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Republic Day Speech of Gen. (Retd.) Viyalie Metha, Kedahge, Federal Government of Nagaland at Kohima, Nagaland on 22nd March, 2020
My dear countrymen,
Today the Naga Nation is celebrating the 65th Republic day as a nation whose God is the Lord to whom we owe our nation’s survival amidst a whirlpool of political and social confusion as a result of India’s occupation of our country up to this day. We are also indebted to our leaders and predecessors who had sacrificed their all for which we remain a Nation and a people.
I take this opportunity to remind our people for the future generations and the world and India, in particular, to know that we declared our independence on 14th August 1947, one day before India got her independence from the British on 15th August 1947. Our Naga National Voluntary Plebiscite of 1951 with the result of 99.9 per cent not to join the union of India followed by total non-participation in the first Indian general election of 1952 after her independence. The newly independent India resorted to a policy of civil suppression against the Nagas and by 1955 Nagaland was put under aggressive Indian army operation.
Under a harsh Indian military operation in Nagaland, the Naga National Council led by A.Z. Phizo founded the Federal Government of Nagaland at Parashen in Rengma region on 22nd March 1956. On this day the Naga National flag was hoisted by ;
(1) Thongti Chang, Chief of the Naga Home Guard by reading the scripture, Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...”
(2) Khriesanisa Seyie-the first Kedahge (President) read Romans 10:18 “...Their sound has gone out into all the earth.., their words to the end of the world.”
(3) Wheha Kent-Rengma, the first Ato Kilonser read Matthew 6:33” But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...”
(4) Kruzhalie Peseyie, Angami Ahng read Romans 8:33 “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifieth.”
(5) A.Z. Phizo, President, NNC read Zechariah 4:6 “...Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit” saith the Lord of hosts. That was how our National government was founded and established on a firm foundation mandated by our people with their faith pledged to God our Lord.
Hence, no more are we islands as individuals, villages or tribes. The establishment of the Federal Government of Nagaland by the National Council under the leadership of A.Z. Phizo has knitted us as one nation under God who has guided us through tough and critical times and continues to guide us on. We are an independent nation built on Biblical Judeo-Christian principles coupled with our God-given Naga traditions of Equality, Liberty and the right to protect our individual self, family, property and community. Our forebears with their God-given wisdom have given us the most essential component of a nation that is our government. It has now fallen upon us to carry on the legacy of our nation conscientiously with faith in God and wisdom in these infernal and troublesome times.
Our founding fathers did not establish a government and frame a constitution with the intention of governing our people with tyranny but to give every individual Naga the opportunity to govern himself/herself in the best way a responsible citizen possibly can, for the greater good of the individual self, the society and the nation. It is, therefore, the duty of the government to protect the life, liberty and property of the individual Naga, for him/her to live his/her God-given life to the fullest extent in freedom as a responsible citizen. We must, therefore, be very clear that our government cannot afford to be tyrannical and oppressive. Hence, our Yehzabo (constitution) must by any means, be taken seriously for a just government to exist, free from corruption and petty politics.
As we continue to traverse through difficult times, it brings great joy and “a peace that passes all understanding” to remember God’s guiding hands in the establishment of our government legally and with the mandate of the Naga people. It must, therefore, be noted that there is no such thing as “my truth” or “your truth”, there is only “The Truth” then there’s “my opinion” and “your opinion”. As such, no matter what your opinion or my opinion may be about the Federal Government of Nagaland, the truth is, we have a legally established Government-mandated by our people, a Government that rests on the shoulder of God and the principle of life, liberty, equality and brotherhood. This is how and why we are a Republic. Let me conclude my speech with a word of caution: Government of India will always try to subvert the Naga National Council and the Federal Government of Nagaland by creating dissensions among the Nagas instead of solving the Indo-Naga problems by peaceful means of understanding between the two Nations, Nagaland and India. India continues her occupation of our country by following a policy of divide, defeat and rule by political trickery and money power and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, AFSPA. Even so, the Naga Nation prevailed by God’s grace and we shall overcome.
God
bless Nagaland.
Kuknalim