Of late, Mr. Zeneituo Angami, Kilonser, NSCN(IM) has made unbridled attacks on the personality of Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo, a senior and respected citizen of Nagaland, on the issue of whether NSCN(IM), under the Framework of 2015, can decide the fate of Nagaland without further consultations with the Nagas of Nagaland. The Kilonser has unsparingly used his best arsenals (which were fired earlier but intercepted by THAAD) and intended to pin down the senior citizen. As I continued to read between the lines, the kilonser, in the name of debating with the senior citizen, has been conveying adequate messages to the Nagas of Nagaland relating to assertions for our birth rights which attracted this intervention of mine. Beside abusively insinuating the senior citizen, the kilonser has bullied the Nagas of Nagaland that his govt. is mandated to take exclusive decision for Nagaland.
The kilonser asserted that a ‘Naga from another planet’ has right to take any decision which he feels is best for Nagaland. What the kilonser claimed that ‘any Naga by blood has right to speak and act/decide what is best for the Nagas’ as published on 20.4.2017. Such claims are nothing but the dastardly distortions of Naga way of life. Such assertions are antithesis to Naga tradition and customs of the autonomy of every Naga village and tribe whether it is for land or for social and judicial practices. Such assertion implies that the Nagas of Nagaland are not the sole owners of the State of Nagaland and therefore we, the Nagas of Nagaland, should remain mute and accept whatever is the outcome under the ‘framework’.
On the contrary, my assertions are these: The 14 Indigenous Naga tribes along with few indigenous inhabitants are the owners of the State of Nagaland. And Nagaland has been the centre of all Naga political activities since its Independent movement started. Many unscrupulous Nagas had exploited Nagaland and tend to continue the exploitation taking the advantage as the Nagas of Nagaland have to play the good host without grudge all through these years. Thus, Nagaland has been used to the extent as the hunting ground for private wealth and exhibition hall for prowess. Nagaland is over-milked, and it is on the verge of collapse. At any cost, we have to protect it for its survival and therefore we have to speak the truth and allow the truth to prevail. Exactly, for the sake of protecting the truth, Mr. Thepfulhouvi has to bear the brunt of intolerance.
Whereas, in countless cases, the magnanimity of the host, the Nagas of Nagaland, is taken as ignorant, timid, gullible and useable. When the host rises to defend its birth rights, it is considered as hostile, unpatriotic, discourteous, untrustworthy and mean. Nevertheless, the fact remains that neither can there be Naga political history nor future without the people of Nagaland. For the sake of Naga posterity, some of the Nagas of Nagaland will remain undeterred and relentless in calling a spade -spade.
The second contentious issue is the claim of the kilonser that the requisite consultations with cross sections of the Nagas so far made should be adequate for NSCN(IM) to take decision under the ‘framework’ for Nagaland. Those consultations and so called approvals obtained were considered subjective manipulations bereft of openheartedness. When we talk about the mandate of the Nagas, 1951 Plebiscite is the only valid mandate. Secondly, the setback is the rest of the Naga National Political groups did not participate in the signing of the ‘framework’ of 2015. At this rate, I apprehend that a solution out of the ‘framework’ may fall in the category of 1975 Shillong Accord or even worse. In such given situation, I am sceptical that once again the Nagas will have peace with GOI and war amongst the Nagas. Such has to be avoided.
