1. The Nagas have demanded her Independence and not this present State of Nagaland. However, when the Nagas proclaimed its rights before the World, the Government of India (GOI) without following any law of the land started to suppress the rights of Nagas by using its paramilitary forces thereby tortured the innocent Nagas, raped the women folk, murdered thousands of innocent lives and burnt down their villages into ashes etc. In such a manner, Nagas have proved to the World by sacrificing its own blood to protect its rights and preserved its own land, etc. Nevertheless, the said political issue between the GOI and Nagas is yet to be finalized and for the said reason the State Government gives recognition to the sacrificed for protecting and preserve the uniqueness of Nagas and its morale rights.
2. The initial stage after formation of Nagaland Statehood since 1963 have also witnessed unstable form of Government for about 15 years (1963-1980) as the Naga National Workers under the banner of NNC/FGN have declined to accept it and thus resulted to killing of many Government servants.
3. Nagaland Government also started to appoints recognized GBs in different Naga tribal villages, which areas were inhabited by in its own ancestors during 1963 to 1980 without any restriction. The Government used to collect the villagers House Tax yearly through the appointed GBs. And based on the House Tax collected and been deposited to the Government yearly by the appointed recognized GBs in different tribal villages in Nagaland, the local authorities listed those villages by the EAC’s, SDO (C), ADC’s and DC’s and submitted it to the Government. And accordingly, from the year 1981 a grant in aid was introduced to those villages under the nomenclature of VDB by the Government.
4. The state Government after compilation of the villages list within Nagaland, the Commissioner Office of the Government of Nagaland have printed out a Register in 1997 with the names of those recognized villages and towns and the same was re-printed in 2002 for future guidance. Therefore, for those tribal set-up villages within their own respective tribal land need not have any Government recognized order nor there is no specific recognition order for those villages in Nagaland.
5. The land of Nagas is purely belongs to the Nagas itself and for which GOI under her Article 371 (A) has guaranteed and preserved the unique of the Nagas, her land and its resources. Also Nagas have 14th recognized tribes and since from the head-hunting period the traditional boundaries of each Naga tribes are very clear from their forefathers time and no one have authority to change or dispute those forefathers boundaries. To speak the truth, with the coming of British in the 19th Century have thus resulted to stop the practice of head-hunting among the Nagas and consequently with the coming of American missionaries in Naga Country during the 20th Century have gave birth to the doctrine of Christianity in our land. Thereafter, only communications amongst different Naga tribes have started. However for that matter, one Naga tribal members have no right to claim the other Naga tribal land within Nagaland.
6. There is no Government land in Nagaland and for which the State Government in the year 1992 issued a ban order on land allotment in Nagaland. However, some unscrupulous administrators in Dimapur district has issued thousands of Jamabandis and Patta Books by violation of the said standing ban order resulting to encroaching some portion of tribal land of the Angami Nagas. And as such, if any land allotment order or any Jamabadi issued against the rights of the landowners of the Nagas, all such illegal documents should not be maintained as public document.
7. In Nagaland, without the consent of the landowner, no authority have right to occupy the others land or area by sketching/tapping a Map of the area and issue Jamabandi or Patta book in favour of his/her men and claim it to be his/her personal land or area or as a Government land. And as such, in case if such matter arises, the landowner have absolute right to kill or chop the encroachers finger and for which action there is no case according to Naga Customary law.
8. The birth of Nagaland Statehood did not came with a clear demarcation of boundary between Assam and Nagaland but it only came through 9th Points Agreement and 16th Points Agreement between the GOI and Nagas. Hence, the questions to use or implement 1886 Assam Land Regulation Act in Nagaland does not arise at all. In this connection, in case if State Cabinet or State Government gave any approval for using of such Act within our land, it is the fact that they do not have the real knowledge about the sacrification of the Nagas for her traditional lands as because the land of Nagas do not belongs to Assam. The traditional boundary of Nagas is far beyond the present temporary boundary of Nagaland State.
9. When Statehood came into being, the 60 Assembly Constituencies have been divided among the Nagas according to its tribal populations. The lesser were given one seat followed by two and so on and the bigger tribes were given up to 9 or 10 seats. Therefore, though we are living in a democratic Country it is very clear that no one have right to snatch or contest in other tribal constituency except in his/her own tribal shares Assembly Constituency or Towns.
10. The final settlement between the GOI and Nagas is yet to be arrived. Therefore, State Government should not take any hasty decision without consultation or knowledge with the leaders of the Naga National Workers.
11. The Bristishers left India declaring her Independent in 1947 without taking any decision on the Nagas issue, therefore the Nagas conducted here plebiscite in 1951 based on 9th point’s agreement which was submitted before the UNO and also boycotted the first Indian Parliamentary election in her Country in the year 1952. And during 1959 when the UNO is about to declare Naga Independent, GOI on hearing about the said news, offered a Statehood to Nagas under 16th Points Agreement which was signed by some over-ground leaders without the consent of the leaders of NNC. Also talks was started after declaring General Amnesty between the GOI and Naga under ground during 1964 through the effort of the NBCC Peace Mission. And during that point of talk time, the Nagas demanded Rupee 1-/ from the GOI but it offer only 75 paisa which was declined by the Nagas and the same case was still kept for pending.
12. That GOI should stand on its own words of returning the forefathers land of the Nagas.
13. Strengthening the Naga Customary Law and its traditional rights should not be disturbed.
14. For the peaceful living of the Nagas, GOI must implement the covenant between the two parties in whatsoever manner.
15. GOI should not play games with Nagas by saying ‘Yes’ yesterday and ‘No’ today. If that continuous, the UNO may not be happy upon the GOI.
16. That the Nagas have been with Indian patiently for the last 50-60 years awaiting for implementation of the agreements points which were set between the GOI and the Nagas. And if the GOI is seriously willing to live with the Nagas as amicably, the best way is to tender her apology before the Nagas and must paid the total compensations to the victimized Naga villagers that how their Homes and Hearts were burnt down into ashes, raped their women folk, murdered thousands of innocent lives etc. Then only doors will be open for final settlement between the Nagas and GOI. However, if GOI failed to implement its covenant, the Nagas have no alternative way but to file case against the GOI in any legal Court.
TL Angami
