Friends,
Today, we are in a defining moment of our history. The struggle has brought forth a new situation to take a decisive political action. We, the present and the future generation of the Naga nation, marching progressively with the dreams and vision, should play a catalytic role in bringing forth the decisive nature of the emergent situation. Our national identity has been put under the carpet by the Indian State from the gaze of the outside world. We the bearers of the identity of our nation; its culture, history, values and norms need to tell the whole world our quest for Nagalim. The Indian State is shy to face the real challenge, which our Naga National Movement through its tortuous and blazing trail has unequivocally made loud and clear.
The patience and perseverance of our negotiators for the last nine years have been of little consequence. The Indian State has done little for substantive progress in the talks. It has turned its back against the historical truth of the Naga people; their aspiration to live as one in their own land. For the simple reason that the Indian State is incapable of thinking beyond its constitution.
The Nagas have put forward several significant substantive issues through proposals for talks. Some of them are: (1) Integration of all the Naga Areas (2) Separate Constitution (3) Separate Flag (4) Naga people having their own right to decide the way they run their society (5) The issue of Joint-defence of Nagalim (6) Nagas having complete right over all the resources in their areas (7) Sharing the responsibility of external affairs with the Indian State with Nagas having their right to pursue their interests.
Till date, however, the approach of the Indian State to all these proposals is seen through the skewed vision of national security. The callousness of the approach is further evident in its dual strategy. Instead of coming out with a concrete proposal to resolve the conflict, the Indian Government has been clandestinely pursuing the policy of counter-insurgency. The Indian Government has also been unable to democratise the political issue to the general public.
The Nagas in their relentless struggle for freedom have been able to garner international opinion in their favour. The UNPO (Unrepresented Nations Peoples’ Organisation), NISC (Naga International Support Centre), Kreddha etc. have shown their solidarity and genuine concern in the Naga struggle for right to self-determination. In the recent past, the Nagas could also have managed to get the support and contribution from different countries. Besides, in the course of political negotiations many constitutional and legal experts are extending their helping hands to resolve the protracted politico-military conflict.
South Asia is in the threshold of the upsurge of people demanding their right to exercise their various freedoms of which the Nagas’ struggle for self-determination is the most prominent and the oldest. The Naga people are defiant daring all forms of repression from their oppressors and exploiters. It shows that it is the people and the people alone who can stand against any form of injustice, exploitation and oppression. The Indian State is also confronted with many other movements in the North-East, Jammu & Kashmir as well as various peoples’ movements fighting to set themselves free from exploitation.
It is in the larger context of these problems that the talks between the Government of India and the Nagas represented by National Socialist Council of Nagalim is going to be held in Amsterdam from 22 -24 of this month. In the backdrop of this development, the NSUD is taking this initiative to raise our united voice to caution the Indian Government the need to respect and honour the historical and political rights of the Nagas.
NSUD ever since its inception has always been in the forefront of the struggle of the Naga people for their rights. We should rise up without rest until an honourable and lasting political solution becomes a reality. We shall not allow any force on earth to erase the Naga history.
The NSUD demand the negotiating parties to expedite the political dialogue for a durable and lasting political solution whereby international laws are upheld. We appeal to all the Nagas in and around Delhi and other progressive democratic sections to join us to express our genuine desire and aspiration to the whole world in this defining moment of a future Indo-Naga relation. Let there be peace with justice and truth in Nagalim.
Kuknalim
JOIN FOR THE RALLY FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE FROM MANDI HOUSE TO PARLIAMENT STREET
TIME: 2 PM DATE: JUNE 20, 2006
Naga Students’ Union, Delhi
