While going through the phases of democratic expression of the Naga’s inherent rights, many had experienced bitterness, injustice, humiliation, and untold miseries. The living Naga Soul is a witnesses and history cannot deny the manifold inflictions caused upon the Naga People. Forces of brutality to exploit and butcher the aspiration of the Naga People down the ages has been unsuccessful attempt.
The context of Naga issues today is drawing the attention of the Goverment of India and its State machineries. Indeed the struggle of the Naga people to defend and preserve their identity and history with a political stand to integrate Naga areas under one administration has been the corner stone and every Naga unquestionably embrace this vision. Generation after another upholds this inherent aspiration and it is continuing till date.
“The Nagas are not Indians in any sense of the World, neither in original, nor in language nor in appearance nor in habit nor in out look” (Robert Reid, Annual report for 1931-32,P.25). History testifies that Nagas are not Indians. This is an undeniable truth. In the record of C.B. Ait Chison- “Treaties,Engagement and Sanads’ Vol XII, 1931 P. 91” No written treaties or engagement had been made with any of Naga tribe”. It is also a historical fact that Naga never formally surrendered their lands to the then British Empire and the succeeding Government(s). This is a crystal clear from the following facts:-
That campaign of “No House Tax Payment” was successfully launched in 1948 during the Chief Ministership of Maharaj Kumar Priyobrata Singh in Manipur.
When the second cease-fire agreement came into effect on August 1,1997 between Govt. of India and the Naga people, acrossed the Naga homeland, tangible and acceptable political solution to the long drawn protracted Indo -Naga conflict is anticipated. Now it has completed more than nine years. Nagas at this crucial juncture, demostrated and expressed their inherent aspiration through various forms of democratic agitations. Experienced have nurtured the forces that will create a nation of respect,dignity,justice and hope among the Nagas. it is time to strengthen and support the Indo-Naga Peace Process.
It is conscious response of the Nagas everywhere and assiduously supported the Indo-Naga Peace Process. Time and again, the Nagas demonstrated their aspiration for negotiated settlement on the basis of the “Uniqueness of the history and situations of the Nagas” Nagas appreciated the courageous steps the Govt. of India has taken to recognise the political nature of Indo Naga conflict. This step must arrived at a tangible political solution for the Nagas.
Under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC), the Chiefs/Headmen of all Naga villages in the present state of Manipur submitted its declaration to the Govt. of India on 12th December, 2005 which stated as “Any honorable solution to the Naga Peace Process must begin with the unification of Naga areas.” This was followed with ‘ No Hill House Tax payment’ campaign against the Govt. of Manipur in 2006 and other forms of democratic agitations to demonstate in ceratin terms that Nagas want to live in a unified homeland under one administration.
When Naga people and land were split under different influence and political administration, it has inflicted sour wound by allowing the power center in Delhi to exploit the human situation in Naga homeland. The power centre to Delhi cannot all time fool the Naga people. The aspiration of the Naga people for unified homeland cannot be deterred by constitutional legalities of the Indian Govt. Therefore, the process of integration/ unification is gradually happening and it will happen.
Time has come to call for a united concerted effort to strengthen and support the Indo Naga Peace Process working out a methodology to integrate/unity the arbitrarily divided Naga homeland through participation in the democratic process in the Mnaipur General Election, 2007 Therefore, every concern citizen must respond to the call of the Naga people.
Responding the call of the Naga people, I declare my position to respect and commit to fulfil the inherent and democratic aspiration of the Naga people for unification of Naga homeland, to mobilize the peoples’ fullest support to the ongoing Indo-Naga Political dialogue, to provide leadership to society in Nation building and to provide the common interest of all ethnic communities of the state.
This is possible through understanding the situations of the Naga people and whole hearted support to the inherent Naga cause.
KUKNALIM !
L.Benjamin Anal
Former President,
United Naga Council (UNC)
(Chandel 41/AC)
