Ruichumhao Rungsung (1896-1933) from Somdal village, who had consolidated, evangelised and shaped the course of Christianity in the region. He was the supervisor of the France labour corps, a contingent of 2000 persons in number from Manipur (1917-1919). He made a politically correct appeal to the British and French government that they should reciprocate and return the favor by helping the Nagas. Mr. Rungsung Suisa, the half-brother of Rev. Ruichumhao Rungsung (1907-1971), a brilliant student from Jorhat Christian High School had topped the matriculation exam under Calcutta University, which then also covered Bangladesh and the erstwhile Assam province. He was a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from 1957-1962. He resigned from serving as Assistant to Vice-president of the Naga National Council (NNC) from 1964 to 1966 and convinced the then Indian leadership including the Indian Prime Ministers Pandit Nehru, Smt. Indira Gandhi and U. N. Dhebar, the then Congress President, on a “sovereign relationship” between India and Nagalim. His personal proposal as an “Individual Well-Wisher of the Indo-Naga Link” did not materialise and he died on April 4, 1971 at Dimapur and was buried at “Mount of Mirror”, at Hongmahn, Tahamzam (Senapati) district.

Countryman!

Several Naga villages in the Shepoumaramth Region (Mao, Poumai, Maram, Thangal) and elsewhere proudly raised the Nagalim national flag on August 14, 1947 including Tunggam, Mao Gate, Punanamei village and in one of the first battles with the India Army fought in June 1956 at Kriidziili (Bviinho) near Mao Gate, around ten Mao Nagas (Seven from Punanamei, one from Pudunamei, one from Rabunamei and one from Song Song) were murdered and never traced. Mr. Besii Chakho of Pudunamei village commanded the Southern Command in 1958, was arrested and jailed but rejoined the national movement in 1961 and died early from the torture he received in prison. The Naga Army Southern Command was located at Chuilon, Tamenglong (1964-1967) and subsequently at Katang village in Tamenglong district (1968-69). Chuilon Naga Army Headquarters was commanded by Brigadier K. Daiguang Pamei of Oinamlong village and Katang Naga Army Headquarters was subsequently commanded by Brigadier Henito Swu. These are but few examples I have cited to highlight the dedication and sacrifices of the Naga people from Nagalim.

Countryman!

I proclaim today that the dedication and sacrifice of the Naga brothers and sisters from Nagalim and the Southern part of Nagalim is priceless and they shall not go in vain, be it in the past, present and future. I am truly grateful to all the Naga families and tribes cutting across the artificial state and international boundaries and the length and breadth of the southern part of Nagalim for your supreme sacrifice and contribution to the Nagalim national cause. May the good Lord Yahweh bless all the families and tribes who have steadfastly given their all for Nagalim national cause!

Countryman!

I am deeply thankful to all the Nagas from the southern part of Nagalim for upholding and defending the historic struggle and the decisive political steps taken by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) in the current Indo-Naga political peace process. The signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 between the Government of India (GoI) and the NSCN is an affirmation and acknowledgement of Nagalim unique history and Nagalim sovereignty.

With the official signing of the two agreements, the desperate distortion of Nagalim unique history by India and Myanmar, have been officially corrected and rectified by the GoI. Hence, among others, the August 14, 1947 Nagalim independence declaration and the May 16, 1951 plebiscite for sovereign Nagalim have been officially recognized by the GoI.

The distortion of Nagalim unique history by India and Burma (Myanmar) had consciously and calculatedly branded Naga nationalism as “secessionist” and in that manner oppressed the Naga nation for decades within their “internal law and order issue” through militarism stratagem and militarization. Conscious and calculated desperate attempt to brand as secessionist activities and accordingly have suppressed/repressed and oppressed the Naga nation for over seven decades in the name of law and order. The notorious Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act effectively used by the British during the “Quit India Movement” (1942) as martial law for defence security were reformed as AFSPA and have been using it on the Nagas since 1958 September till date without any compunction. Nagalim has been used as training ground and Nagas as the dummy for target shooting.

Countryman!

