Our Chairman Isak Chishi Swu left us to be with the Lord on 28 June, 2016 and it is too much of a pain for me because I have known him and we stood together for all these 52 years. I know that through all these years of struggle together God has a purpose for both of us.
I thank the Lord almighty for giving us a leader in the person of Isak Chishi Swu from Chishilimi village in Pughoboto sub-division of present Nagaland. He left behind an honourable history for the Naga people and the legacy he left behind will exist till the end of this world.
We worked together and took decisive decision on all important issues by making serious analysis into any problems we faced. We could understand each other and he had the wisdom to understand me and I know that God helped us. I can say that he was a right leader at the right time.
My friend, Isak Chishi Swu was a God fearing person and he never failed to acknowledge the necessity of God's intervention in our struggle. Together, throughout the struggle we realized the purpose of God. We were united in one single mission, the fear of the Lord and that Nagaland will be for Christ.
After the demise of many good Naga leaders he became our leader. Situation changed and he was chosen as God knew who he was. During his leadership God changed the hearts and minds of the Indian leadership when they declared that military solution to the Naga issue is not possible, it is political and must be resolved through political dialogue.
From shouting condescending statement of crushing the Nagas in a day towards seeking political solution, this fundamental change in policy was comparable to the days of Moses when Pharaoh's heart was changed by God to grant freedom to the Israelites. Our joint strategy and calculation to bring about such changes bore fruit. We praise God and we give him the glory and honour.
And throughout the political negotiation we understood together that the history of the Naga people must be recognized as the Nagas were not lost people. We agreed that we will not submit and surrender our history to India at the negotiating table. God helped us again and it was during his leadership that the Government of India recognized the "Unique history and situation" of the Nagas by the Amsterdam Joint Communique on July 11, 2002. It was the first ever official recognition of our history and situation. The recognition acknowledges the fact that the Nagas were never a part of Indian Union either by conquest of the Indian armed forces or by consent of the Naga people and the situation was also unique because it was created by India when they sent thousands of government troops to the Naga areas that led to unaccountable human right violations including torture, rape, killings, burning down of Naga villages.
Subsequently, after a lengthy negotiation, on the 3rd of August, 2015, the "Framework Agreement" was signed between the GoI and the NSCN in the presence of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and many other important dignitaries of the government of India. Chairman lsak Chishi Swu gave his signature to the "Framework Agreement. The GoI reaffirmed the recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas and also recognized the universal principle that sovereignty lies with the Naga people. Both the parties also agreed that in the spirit of mutual respect they will share sovereign power with each other and co-exist peacefully. We praise the Indian leadership and the Nagas must appreciate them for their wisdom and statesmanship.
Countrymen, these significant steps were achieved during Chairman Isak Chishi Swu's leadership. He was steadfast for the Naga cause and the right of the Naga people. I want the Naga people to understand this on this solemn occasion of his untimely death. It is beyond our control, but God is there and He will lead us through. We are proud of our leader Isak Chishi Swu.
Our leader Isak Chishi Swu before he left to be with the Lord declared that we must forgive each other. He appealed to the Naga people for forgiveness of each other because deep in his heart he loved the Naga people and our cause. He knew that there was a danger of self-destruction, so he took the issue of forgiveness very seriously.
At this juncture I also take the opportunity of thanking the Naga people in general both from the east and the west and elsewhere, people of Assam, Meiteis, Zomis, Boros and others for showing your solidarity to the Naga people after the untimely demise of our Chairman lsak Chishi Swu. We are one if we value the principle of supporting each other to the end. We are with you till the end. Our leader Isak Chishi Swu is not here with us but the best opportunity is still there before us, to make the right stand and to make the right choice as our leader had made in his life time.
The Naga people and also the Sumi people in particular must praise God that he produced one of our finest leaders and in whose lifetime so much had been achieved for the Naga Nation.
Kuknalim.
Th. Muivah
