Respected moderators, Church leaders, dignitaries, my dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen gathered here on this historic prayer summit.
I greet you all in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
We know that every nation is the child of its history. Political concept cannot begin from a dead history. It naturally, begins from a living history. The politics of the Nagas is founded on the solid rock of their living history. The Nagas have never ever sold out their history to any power at any point of time. Nagas are also a nation among nations.
The Indian leaders acknowledge the historical fact that Nagas are free from time immemorial. No power has ever subjugated them. The British imperialist intruded into Naga territory only in 1832, against whom the Nagas put up tough resistance for 48 years. Nonetheless, the British imperialist forces occupied a part of Nagalim leaving the rest part called ‘free Nagas’ as free as ever. With the departure of the British, the Nagas in the British occupied area declared their independence on 14th August 1947 and merged themselves with the ‘free Nagas, before India and Burma became independent.
In fact, the Indian Constituent Assembly invited the Nagas to join the Union of India in 1950, but it was rejected out rightly. Gen. Aung San, the then President of Burma also invited the Nagas to join the Union of Burma (Myanmar), but the Nagas were not a party to the Union of Burma either. Our honourable Ato Kilonser Mr. Th. Muivah emphasized and still emphasises this point in the talks stating, “The Nagas have neither been a part of the Union of India nor that of Burma either by conquest of the two military might or by consent of the Nagas.” Convinced of this reality, the government of India recognised the ‘unique history and situation of the Nagas in 2002.’
Ours is a case of aggression on Nagalim by India and Myanmar. Therefore, it is a national resistance movement of the Nagas against the aggressor states, not a case of secession from them.
The Nagas confronted the aggressors with four-pronged strategies: - military, political, diplomatic and prayer.
Military front:
We Nagas had intended to solve the problem through political dialogue. Therefore, our leaders approached Indian authorities for political solution, but they turned a deaf ear to the voices of the Nagas and chose military option. As compelled by circumstances, the Nagas had but to resist against the aggressors in self-defence. We fought back the aggressors with faith and determination in the highways and the jungles; we fought against them in the villages and the towns; we fought them in the east and the west, in the north and the south and everywhere. But fighting alone could not drive the point home. The problem, being political, has to be dealt with politically.
Political front:
Human problems are, by culture, solved through dialogue, not by might. India, having realized this, approached us for a peaceful settlement through political dialogue. So we changed our strategy from military to political and from confrontation to negotiation. Our people spearheaded by civil societies launched series of processions and rallies; they submitted Memorandums to the government of India (GoI) for a number of times for early political solution; they also organized bans and economic blockades in protest against violations of human rights even during peace process. Elected MLAs of Nagaland state in their Legislative Assembly unanimously passed resolutions consecutively for six times (12 December 1964, 28 August 1970, 16 September 1994, 18 December 2003, 27 July 2015, 18 September 2018) on integration issue and in support of honorable solution to the Indo-Naga political problem. Naga MLAs and MPs from other states also issued statements in support of the peace process. The prayer supports of the Churches are also commendable.
In response to the initiative of the GoI, NSCN, finally embarked upon negotiation with the GoI where six successive Prime Ministers of India are deeply involved. It was during Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao’s time in 1995 that GoI (government of India) and NSCN mutually agreed to hold talks under three terms – talk without condition, talk at the Prime Ministerial level and in third countries. He was followed by Mr. H. D. Deve Gowda who stated, “We must seek peaceful political solution.” In 1997, the Cease-fire Agreement was announced in the Indian Parliament by Mr. I. K Gujral. It was during the tenure of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee who took the bold step in recognizing ‘the unique history and situation of the Nagas’ in 2002. The Congress led coalition government of Dr. Man Mohan Singh tabled ‘None Paper’ in the talks. He stated ‘solution outside the box’ and ‘I will go extra mile’ to bringing an honourable solution. On 3rd of August 2015, Mr. Narendra Modi, the present honourable Prime Minister of India took the significant political step in signing the historic ‘Framework Agreement.’ The strong commitments of the six Prime Ministers of India to the current peace process are praiseworthy and appreciable, from where they can never go back upon their words. Statements in support of honourable solution were also given by former Prime Ministers of India, Mr. Chandra Shekhar and Mr. V. P. Singh. Mahatma Gandhi stated, “Nagas have every right to be independent.” Mr. Raja Gopalachari, the last Governor General of India also recognized the sovereign right of the Nagas. Mr. Jaya Prakash Narayan, an Indian MP stated that it is far better for India to have friendly Nagas in the frontier than hostile Nagas forcibly brought within Union of India. Mrs. Indira Gandhi proposed for a kind of solution on the basis of ‘Suisa’s Proposal.’ The magnitude of political damage would be far reaching if GoI goes back upon its words. But on our part, we believe in a negotiated settlement and that we will abide by the Framework Agreement in letter and in spirit.
