Markson Naga Luikham
New Delhi
Does it lie with the Indians or the Nagas?
Since 1990, many new countries have been created around the world:
15 new countries became independent with the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.
Former Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into 5 independent countries.
And 13 other countries sprang up as independent nation through a variety of causes around the globe. Altogether, 34 new Nations emerged. You may probably know about many of these changes but a few of these new countries seemed to slip by almost unnoticed.
In addition to the above mentioned, many new nations were born in the recent history. They are; (1.) East Timor, Portuguese speaking community became the first new Sovereign State of the 21st century on May 20, 2002 and joined the UN. They were under the control of Indonesia. (2.) Montenegro became an independent nation on June 3, 2006 and Serbia too became a separate nation on June 5, 2000 (they were together before the split). (3.) In Feb 8, 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. And (4.) South Sudan became independent country on July 9, 2011 from African country.
You will be surprised to know that, right at this point of time, a few more Nations are still in the offing! Namely:
(1.) Catalonian independence referendum was held on 1 October 2017 in Spain which was nullified later as breach of the Spanish Constitution by the Spanish government, but is still under the process to re-organise the referendum.
(2.) Bougainville, which was under the control of Papua New Guinea (PNG), recently concluded a voting referendum in November 23 and officially ended on December 7, 2019. The results of which, were announced on December 11, making Bougainville the newest country of the world. Etc.
Getting to know these many geographical structural changes in the World Map may makes you to wonder:
How did all these new Nations gain their Independence and get it recognized to be enlisted as a Country in the United Nations?
What made these people successful in achieving full-fledged Sovereignty from the powerful modern colonial rulers?
When did they all start their movement for self-determination – for how long did they struggle & what are their success formulae or stories?
These are a few questions you may probably ponder and get answers for through reference. But, without getting much into their details, it would be much more interesting and worthwhile for us to reflect and ponder over our own struggle, to seek the un-answered questions of “Naga Peoples’ Movement for Self-determination”, and ask ourselves, as to why (We) Nagas could not achieve our rightful SOVEREIGNTY in almost a century long struggle!?
Imagine, are we Nagas less human than others who have made it to their commitment of upholding their inherent rights and identity?
What happened to Naga’s Freedom Declaration on 14th August 1947? And the Naga Plebiscite of May 16, 1951, where 99.9% said to have emphatically signed for Naga Independence!
Why wouldn’t the UN recognize the Nagas’ independent Declaration even when it was said to have communicated via the telegram? Was there a criteria and formality which he Nagas didn’t fulfill back then?
Who have chained/hidden our Sovereignty and why? Why has it become almost impossible to arive at any amicable solution with Government of India despite having resisted militarily, politically and diplomatically for so long?
Why no permanent solution could be reached at after so many peace talks and accords being signed?
Where do we find the solution…Is it in the pocket of the British Govt., the Indian Govt. or within Nagas’ own pocket?
Think of the other way round; Is it imperative to put our ‘Rights’ on the table for negotiation with a nation who don’t actually have any historical or legal documents to prove that Naga People and Nagas’ Lands belongs to itself in the first place?
Indians and Nagas have no racial, historical, customary or cultural links in any way before the British colonisation. Our way of thinking, eating habits, culture, social lives, customary laws and beliefs are the proofs. The World is the witness. So, then, why the solution to a struggle that started back in early 19th century, is still at large!?
I recommend all the concerned Nagas to briefly go back in time and revisit the major events of our struggle from where it began, to see if we could get the answers of our unanswered questions; to realize where we went wrong!”
The Naga political movement suggests that, the rights for Self-determination and the momentum of the Naga National Movement was fully paid in sweat, tears, blood and countless precious lives lost.
Ironically though, rather than swear by the blood and tears of those who gave up their lives, the leaders of the time chose to build their castles over the dead for their own glory. And through the decades of development carrot, propaganda and assimilation, several stakeholders and collaborators banded together to make hay while the Indian sun shined brightly over the Naga sky.
In other words, GoI divided the ‘Naga Sovereignty’ into pieces and misplaced all the pieces here and there so that until all those pieces are brought together, it cannot be put to shape ever again!
Therefore, my finding and conclusion for all the above questions points to only one direction, that is, the pieces of Naga Sovereignty lies with all the factional groups of Naga National Govt.(s) (NNPGs) and also with the divided Nagas general public. The day all these factions rise to the occasion at hand and come together, bringing all the scattered manpower, strengths, mandates, authorities, legitimacies and rights together to form “One Single Force”, the Naga Sovereignty will be reshaped and come to life once again. Subsequently, the most ‘Honorable Solution’ as aspired by the Nagas can be expected to be hammered out with the Govt. of India.
Sand which, let us dare not dream of an honorable solution under the framework of the Indian Constitution. Where, one single but empowered, intelligent man can play with all the Naga leaders with his diplomatic and sugar coated tongue as is the case right now with the Nagas!”
Kuknalim!
