Naga National Council (Feb 2, 1946 – Feb 2, 2024)

Gen Thinoselie M Keyho
President, NNC

Today, Feb 2, 2024 marks the 79th year of the setting up of the Naga National Council. And on this auspicious day I, Gen Thinoselie M Keyho, President, NNC, on my own behalf and on NNC’s behalf extend the warmest of greetings to the Naga people and also to all the lovers of the Naga Nation. It had been quite a long while since the establishment of the NNC. So the apparent lack of its knowledge is only most natural. I would therefore endeavour to shed some light in its direction.

Why was the NNC set up in the first place? Well, once upon a time, the British Imperial Government happened to control many Nations including the Indian Sub-Continent. However, she decided to grant Independence to her colony – the Indian Sub-Continent after WWII. On hearing this, the Nagas became most perturbed. An urgent assembly resulted at Wokha accordingly. At that point of time, the British Government was controlling things through the platform of Naga Tribal Council (NTC). The Nagas gathered at Wokha metamorphosed NTC to Naga National Council (NNC). And since Feb 02, 1946, the NNC thus established, had been most effectively linked and bonded most firmly to the unbroken chain of the solemn aspirations expressed by the NAGA CLUB; and continued to voice the eternal Naga Rights.

The Naga National Council is indeed the first and only undisputed Political Institution to be ever established. It used to be simply “NAGA HILLS” and the nomenclature of NAGALAND had been brought about only after the establishment of the NNC. The operative essence herein is that the Naga people living in “political” India, China and Myanmar (Burma) are collectively called Nagas and the land they live in is called Nagaland. In this magnificent way, the NNC envisaged to bring all the Nagas under one entity. In the annals of the NNC, the word “integration” finds no mention. However, on the day the Federal Government of Nagaland was set up, the Naga people of all areas were made into ONE (federated/ integrated). The core conviction of the NNC is that the Naga Nation is unique and would continue to thrive in this Independent and Sovereign State for all times to come. This certainty had most assuredly been inspired and bestowed on the Nagas by Almighty God Himself.

The only accurate reason the Nagas are able to survive thus far is that God had been shielding, protecting and guiding the Nagas all along. This by no means is possible by human efforts. One may ponder as to why the Naga Case is taking so long. Well, it is all because of the Government of India’s divisive policy of Divide and Rule besides her other wrong approaches. Of course, over and above all   else; the Naga Case does not rest in human domain. How then should the Nagas proceed from here? The Nagas had waded through multitudes of perilous obstacles. But the right path the Nagas need to travel is free from hindrance and most clearly laid out. 

Will the Nagas prevail and be triumphant? YES, Nagas will most certainly overcome; but not through human might or efforts. The victory can only be brought about by God alone. So the Nagas need to make very firm commitment, humble themselves and ardently wait on the LORD’s goodness. The Naga Nation is indeed most unique and special. When the Simon Commission came about; the so called “civilized” people failed most miserably to state their cases. Whereas the Nagas, branded as “naked, head hunters, backward” etc were enabled to put forward our irrefutable rights at the right time.

Also, no other people or Nation was heard to have declared its independence, except the Nagas; before India was granted her Independence. Then, upon attaining Indian Independence, all the   people rushed in to join the Indian Union. But the Nagas have not joined and would never do so. Therefore, I most earnestly urge you to discern the historical truth, know yourself and seek God most diligently. The very conviction that the Nagas would remain a Sovereign Nation came from God. And on Him alone rests the onus of the final verdict.

I only have this much for today. May God bless every one of you. Thank you.

KUKNALIM.