Published on Aug 14, 2021
By EMN
Share
Speech of Ato Kilonser, GPRN, Col. (Retd.) Isak Sumi (MC)
On this historic occasion, the 75th Anniversary of Naga Independence , we give all glory to God Almighty for having sustained the Nagas all through our sojourn.
We also honour and salute the Naga pioneers and stalwarts for their indomitable faith, courage and visionary leadership for which the present generation Nagas could proudly proclaim our inherent rights as people and nation.
Today, we have reached a very crucial stage and on the verge of reaching an honourable political solution thus fulfilling the aspirations of the Naga people as a whole. Over the years of political negotiations, we have spared no effort in pursuing a practical approach towards resolving the Indo-Naga issue. Towards this, we rededicate ourselves to
At this juncture, we urge our countrymen across the world for your continuous prayer support that permanent peace and tranquility prevail in our land. Let all the past mistakes be forgiven and hatchet buried. And as a people and nation let us redeem ourselves from the tentacles of regretful fraticides of the past that tore the Nagas apart, let us look up to God with a grateful heart for having enabled us to overcome all the tragedies and allowing the Nagas to come to reason and resonate together once again. Let us remain fully committed to God, for God alone is the truth and the answer to all our issues, let there be healing of tattered body and soul in our land, allow our people to once again rejoice and rejuvenate in all spheres of lives.
As we celebrate our 75th Naga Independence Day, we also salute all the freedom fighters, both the living and the fallen, and congratulate all the Naga National Workers for standing true and committed to the National call while also acknowledging the contributions of the Naga tribal bodies, civil societies, churches Naga women and the Naga public in general.
We must also appreciate Indian leaderships and the interlocutor Shri. R.N Ravi for their bold and holistic approach to resolve the decades of Indo-Naga conflict through peaceful political means and for acknowledging the inherent rights of the Nagas “to self-determine our future” which in itself is the cardinal achievement of our negotiation.
Until then, let us all look forward to a bright shared future where every Naga shall once again be proud to call himself a Naga in the true tradition of our ancestors with our heads held high amongst the community of people and nations across the world.
Once again, we wish you a happy 75th Naga Independence Day.
Thank you and Kuknalim!
Speech of Kiumukam,Yimchunger, President,NNC/GDRN(Non-Accord)
My Dear Countrymen.
On the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Naga independence day I greet you all rank and file of the NNC/GDRN(N-A)
On this historic day,the 14th August 1947our pioneering leaders proclaimed the historical and political rights and took a giant step to declared our freedom and independence to the world. Today we are grateful to our Almighty God for the guidance, protection and sustenance throughout our struggle. Our forefathers lived with pride and in full freedom knowing that they are the master and owner of the land, nothing above them except Jehovah our creator, The Almighty God.
Our forefathers’ only desire was to be free from any foreign dominion. We were free as any sovereign nation, self-governed, free outside interference, but unfortunately after the British left, our woes began. We were left as a fragmented nation divided between two sovereign countries, India and Myanmar (Erstwhile Burma)
The concept of Naga Nationalism and political activities started with the formation of the Naga Club in 1918 by the returnees (labour corps) of the World War 1. This subsequently led to the submission of memorandum to the British statutory commission in 1929. The silence of the British and its subsequent act greatly determined the future of the Nagas which ultimately led to the formation of the Naga National Council in 1946.The NNC declared Naga Independence on August 14, 1947 a day before India’s Independence and was made known to the united Nations, and was further cemented by the plebiscite of May 16, 1951 were in 99.9% voted for free Naga Nation. In due course of time we have seen numerous agreements signed, many rounds of meetings/talks held at different levels which proved futile. Realising its failure, India resorted to the policy of “Might is Right” by employing brute military force to subjugate the Nagas. The infamous AFSPA,DAA in Naga Inhabited areas, unlawful raids, detention, killing of civilians, rapes, burning of granaries, etc. The first ceasefire agreement signed on September 6,1964 paved the way for peaceful and conducive atmosphere for talks.
The conglomeration of 7 NNPGs Working Committee came into being as a result of quest for peace and lasting solution to the decades old Naga Issue and to carry forward the legacy of our pioneers and as a representative and voice of the Naga people. November 17,2017 will go down in the Naga History as the red letter day: On this day the “Agreed Position/Preamble” was signed between the NNPGs Working Committee and GOI. It entrenched the political and historical rights of the Nagas to self-determine our future in consonance with our distinct identity and the Nagas and India agreed to work out the details of our future relationships based on inclusive, enduring peaceful co-existence with due regards to contemporary political reality.
Last but not the least, I acknowledge and thank the sacrifice by the various civil societies, Naga populace and salute the martyrs and revolutionary patriots who laid down their lives in the course of building the Naga nationhood and appreciate all the present national workers for standing firm and committed to our national cause.
Once again I thank the Naga Populace across the globe for the unconditional support and love bestowed upon us thus far. I beseech all our people for your continued prayers so that a permanent and lasting peace may dawn in our Naga homeland. God bless Nagaland.
KUKNALIM
(George,Konyak)
MIP
Speech of General (Retd) Thinoselie M Keyho, President of Naga National Council
Today, 14.08.2021 is the 75th occasion of declaring Naga Independence. And on this most auspicious day I, General (Retd) Thinoselie M Keyho, President of Naga National Council would like to address the Nation with a few choice words.
First of all, I ascribe my deepest gratitude and sublime glory and honour to Almighty God. I then greet my dear fellow Nagas with the happiest of good tidings.
