By Kaka D. Iralu | EMN
To begin with, an umbrella has no roots or legs to stand on its own feet. An umbrella has to be always held by somebody in order to function.
On July 26, 1960, the government of India gave such a political umbrella to some 19 Nagas of the Naga People’s Convention. This was done so that these people could hold India’s political umbrella over the people of Nagaland. The geographical area of the Nagaland state of India that came into existence as a result was a four legged state with one leg hanging in Assam, another in Manipur, another in Arunachal Pradesh and the last leg in Nagaland. As for integration of all these Naga territories under one political umbrella, the issue was kept in abeyance.
Fifty seven years later in 2017- if what Khekiyie had disclosed in the paper is based on factual documents of the Framework agreement- then it seems that Nagaland is all set to be given a second Indian political umbrella. This second umbrella this time, will be held by the Apex Naga Hoho (ANH) with statutory powers over all Naga inhabited territories in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. One hopes every reader knows what “Statutory powers” means. Statutory powers means written down laws that has been passed by the Legislature of a country which can even be imposed by the use of force.
Now if such a political umbrella with statutory powers is going to be given to the ANH by the Indian government, then the ANH will become India’s Regent ruler over all Naga citizens in the a fore mentioned four states of India.(For details of the sweeping statutory powers, see Khekiyie’s write up in Nagaland Post, dated October 30, 2017). Here, if we carefully analyze the powers of the Chairman of the ANH, we will discover a “Naga dictator” sitting on top of the ANH with the title of Yaruiwo. If the Framework Agreement with its delegated authority to the ANH is finally imposed on all Naga citizens, then Nagas will ultimately find themselves incarcerated in a prison made by some of its own fellow Nagas.
As opposed to all these possible consequences, the Naga national stand as stated in the memorandum to the Simon Commission of 1929 was a simple “Leave us alone”. This meant; we did not want an Indian or Burmese or even an Assamese or Manipuri or Arunachali umbrella hovering over us with India’s backing. What we ultimately wanted was the open blue skies of liberty and freedom hovering over our lands.
