Speech of Chairman, Q Tuccu on the 42nd commemoration of NSCN (IM) Raising on January 31, 2021
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord!
The Naga people, especially the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) men and women, great and small are indeed grateful to God, the Jehovah, and we give all Glory to Him. Unless He sustained and preserved us and protected our land with His might and wisdom our neighbors could have swallowed us to their hearty pleasure. Thank God and thanks to our people too!
On this most auspicious day of the 42nd year of the NSCN, I, your Chairman, humbly request all cadres to join me in paying our highest respect to the brave hearts who had made their supreme sacrifices by embracing martyrdom in defence of our Motherland, our history, our people and our rights. They have given up their personal freedom for the sake of our freedom; they have laid down their right to live so that our right to live cannot be questioned. They have died the undignified death so that we may live with dignity: they have shed their tears, sweat and even blood to its last drop for this land of God’s covenant. Every spring and every brook that flow in Nagalim are now flowing with elements of Nagas’ blood, tears and sweats. The beautiful land, a part of God’s creation now swarms with widows and orphans. Cries and wailings are heard from nooks and corners of Nagalim day-in day-out, year-in year-out. But the adversaries are yet to give it any damn. No compunction! Not at all! The people, who are proud of their civilization of 5000 years, preach Peace and Ahimsa at the top of their voice across the Globe but keep using force armed with most draconian laws with impunity for more than sixty (60) years against the Nagas. Because of the fact that Nagalim has never been integral part of India, it has been held under forced occupation with martial law of AFSPA from the fifties till date. Wait and watch God will surely visit them in His own time: It is just a matter of time - sooner or later.
My brothers and sisters, sons and daughters allow me to say this, be on your guard, Government of India is yet to get serious and honest with the Nagas vis-à-vis the ongoing political talk. Nagas are being taken as if they are purchasable commercial commodities. But God forbids that things should go wrong in the peace process. Government of India is expected to honor the lofty commitments given to us by the former Prime Ministers. Reinforcing trust and confidence are the key words to crack the nut today. Nagas have never and will never ever try to cause or help cause disintegration of India. We wish a prosperous and strong India but Nagas have no hesitation to say that 16 Point Agreement was and is never the solution to the Indo-Naga problem. Ceasefire in the 60’s followed by six rounds of talk at the Prime Minister level and again the present ongoing negotiations for the past 24 years initiated by Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and religiously pursued by other 5 Prime Ministers should not be denigrated at the whims of certain small fries. The political stand of the Nagas in the past vis-à-vis India was “nothing to do with India” but today since the Government of India and the NSCN have signed the Framework Agreement, that India and Nagalim shall enter a new relationship for peaceful co-existence of the two entities on the basis of shared sovereignty, meaning, Nagas are sovereign people, Nagas will abide by the principles of the Framework Agreement- nothing above and nothing below the Framework Agreement. Only the principle of the Framework Agreement is the key to an honorable and acceptable solution for durable peace. Neither economic packages nor imposed political packages will bring about lasting solution.
My dear brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, most of our leaders who have founded the NSCN are no more with us as they have gone the way of our Fathers. But in their time they have done their best which amazes us and also inspires us. Their vision, spirit with solid integrity and passion will continue to lead us till the ultimate day. Formation of the NSCN was a call of history when the NNC had miserably failed to the Naga nation when Shillong Accord was signed in November 1975 by its delegation. NNC had failed because they lost sight of the national goal and it did not walk in step with the people on the front. Any leader or the led who goes out of step with his people is bound to go out of step with God too and such man ultimately ends up seeking convenience and safe zone. This is a big lesson for all of us to keep it in mind.
There are disciplines, rules and regulations in all organizations. No man prospers without discipline. The Bible says, a man who is not disciplined is like a palace with its wall broken down. Again it says, no athlete wins a trophy unless he abides by the rules of the game. We are in an organization bound by its disciplines, rules and regulations. We should never compromise our ethos of leading by power of good example not by example of power. Our culture of mutual respect and sacrifices should be upheld with more vigor. NSCN has its vision and mission. As covenanted by God with our fathers, our vision is to not only liberate our people politically here on earth, but also prepare the highway of salvation for our people through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore our mission is to build a society of peace and justice and egalitarian prosperity.
As the life of a man is limited so is the life of all organizations. When NSCN fails to represent the will and aspiration of the people that will be the dead end of the organization. The day we fail to give vision to the people, there will be no more mission with us.
At this historical defining moment NSCN cadres should not allow ourselves to be caught unprepared; we must tighten our belt to face any eventuality.
God is with us. God Bless Nagalim and God Bless the NSCN.
KUKNALIM
The message was read out on Q Tuccu’s behalf by Ashiho Asoumai, Convener, Steering Committee, NSCN (IM).
