Gen (Rtd) Thinoselie M Keyho
President, NNC
My dear Naga brothers and sisters,
I am grateful to our heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity to speak to our Naga people once again on this auspicious 71st Republic Day of the Federal Government of Nagaland. Today, in the name of our Nation, I convey my best wishes and regards to all my Naga brothers and sisters wherever you may be.
We all know that the Naga National Council declared Naga Independence on 14th August 1947, one day ahead of India’s Independence. NNC continues to uphold the democratic right of the Naga people by adopting the policy of non-violence and non-co-operation from the very beginning till today. It was in the early fifties that the Government of India trampled upon the democratic rights of the Naga people and started naked aggression against the defenceless and innocent Naga people in the villages and committing atrocities which continued unabated. They themselves had admitted that “Troops moved into Tuensang by Oct. 1955 and the war with Nagas started from then.”
This horrible situation compelled NNC to form its own Government called ‘The Federal Government of Nagaland’ on 22nd March, 1956 for self defence. This day is also considered as” The Integration Day of the Nagas” because on this day, the Nagas, wherever they were, all came together as a family under the banner of Naga National Council and the Federal Government of Nagaland. The war against the defenceless Nagas by the mighty Indian Army continued for 10 years resulting in the death of tens of thousands of innocent Nagas, villages including granaries were all burnt to ashes etc. At this time, at the initiative of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, a Peace Mission was set up consisting of Rev. Michael Scott, B.P. Chaliha and Jaya Prakash Narayan, which brokered a cease fire called Indo-Naga Ceasefire Agreement which was signed at Sakraba on 24th May, 1964 and accordingly, Naga Peace Declaration was made on 6th September, 1960. With it, Peace Talk started at Prime Ministers’ level between the Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India. Had political maturity been shown by the Indian leadership at that time, the Naga Political Problem might have been solved without much difficulty because by that time ‘the confusion game’ of creating so-called factions after factions by external forces was yet to start.
The Indian Government abrogated the cease fire of 1964 unilaterally and imposed Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in 1972 which banned NNC, FGN and Naga Army. With which they started the war against the Nagas with ‘scorched earth policy’.
They did everything within their power to exterminate the Nagas but failed. In the mean time, the Shillong Accord was signed on 11th November, 1975, between the Representatives of the Underground Organisations and the Governor of Nagaland on behalf of the Government of India. In the Accord, ‘representatives of the Underground Organisation’ was used because NNC/FGN/Naga Army were all banned organisations to India that time. After signing of the Shillong Accord, the Indian Government had served an ultimatum to the Federal Govt. of Nagaland to reply within two week’s time whether they accept the Shillong Accord or not because Federal Government of Nagaland’s name was not there in the Accord. For this, an emergency meeting of the Tatar Hoho was convened at Dihoma.The meeting discussed the matter and replied the Government of India’s ultimatum that (1) Clause one - to accept the Indian Constitution was not within the power of Tatar Hoho and, therefore, the matter was said to have been referred to the NNC President to give the decision, (2) Clause -2 the Tatar Hoho agreed to implement Clause 2 of the Accord to deposit arms and ammunitions and (3) the Tatar Hoho raised an issue that they were still underground and expressed their difficulty for Clause 3 of the Accord and said that some facilities should be created to enable them to come together and formulate other issues for final settlement. The Shillong Accord was signed on 11th November 1975 but because of these issues, a Supplementary Agreement was again signed on 6th January, 1976. (after 70 days) It is presumed that the Peace Camps at few different places were created especially for implementation of Clause 3 of the Shillong Accord.
50 years had elapsed since the signing of the Shillong Accord while the Peace Camp at Kohima is still under occupation by some people, which means they are still owning the Shillong Accord. As mentioned earlier, the Peace camp is created to enable the UG leaders to come together and formulate other issues for final settlement. How many more years do we have to wait? I leave the matter to the wisdom of the Naga people to judge by themselves.
I have already mentioned in my earlier speeches also that ‘dragging Phizo’s name into this controversial issue is a political blunder’ because Phizo was never consulted or informed about the Shillong Accord.
Shillong Accord was signed under duress just to save the intolerable situation at that particular period of time. Why Phizo’s name was dragged into this controversy when the signatories had conveyed to accept the Constitution of India at their own volition. I want to make it very clear that Phizo was never informed or consulted about the Shillong Accord. Let us put the record straight that Phizo had no connection whatsoever with the Shillong Accord. Another point is that Zashei Huire, President of the Federal Government of Nagaland (Kedahge) had also disowned the Shillong Accord in a written statement, but the same people denied it again after his death saying that his signature was forged.
They also levelled serious charges against me saying that I had taken rehabilitation money. I was arrested from Dhaka by the Indian army at the time of taking over of former East Pakistan by the Indian army and I was jailed in Indian prison for a long time. I was released along with other political prisoners after the Shillong Accord. Let it be known to every one that rehabilitation money is for surrendered people and not for prisoners. I was a prisoner for the Naga cause and was released.
The same group accused me of starting factions in Nagaland when me and NNC stalwarts refused to join them in the Peace Camp. Because NNC can never accept the constitution of India and, therefore, we have decided to uphold the sanctity of NNC and to stand by 1951 Voluntary Plebiscite in which 99.9% voted for Naga Sovereignty. What the Naga leaders meant by sovereignty here has got nothing to do with the Indian constitution, The signatories of the Shillong Accord had already conveyed their decision at their own volition to accept the Constitution of India. If that was done in their own volition why they dragged in Phizo’s name (NNC President) into this controversy and how they called NNC as faction. I want to make it clear to the Naga people that Phizo was never consulted and, therefore, Phizo’s name has got nothing to do with an issue involving the constitution of India. Phizo is the Father of the Naga Nation because he is the main architect of building the Naga Nation.
Friends, it is time for all of us to speak the truth and to stand for the truth. Pointing fingers at one another like charges which I have stated in the foregoing paragraphs is not going to help anyone. Naga problem cannot be solved by arguing with one another among brothers. It is time for us to join hands and face the challenges lying ahead of us. Because those challenges are all calculated ones planned by special brains.
For me, this is the 70th year of my service in this journey however humble my services may be. I spent most of my time as a soldier, I was a political prisoner for a long time and now, by the grace of God, I am in this position to serve you.
We all know that human beings are weak and we commit mistake in one way or the other. The human nature is that nobody is perfect. Therefore, for those who serve the Nation in its true spirit, forgiveness will be a guiding spirit of a willing mind. It is time for us to realise that Naga people suffer too long for the past mistakes. It is time for all of us to work for a change for the security of the future generations to come.
In conclusion, I want to declare that NNC will welcome each and every one with open arms. We have no rancour towards anybody. Come and join us to uphold the democratic rights of the Naga people, to uphold the vow of 1951 Plebiscite and to free ourselves from external aggression. Long live Nagaland.
KUKNALIM.
