NSCN (IM) marks 79th Naga Independence Day at Hebron, reaffirming sovereignty, unity, and commitment to non-negotiable rights.
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DIMAPUR — Calls to reignite the unyielding spirit that defines the Naga people and to reclaim their identity and unity marked the 79th Naga Independence Day celebration at the NSCN (IM)’s council headquarters, Hebron, on Thursday.
The occasion also called for renewed commitment, resistance, and preservation of their sovereignty, with an assertion that artificial divisions would not weaken the Nagas or external pressures break them.
In his address, read out in his absence, the general secretary of NSCN (IM), Th. Muivah, reaffirmed his commitment to stand by ‘our precious unique history and sovereignty’ and declared that the Naga national flag, constitution, and integration of all contiguous Naga areas are non-negotiable.
“If India and Myanmar respect the history of the Nagas, we will respect theirs ten times more,” he said.
Muivah recounted the Naga political struggle, including the introduction of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which he described as a tool of suppression. He thanked God for the people’s patience and resilience in defending their sovereign identity.
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He traced the Indo-Naga peace process back to the 1995 meeting with then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in Paris, which opened the way for political dialogue. This led to the ceasefire declaration on July 25, 1997, and formal talks starting on August 1 of the same year.
He said the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002, and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, marked the recognition by the government of India of the Nagas’ unique history and sovereignty, with agreement on sharing sovereign powers and creating an enduring relationship of peaceful co-existence between two entities.
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Muivah expressed the belief that the political space and the opportunity given by the Indo-Naga political peace process and the signing of the two agreements must be harvested in order to conclude a negotiated political settlement.
The NSCN (IM) general secretary credited past Naga leaders such as T Aliba Imti, AZ Phizo, T Sakhrie, Scato Swu, Khodao Yanthan, and Isak Chishi Swu for standing firm on history and sovereignty. He also acknowledged Indian leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, Rajagopalachari, PV Narasimha Rao, HD Deve Gowda, IK Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi, for their roles in guiding the peace process.
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He further thanked the Centre’s representatives, namely Swaraj Kaushal, K Padmanabhaiah, Oscar Fernandes, RS Pandey and N. Ravi, for their conclusive contribution towards the signing of the two historic agreements.
He also acknowledged human rights lawyer and activist Nandita Haksar and ‘third party mediator’ Michael C Van Walt Van Praag of Kredda and thanked various international organisations and Naga civil society organisations for their services and cooperation in times of conflict and peace.
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Collective leadership—president Q Tuccu, vice president Tongmeth Wangnao, general secretary Th. Muivah, and Killo Kilonser Ashiho—were felicitated on the occasion.
Solidarity messages were delivered by representatives from the Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers’ Association, Global Naga Forum, United Naga Council, Tirap Changlang Longding People’s Forum, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights, and Naga Students’ Federation.
Patriotic songs by Pelao Konyak, Lemmichon Khapai, and Akumdong Jamir, and a folk dance by the Marok Dibuia Cultural Club, Dimapur, added to the day’s celebrations.