The Naga people all over Nagalim have been under the military rule of India and Myanmar. The violation of human rights in Nagalim, in the hands of the occupational forces of India and Myanmar, including mass raping; murder and enforced disappearance and marriage to the alien forces; torture including deforming sex organs; mutilating limbs and body; electric shocks; puncturing eyes; hanging people upside down; putting people in smoke–filled rooms; burning down of villages, granaries and crops; concentration camps; forced starvation and labour; desecration of churches; bombing of villages and others are unparalleled. Hundreds and thousands of our sons and daughters have been martyred and suffered from acute Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD). Four girls below 18 years were tortured and raped in the Yankeli Baptist Christian Church (Lotha Region) on 11 July, 1971 by a contingent of the Maratha Regiment. Miss Rose, a girl of about 19 years, from Kumram village of Ukhrul, committed suicide after she was raped by two Army officers –Deputy Commandant Pundir and Assistant Commanding Officer Negy of 95 BSF on 4th March 1974, in the eyes of the whole village who were held at gunpoint. Kindly allow me to state that, these are but very few examples of human rights violation in Nagalim that has been reported by many fact-finding teams-national and international, the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and others. The book, “Nagaland File - Question of Human Rights”, Lancer International, New Delhi (1984) authored by Luingam Luithui and Nandita Haksar and The Judgement that Never Came- Army rule in North East India, An imprint of bibliophile South Asia, New Delhi (2012) by Nandita Haksar and Sebastian M. Hongray are few references highlighting the response of the Indian state and its armed forces to the Naga national movement and the terrifying human rights ordeals that the Naga people had to go through in Nagalim for all these past so many decades. The latest glaring case whereby the Indian Army personnel have been given blanket protection from prosecution in the law court of India is the Supreme Court of India’s decision to close all the FIR charges against the thirty (30) Indian Army personnel from the 21st Para Special Forces who had killed fourteen (14) Naga Civilians of Oting, Mon district in Nagaland on December 4, 2021. The violation of human right follows a uniform pattern of conscious and consistent counter-insurgency progrom to crush and annihilate the Naga people and their national struggle for sovereignty and freedom. The notorious Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is still in operation even after 28 years of the Indo-Naga political peace process.

Yet, every right-thinking individual, communities and nations must know that not a single Indian or Burmese civilians have been harmed by the Nagas in the decades old history of violent conflict between Nagalim versus India and Myanmar.

Countryman!

For all these years, having failed to resolve the Naga political issue through political and peaceful means, India and Myanmar are disillusioned and desperate in their attempt to crush Nagalim and the Naga people by military might. To this end in order to legitimize their actions they have ceaselessly called the Nagas “secessionist” and “terrorist”. However, in truth, Nagalim and the Naga people stands tall and firm in defence of their motherland, their history and sovereignty against the ruthless repression and oppression of the occupational forces from India and Myanmar. Both India and Myanmar are desperate and their age-old stratagem of state terrorism foreshadows a violent military conflict with Nagalim again.

The committed and dedicated Nagas in general, the human rights and political activists from the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), student bodies, women’s organisation, Tribe organizations and other civil societies who have stood up against the repressive and oppressive stratagem of the Indian state and Myanmar are truly praiseworthy. The yeoman’s service of these committed Nagas in opposing the totalitarian states of India and Myanmar and their consciously implemented oppressive military policy and progrom to crush the Nagas and Nagalim shall not be forgotten but chronicled in the annals of Nagalim history.

The shadows of the enemies are getting bigger and longer. However, I encourage the Naga people in general and all the human rights and political activist not to waver or cower, for the battle is yet to be won. Remember that Naga nationalism, our proud unique history of sovereignty and our exemplary battle against human rights abuse have been forged in the crucible of our struggle and war against the British Imperialist and the post-colonial states of India and Myanmar.

Countryman!

The letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 have laid the following important political foundation for the successful conclusion of the Indo-Naga political peace process between the GoI and the NSCN representing Nagalim- past, present and future:

1. Recognition and acknowledgement of Nagalim unique history and unique situation/position means the violent military conflict was not initiated by the Nagas but by the GOI which had let loose hell on the Nagas by arming Indian soldiers (Army & paramilitary) with Martial law. The fact that Nagas did not raise their hand on the rampaging Indian soldiers despite extreme provocations from 1946-55 March is an undeniable fact during which hundreds of villages were set ablaze including granaries. Daughters were molested and raped in front of parents; wives before husbands and sisters in front of brothers. Mass killings went up to tens of thousands. Scorch-earth policy was applied throughout nook and corner of Nagalim. Being forced to the wall Nagas have only resorted to Resistance war and Govt. of India had recognised the unique situation/position of the Nagas through the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the Framework Agreement and have officially recognised and acknowledged that Nagalim is not a part of India and Myanmar either by consent or by conquest.

