On the Question of a Naga Flag and a Naga Yehzabo

It is unthinkable for a sovereign nation to be not having a Constitution or a national flag of its own. This is simply unthinkable, because a national flag and a national constitution are the symbols of a nation showing that its citizens are sovereign and are not subjects of another country. In conformity to this absolute political and legal pre-requisite, Nagas too raised their national Flag on 14th August 1947 and approved their Constitution (Yehzabo) on January 14, 1956. This Naga people’s mandated Yehzabo of Nagaland contains 13 chapters or parts. These chapters defines Nagaland’s territory, rights of its citizens, the role of the Tatar Hoho, the President, the Legislature, the Judiciary and its international relationships with other countries etc.

On the basis of these facts, the Naga National Council (NNC) and the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) have been running the affairs of the Naga nation for all the past seven decades. In compliance to the established rules of this Yehzabo, the 16 Point Agreement of 1960 that brought an Indian state into Nagaland was rejected by the NNC and FGN. In the subsequent years, the Revolutionary Government of Nagaland which was set up on Nov.2, 1968 was also rejected. Then again, when the Shillong Accord of 1975 was brought back for ratification by the Federal Government of Nagaland, the accord was rejected on the grounds of the Naga Yehzabo under Part XIII, Art 143 and 144 (1). In these articles, the Yehzabo of Nagaland stipulates that only the Central Executive Council (CEC) of NNC could decide on the fate of the nation. Hence, the FGN authorities directed the Government of India to talk to the Central Executive Council of the NNC. (The GOI never talked to the CEC of the NNC and the Shillong Accord died an ignominious death). Lastly, the NSCN and all its offshoots were also condemned on the grounds they were formed without the mandate of the whole Naga nation like the Naga Yehzabo. On the other hand, as stated earlier, the NNC and the FGN have been running the affairs of the nation under the provisions of the Yehzabo from 1946 to the present. All the records of these affairs are in the hands of the NNC and FGN.

But despite all these facts, it is simply unbelievable and incongruous that some of our present Naga political leaders are asking for a Flag and a Constitution from India while some others are talking about drafting a Naga Yehzabo by “Naga Minds” this late in Naga history! (For details, read the headlines of Nagaland Post and Morung Express dated Oct.11, 2019). Such a demand or proposition by some Naga leaders make Nagas appear to be “fools” before the world. But one hopes that all sane Nagas are not for such an absurd demand or proposition.

Kaka D Iralu