Dimapur, March 22 (MExN): President of the NNC/ GDRN (N-A) Kiumukam Yimkhiung, in his speech on the occasion of the 66th Republic Day, said that the “Government of India has a better understanding of Nagas today,” and expressed hope that it would live up to its name as the ‘world’s largest democracy.’
“The uniqueness of the Nagas is that, even before the advent of the western education, we Nagas have been existing as independent village republics since the dawn of human civilization,” Yimkhiung stated.
He said that harsh times arising out of conflict with India’s military made the leaders of the bygone days to come together at Phensenyu village in 1956, “wherein it was declared to form a Naga republic government to look after the governance and to safeguard the freedom and interest of all the Nagas as opposed to village republics.” This, he said, was the signing of the ‘social contract’, the bedrock on which the government and Naga nation stands today.
“Our forefathers and pioneers had a far sighted vision and dreams for free and self determined Naga nation declaring our independence a day before India...The unfortunate and bitter truth be told that the struggle for Naga self determination continues till today,” he added.
Yimkhiung went on to state that the Naga people’s quest for peace and permanent solution “took us to the negotiating table with government of India with likeminded different Naga political groups under the nomenclature of ‘Working Committee, NNPGs and the signing of the historic document ‘The Preamble’ also known as the ‘Agreed position’ on November 17, 2017, and successful conclusion of talks on October 31, 2019.”
Paying homage to those who made supreme sacrifices for the cause of the nation, he expressed gratitude to the Nagas stating: “It’s because of your prayers and supplication that God almighty showed the path for unification of different Naga political groups to carry forward the yoke of Nagas.”
“We Nagas are honourable and trustworthy, we believe that Government of India has a better understanding of Nagas today and we expect India to live up to her glory and image as the world’s largest democracy. I am optimistic that during this tenure of NDA rule under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Naga issue will see the light of day,” he added.