2. Recognition and acknowledgement that the Indo-Naga conflict is a political conflict officially recognized and acknowledged that the Indo-Naga conflict is not an internal matter of India and Myanmar.

3. Recognition and acknowledgement that “Sovereignty lies with the people” officially recognized and acknowledged Nagalim sovereignty. Since sovereignty is constitutive of identity, Naga national flag and Naga national constitution are integral in the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015.

4. The letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement officially recognised and acknowledged that the “Sharing of Sovereign powers” is included in the political negotiation inclusive of the Naga national flag and Naga national constitution and not from the constitution of India and Myanmar. The “Sovereign powers” concluded from the political negotiation shall constitute the constitution which shall be called Yehzabo/ Nagalim national constitution.

5. Nagalim shall be sovereign in all matters of her own affairs and the “sharing of sovereign powers” of the two sovereign entities have made it crystal clear that Nagalim is outside the union and constitution of India and Myanmar.

6. The letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement, duly recognised and acknowledged that the Naga national flag and Naga national constitution is the foundation for “An enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities”.

7. The negotiated political settlement based on the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement, shall be inclusive of all Nagas, wherever they are, who upholds and subscribe to the non-negotiable Nagalim unique history, Nagalim sovereignty, sovereign Nagalim territory, the Naga national flag and Naga national constitution.

Countryman!

Remember! My late friend, Chairman Isak Chishi Swu has also appended his signature in the historic Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 which no one must violate and tarnish. The NSCN/GPRN representing Nagalim with great endurance and perseverance have patiently and successfully negotiated with the GoI for the past 28 years and the commitment and contribution of the NSCN/GPRN talk teams are commendable.

Countryman!

However, after the signing of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 the GoI has been desperately doing its utmost to betray the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement by refusing to acknowledge the Naga national flag and Naga national constitution. May I remind Nagalim and my Naga people that the Naga national flag and Naga national constitution are non-negotiable and they are the sole basis for a negotiated political settlement between the GoI and the NSCN - past present and future.

Countryman!

The final negotiated political settlement between the GoI and the NSCN representing Nagalim shall be according to the “uniqueness of Nagalim history”. It means that “a new relationship” of “sharing of sovereign power” shall be according to the sovereign Nagalim unique history duly recognized inclusive Naga national flag and Naga national constitution. The “new relationship” of “sharing of sovereign power” shall not be defined by the constitution of India and Myanmar but by the political agreement of the two sovereign entities, and it shall be outside the Union and constitution of India and Burma (Myanmar).

Countryman!

Nagas must be sufficiently warned of the Indian state strategy of “divide and conquer” through distortion and perversion of the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015. In this regard it is regrettable that some section of Nagas has become pawns in the hands of the GoI and its agencies. The NSCN/GPRN does not recognise any agreement signed within the Constitution of India- past, present and future. Any Nagas and organisations who are promoting and advocating the corrupt version of the Indian state and its agencies, regarding the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, shall be deemed as traitors to the Naga nation.

Countryman!

I thank the Naga people gathered here today who have acknowledged and responded positively to the successful political steps taken by the NSCN/GPRN during the political conflict and in the ongoing political negotiation between the GoI and the NSCN representing Nagalim.

The only honorable negotiated political agreement shall be according to the letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the Framework Agreement and the officially recognised Nagalim unique history, Nagalim sovereignty, Nagalim territory and the Naga national flag and the Naga national constitution.

Therefore, the letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the Framework Agreement, duly recognising the sovereign Naga national flag and the sovereign Nagalim national constitution, are the rallying point for Nagalim and the Naga people, wherever they are.

Lest we forget and we dare claim that all these achievements have been made by the NSCN with you in the back giving full support by all means. Remember that it is Yahweh who fights our battles and if He is for us who can be against us. (Romans 8:31)

I thank the Naga people, wherever you are, well-wishers and our neighbours who have supported Nagalim including those from mainland India and the international communities. I assure all of you that the NSCN/GPRN, Nagalim and the Naga people shall defend and stand firm for our unique history, sovereignty given to us by Yahweh the Almighty, to the last, come what may.

In conclusion, may we recall and remember the truth and nothing but the truth from the Holy Scripture: “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever. The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” (Psalm 33:11-12)

Praise the Lord!

Kuknalim!

Th. Muivah is Chief Political Negotiator-cum-General Secretary/Ato Kilonser (Prime Minister) of NSCN/GPRN