Dear fellow Nagas, let this hardest of facts be ever most steadfastly registered in us all that the eternal Naga Independence had been most officially and legally declared 74 years ago on 14.08.1947. However, we are yet to enjoy our most cherished Freedom till date. How and why has this scenario come about?
The Government of India has absolutely no legal or any other rights whatsoever, to claim Nagas/Nagaland: no locus stand in legal terminology. But most oblivious to the changes the civilised World has undergone for the better; Government of India is still clinging to the ancient school of “Might is Right” thought, instead of just the other way round; and is continuing to bask in and bragging about her detested armed might in the most blatant haughty disdainful stance. The present day Indian Union is but that of a forced union in the truest sense of the term. And she is desperately attempting to compel the Nagas into this morass. She thereby chooses to pursue the military option in this regard instead of the humane peaceful solution; most befitting her nefarious nature.
I would hereby most explicitly indicate the two ways in which Government of India has been dealing with the Nagas right from the beginning of this epic confrontation. They are 1. The Disturbed Area Act (DAA) and 2. Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA); the two BLACK LAWs with which the Nagas are being kept most brutally suppressed. Firstly, she would employ the former one to indulge in all the barbaric evil deeds of mammoth sinful proportions and numbers. Then with the latter evil she would cover up and whitewash all the horrible misdeeds and crimes. It is most sincerely believed and ardently expected that the concerned and discerned noble minds would come to understand at least a fraction of what the Government of India has been suppressing the Nagas with these primitive draconian laws even in this 21st Century World.
The extended and unduly prolonged period of stalemate in the Indo-Naga Political Conflict is all due to the pathetic lack of noble Indian leadership, absolute poverty of humane fellow-feeling, utter depravity of moralvalues, but worst of all- her damnable haughty domineering frame of evil mind;and most unfortunately, at this rate and pace there virtually is no immediate favourable end to the conflict in sight. But for just how much longer could she continue to muzzle the Naga Rights and lord over her in these restrictive ways? As the wise saying goes “Everything has a beginning and an ending”; the ending time has most wondrously arrived at hand. But let me be quick to assert that this windfall has nothing to do with the nobility of theNagas nor of her capability. The Nagas have absolutely nothing to boast of or brag about in this regard as in all others, for that matter. The Omnipotent God of the Universe has profound eternal plans to show humanity at large and India in particular, about His greatness in and through the agency even of the unworthy Nation of Nagaland. Therefore, God has always been abiding with and siding the Nagas in all her endeavours all along. And now He has begun to unfold His grand plans and designs all the more overtly. Our one great hope and belief is, “If God be for us, who can ever prevail against us in any manner?”!
SET THE NAGAS FREE
The living God JEHOVAH, through various words of prophecy has been commanding India to set the Nagas free right from the time of Mrs Indira Gandhi even up to that of Mr Narendra Modi’s, most audaciously persistent; ranging from mild reprimands and courteous requests to even outright stern warnings galore. It is hereby being earnestly requested that Government of India may most kindly set the Nagas free at the earliest. Why should India continue to bear and face the ire of Divine retributions any further on this account?
For the elite set of concerned individuals who would desire to peruse a few samples of the multitude of the Divine words of prophecy directed at New Delhi; Mr Zapuvisie Lhousa’s book “American Influence in Christianity” pages 110 – 126 may kindly be referred to.
Thank you all.
KUKNALIM
Speech of W. Shapwon, Joint Secretary,Naga Nationl Council
Today, the Nagas joyously celebrate 75thNagaland Independence Day as the Naga National Council (NNC) safeguarded the sovereignty of Nagaland by declaring Independence in 1947 at the right time when the world was changing after post World War the second. To date, at no point in time did the NNC betray the Naga nation, despite the ups and downs of the political situation faced during the past 75 years. Only with this unwavering stand of the NNC, today the young and old Nagas alike have a chance to celebrate the 75thIndependence Day. However, do the young generation of Nagas today, think seriously about why the Nagas are failing to achieve our national goal in these 75 years? What is the problem that we are facing today?
Indeed, our forefathers had built a nation for us and built solidarity of the nation before India and Burma became independent nations and up to 1960 we have no problem among the Nagas even if Infia invaded Nagaland in October 1955. But the problem we are facing today is that some of the educated Nagas have attempted to destroy the nation which was built by our forefathers by accepting a puppet state of India in June 1960, and even now, the so-called NSCN-IM is demanding shared sovereign, constitution, flag from India once again, and the other groups stand for a solution of the economic package alone. All these acts are destroying the solidarity of Nagaland andindependent nation built by our forefathers. If the treacherous acts did not occur, we might have achieved our cherished goal long before.
Today, it is a bounden duty of educated young Naga generation to shoulder a gigantic task of the nation in this civilized and developing world. So, they should analyze and scrutinize the mistakes of the past and present leaders, and weaknesses of the elderly (NNC/FGN) leaders even if they are unwaveringly defending the sovereignty of the Naga nation because without knowing our weaknesses we cannot move forward. Do not blame and criticize the others without taking the right steps by upholding the national principle enunciated in the Plebiscite of May 1951, because it was a solemn pledge and final solution of the Naga people for their futhure. Furthermore, we have to work based on our national history and we are a nation but not secession or demanding any political status from India. History is our strength, without it, we will be unable to attain our goal.This is already proven by Muivah and Isak in the running historybecause they have no history and finnaly ended up for political negotiation with the Government of India on demanding a political status.Our national history is the records of the NNC and without the NNC, we have no history.
Dated, August 14, 2021.
W. Shapwon,
Joint Secretary,Naga Nationl Council.
shapwon91@gmail.com