We cannot fight the aggressors single-handedly. We must have support groups and allies from home and abroad. As situation demanded NSCN leaders went abroad in groups for political mobilizations on Naga issue in many countries covering five Continents. We got positive responses from those leaders we had met. We met leaders of the American Indian Movement of Colorado and shared friendship peace pipe with them. We attended UN meetings a number of times and spoke on human right situation in Nagalim. In response to our appeal the then UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali stated, “There is human right situation in Nagaland (Nagalim).” In 1993, we got admitted into the Unrepresented Peoples and Nations Organization (UNPO). In 1995, the fourth General Assembly of UNPO took the historic decision in recognizing the sovereignty of the Nagas. 24 Senators and Congressmen from the United State of America wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of India in support of the Indo-Naga peace process for an honourable solution. The Carter Centre of former President of the United States of America Mr. Jimmy Carter wrote a strong letter (dated June 18, 2005), to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Man Mohan Singh suggesting for an “honourable and lasting solution that will assure the rights of the Naga people and the security of India.” Support of the ‘Society for threatened people’ from Germany; Parliamentarians for National Self-Determination (PNSD) from United Kingdom which acknowledged the rights of the Naga people to self determination as enshrined in international law; Staunch and unflinching support of KREDDA and Naga International Support Centre (NISC) from Netherland, KWIA - the Flemish Support Group for Indigenous Peoples from Belgium are highly commendable. Forum for Asia from Bangkok, Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP) Chiang Mai-based, Thailand, Other Media, Delhi-based and IDASA from South Africa and prayer supports of the Churches are laudable. NSCN is also a signatory to the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment, which is a part of UN Institution that bans use of uncontrolled Anti-Personnel Mine and also prohibits sexual violence and against gender discrimination. In spite of all these hard realities, GoI still fails to respect the voice of the international community and organizations. GoI is adamantly in the wrong stand. But on our part, NSCN is still resolutely determined to keep going. We will never fail our people.
By culture, the name of the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth has been associating with the Nagas in all of their walks of life. Sowing seeds without sacrificial prayer is a social taboo for the Nagas. No warrior goes to war without saying a word of ritual prayer. Prayer precedes every activity of life in the world of the Nagas. All Biblical heroes and heroines were praying men and women. They defeated their enemies through prayer power. The Naga Army under the banner of NSCN outmanoeuvred and outfought the enemies in many battles through the power of prayers. NSCN leaders won over the hearts of world leaders through the power of prayers. For us, Prayer is not just a word; it is an awesome power. However, prayers of the workers alone are not enough. It needs the prayer support of the churches. You should continue praying for the cause. Churches are also part of the movement.
We are in need of agreements with the Governments of India and Myanmar. We have been looking for an agreement that can guarantee the future of the Nagas. Rest assured that the ‘Framework Agreement’ officially signed between the government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim on the 3rd August 2015, will certainly protect our sovereign rights, our territories, our people, our identity, our culture and our future from all terrible waves of political, military, economic and cultural imperialisms of aggressor states.
Any agreement is no solution if it is not issue-based. It is the concept of the agreement that matters. We know the concept of the past agreements or accords were Indian constitution-based. But the concept of the ‘Framework Agreement’ is based on the principle of co-existence of the two entities and shared-sovereignty. The Nagas and the Indians will co-exist maintaining their respective identities. The Framework Agreement will certainly change the mind-set of the two peoples from enmity to friendship; from opposition to cooperation; from suppression of rights to recognition of rights. It says the Nagas will manage their affairs by themselves, but there will be areas where the two peoples will walk together and stand together as partners. We cannot exist in total isolation from our neighbours because interdependent relationship with others is the law.
A small problem needs a small prayer, and a mountain of problem calls for a mountain of prayer. To a national problem like ours, it requires of us a national prayer. I hope and trust that today’s prayer summit will be a tremendous spiritual power that will overcome opposing forces who stand in the way to solution of the long-drawn Indo-Naga political conflict. Who can withstand the will of the Lord? We still need the prayer supports of the church leaders. Prayers of the anointed pastors/priests touch the heart of the matter. We cannot stay away from the Church. People and the Church are inseparable. We have done the best we could, but that is not enough. We feel something is missing.
Like David, we need revolutionary fighters who look at Jehovah, not Goliath. We need revolutionary church leaders who look at Jesus, not the storm. The Naga people under the leadership of the revolutionary NSCN have brought the movement from the stage of the guerrilla warfare to the mass warfare; from the stage of armed confrontation to the peace process where every one of us is involved. Our problem is political and therefore, we must be political. But to be political alone is not enough, we need a political people who trust in the Lord; we need political workers who trust in the Lord; we need political leaders who trust in the Lord; we need political army who trust in the Lord; we need political youth who trust in the Lord. If we do not take the Name of the Lord with us, mind this, others will certainly overtake us and subdue us, one day or the other.
NSCN alone should not be viewed as actors. Every one of us should be an actor, not a fan. The Church is no exception. We need Churches to go along with the people and their issues. Church leaders should also be the shepherds of the people. We know anointed pastors are Nazirites of the Lord. They should also be the Nazirites of the people’s cause. The Naga people are fighting under the banner of Nagalim for Christ. The Name of the Lord is in the movement as it was in Jerusalem. By Nagalim for Christ it means – the Naga people trust in Jesus Christ and they have chosen Him to be their Lord. Let us unite in Him for ‘we are created by Him and for Him.’
