The NSCN (I-M) general secretary also appealed to the UNPO to look into the fragile situation of the “lndo-Naga political talks” and take a positive role from its end so that the current peace process is brought to a logical conclusion
TFM Desk
The government of India has started “misinterpreting” what have been mutually agreed upon and going back on its word, said general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim or the NSCN (I-M) Th Muivah.
Muivah said this while addressing the general assembly of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) held at Washington DC between March 26 and 27 thorough a virtual meeting.
The NSCN (I-M) general secretary also warned that in the event of “breaking down of the current negotiations we foresee serious human rights violations again in Nagalim”.
Muivah recalled that due to the futility of seeking a “military solution to the political problem”, the government of India invited the NSCN leadership for political talks. Thus, a cease-fire agreement between the government of India and NSCN was “signed and declared on August 1, 1997.
After 22 years long intensive negotiations with the government of Indian involving six Prime Ministers, the historic Framework Agreement was signed between the two entities on August 3, 2015 in the presence of the Prime Minister of India and his colleagues and host of NSCN leaders.
Acknowledging the historical fact, the government of India recognized the unique history and situation of the Nagas. “By unique history it means – Nagas have the history of independence. By unique situation it means – situation in Nagalim is an aggression on Nagalim, not law and order situation of India”, said Muivah.
Based on the universal principle of democracy, the two parties reiterated that “sovereignty lies with the people”. “It means – sovereignty of the Nagas lies with the Naga people and vice-versa.
According to Muivah, 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.
Muivah said that in the competencies, the government of India recognizes the territories of the Nagas – land and all the natural and mineral resources on the surface and beneath of it belong to the Nagas.
The NSCN (I-M) general secretary also stated that the the government of India also recognizes the legitimate right of the Nagas to territorial integration of all Naga areas under one political roof.
“Since the unique history of the Nagas and the sovereign right of the Nagas are recognized, it is understood that the Naga flag and constitution are ingredients of their sovereignty. In spite of all these facts, commitments and agreements, the government of India 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”, Muivah stated.
He appealed to the UNPO to look into the fragile situation of the “lndo-Naga political talks” and take a positive role from its end so that the current peace process is brought to a logical conclusion.
The general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim or the NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th Muivah also recalled that the case of the Nagas is “an invasion of Nagalim by India and Myanmar”.
He said that 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.
On the eve of departure ofthe British, the Nagas of the British occupied Naga territory declared their independence on August 14, 1947 and joined with their brothers in free Naga area. 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 the 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” said Muivah.