ITANAGAR, 4 Apr: NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah has drawn the attention of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) towards the “fragile” Indo-Naga political talks and appealed to it to play a positive role to bring the vexed issue to a logical conclusion.
Addressing the general assembly of the UNPO in Washington (USA) last month, Muivah said that, after 22 years of intensive negotiations with the government of India (GoI), involving six prime ministers, the historic framework agreement was signed between the GoI and the NSCN on 3 August, 2015.
He alleged that, “in spite of commitments and agreements, the GoI has started misinterpreting what have been mutually agreed upon and going back on its word.”
“In the event of breaking down of the current negotiations, we foresee serious human rights violations again in Nagalim,” he said.
Presenting a historical account of the Naga resistance movement that culminated in the framework agreement, Muivah said: “The case of the Nagas is an invasion of Nagalim by India and Myanmar.”
“The Nagas have been living in their own free country till the British imperialist forces occupied a part of it in 1832, while the rest called free Naga area remains as free as ever.”
He said: “On the eve of departure of the British, the Nagas of the British occupied Naga territory declared their independence on 14 August, 1947 and joined with their brothers in free Naga area.”
Muivah said that, in 1950, the Indian Constituent Assembly invited the Nagas to join the union of India but it was rejected by the Naga people.
“The Nagas have neither been a part of the union of India nor that of Burma, either by consent or by conquest. Suppressing the right of the Nagas, the Indian state invaded Nagalim in 1954, which subsequently gave birth to heavy confrontations between the Indian armed forces and the Naga people, where the invading forces committed horrible crimes of human rights violations,” he said.
The NSCN leader said that the GoI invited the NSCN leaderships for political talks, realising that seeking a military solution to the political problem is a futile exercise. Thus, a ceasefire agreement between the GoI and the NSCN was signed and declared on 1 August, 1997, Muivah said.
He also said that the GoI, acknowledging the historical facts, recognised the unique history and situation of the Nagas.
“Basing on the universal principle of democracy, the two parties reiterate that ‘sovereignty lies with the people’. It means (that the) sovereignty of the Nagas lies with the Naga people and vice versa. Nevertheless, it is further stated that Nagas and Indians will coexist as two entities, sharing sovereign power which will be defined in the competencies. By coexistence of the two entities, it means Nagas will not merge with the union of India, but they will coexist with India, maintaining their national entity,” he said.
“In the competencies GoI recognises the territories of the Nagas, stating that land and all the natural and mineral resources on the surface and beneath of it belong to the Nagas.
“The GoI also recognises the legitimate right of the Nagas to territorial integration of all Naga areas under one political roof,” he said.
“Since the unique history of the Nagas and the sovereign right of the Nagas are recognised, it is understood that the Naga flag and constitution are ingredients of their sovereignty,” he added.
