‘Framework Agreement recognizes sovereign rights of Nagas’

Published on January 25, 2018

Speech of Rh. Raising, Convener of Steering Committee, NSCN in the Joint Council Meeting, January 25, 2018 at CHQ, Hebron

We Nagas have been looking for a kind of political agreement with the governments of India and Burma that can protect our land and sovereign right, our identity and history, our culture and the Church and above all, our future from their political, military and cultural imperialism.

History says that when the Nagas tried to solve the problem through political dialogue, the past Indian leadership created war situation in Nagalim; when the Nagas viewed the conflict from the perspective of Indo-¬‐Naga political issue, the Indian leadership deliberately construed it as a domestic problem of India; when the Nagas submitted numerous political Memorandums to the Government of India for peaceful resolution of the problem, the Indian leadership read them as appeals for redressing their grievances; when the Naga international support groups including UNO spoke out on violations of human rights in Nagalim, the Indian leadership misconstrued it as an interference in their internal affairs and turned a deaf ear to their voices; when the long-¬‐drawn Indo-¬‐Naga political issue had cost the Nagas and the Indians many thousands of lives, the Indian leadership and their Naga collaborators made money out of it; when the Naga people prayed without ceasing for a durable political solution in the land, the Indian leaders trusted more in the mantra of trickery and divide and rule policy.

In fact, the Indian leadership had done all these deliberately. It is a horrible mistake! The issue should be viewed from the right perspective. The Nagas are not asking for a piece of land from India or others, they have been living in their own land from time immemorial. The Nagas simply say they will decide their future by themselves. They are not asking for devolution of power from India or Burma. They are also a sovereign people by right. The problem began the day Indian and Burmese aggression started. Ours is a case of aggression.

When the resistance movement of the Nagas created an opportunity for dialogue the Indian leaders exploited this opportunity to their advantage and made the so-¬‐called 16-¬‐ point agreement with a few un-¬‐mandated individual Nagas. It was nothing but a political bait to hook the Naga issue. The Shillong Accord was also another attempt to murder the issue of the Nagas. Both the agreements are roadblocks not solution the Nagas have been looking for.

Even after decades of oppressions, persecutions, imprisonment, destruction of villages and crops perpetrated against the Nagas and killing hundreds of thousands Nagas or pouring blood-¬‐tainted money for tinsel development works, the Indian leaders could neither stop the Nagas nor convince them. Fighting and killing did not bring any dividend to them. So as dictated by the circumstances GoI changed its approach from military to political and embarked upon political dialogue with the Nagas.

After prolonged negotiations the historic Framework Agreement was officially signed between the Government of India and NSCN as two entities on 3rd August 2015, which recognizes the sovereign right of the Nagas, the unique history and identity of the Nagas and land of the Nagas. Taking the security of India and the political and historical rights of the Nagas into account the two parties officially agreed that India and Nagas will co-¬‐exist as two entities and share sovereign power between the two entities.

Now the question arises what is to be done if and when GoI does not keep the agreement and goes back upon its word? Our past leaders said most of the Indian leaders have names in insincerity and trickery. If the big and strong animal cannot be killed with one bullet the hunter uses double bullets or more. If it cannot be killed with a small gun he uses a bigger gun. Likewise, it demands of the Nagas to give bigger efforts, to work out bigger policies and strategies, to create bigger minds and hearts, to build up bigger faith, to say bigger prayers and to take bigger and stronger determination and decision for the problem.

In deed, the war-¬‐ridden Naga people have been longing for an early solution to the long drawn Indo–‐Naga conflict, and that is legitimate. But the focal point is whether it is an early solution or late solution it does not matter, what matters is -¬‐ it must bring the complete set of what belongs to the Nagas. Nagas thirst for genuine solution that can protect their future. Any kind of solution that betrays the future of the Nagas is no solution. We cannot place our future to be decided by others. We must decide our future by ourselves and that is where NSCN stands. We will cling to the ‘Framework Agreement’ and stand by that in all weathers. We will keep going with it even if there are oppositions. We will keep looking at the Creator of kingdoms with unwavering faith. Our survival strategy is in our firm stand and the power of prayer.

What do we mean by solution, not election? Election is anti-¬‐thesis of solution. Solution is about the future of the Nagas whereas election is about the Indian constitution; solution is about the unique history, culture and identity of the Nagas whereas election is about India; solution is about the land of the Nagas whereas election means it is about Indian territory; solution is about the principle of self-reliance whereas election is about dependence on others; solution means Naga people will be the epicenter of Naga politics whereas election means Delhi will be the high command of the Naga politics.

Let us therefore, decide whether we choose solution or election; whether we choose freedom or slavery. We are the prime factor. Our decision will take us to the top of the world or pull us down to the bottom. We have nothing to fear or dismay; our people are with us; all civil societies are with us; all the churches are with us, all the elected MLAs and MPs are with us; international communities are with us and above all, God, the Creator of nations and kingdoms is with us. Only that let us be firm and cling to the principle. The Lord in whom we trust has brought us thus far and He will lead us through to the end.

Kuknalim!