Naga Republic Day Speeches

66th Republic Day Speech By His Excellency Kiumukam Yimkhiung, President NNC/ GDRN (N-A) 

Dear comrades,

It is great honour and God given privilege for me to be addressing you once again on this historic and eventful occasion of the 66th republic day of our Naga nation. I give glory and honour to our almighty God for his enduring love and care throughout our struggle.

On this auspicious and historic occasion, let us retrospect and recall about our past. The uniqueness of the Nagas is that, even before the advent of the western education, we Nagas have been existing as independent village republics since dawn of human civilisation!

Political theories make us believe that the concept of democracy and republic has its root in the Greek city states; this is a fallacy. The functioning and governance our independent village republics are in total accord with the principles and ideals of democracy around the world today.

Harsh times arising out of conflict with India’s military might have made the leaders of the bygone days to come together at Phensenyu village on this day in 1956, wherein it was declared to form a Naga republic government to look after the governance and to safeguard the freedom and interest of all the Nagas as opposed to village republics. This is what may be termed as the signing of the ‘social contract’, the bedrock on which our government and Naga nation stands today.

Before India’s independence, it consisted of more than 500 princely independent states of which some willingly and some forced to join the union of India. But our forefathers and pioneers had a far sighted vision and dreams for free and self determined Naga nation declaring our independence a day before India.

The unfortunate and bitter truth be told that the struggle for Naga self determination continues till today.

The quest for peace and permanent solution took us to the negotiating table with government of India with likeminded different Naga political groups under the nomenclature of ‘working committee, NNPGs and the signing of the historic document ‘the preamble’ also known as the ‘Agreed position’ on 17th November 2017, and successful conclusion of talks on 31st October 2019, under the able and dynamic leadership of Ino N Kitovi Zhimomi.

As we commemorate the 66th republic day, I most humbly salute and pay my homage to all those fallen Naga brothers and sisters who made supreme sacrifices and paid with their lives for the cause of our nation and all patriots for their sacrifices in pursuit of our long cherished dreams; their contribution onwards the cause of nation will never go in vain and will continue to inspire, guide and strengthen us always.

I thank all the Nagas for your benevolent prayers and thoughts, it’s because of your prayers and supplication that God almighty showed the path for unification of different Naga political groups to carry forward the yoke of Nagas. We Nagas are honourable and trustworthy, we believe that GOI has a better understanding of Nagas today and we expect India to live up to her glory and image as the world’s largest democracy. I am optimistic that during this tenure of NDA rule under the dynamic leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, the Naga issue will see the light of day.