Dimapur: The NSCN (IM) on Thursday observed the Naga Plebiscite Day at its Naga army general headquarters church at Camp Hebron, around 50 km from here, calling it a historic and red letter day in the Naga people’s struggle for freedom.
The day was commemorated in the presence of NSCN (IM) ato kilonser (prime minister) and chief negotiator of Naga talks with the government of India Th Muivah, Naga army personnel, leaders of civil society organisations such as the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Global Naga Forum and the Naga Students Federation (NSF), among others.
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The Naga National Council (NNC) conducted the Naga Plebiscite Day on May 16, 1951, to reaffirm the declaration of the “Naga independence” on August 14, 1947.
NSCN (IM) vice chairman Tongmeth Wangnao began his presidential address, saying “Let the historical truth be told to the world why the Naga under the banner of the NNC took the crucial step to conduct the Naga plebiscite. Let us recollect the words of NNC president AZ Phizo on the Naga Plebiscite Day.”
Giving a brief background of the “Naga nation” and how the declaration of Naga independence took place on August 14, 1947, Wangnao said from the very beginning, the Nagas were politically a “distinct nation” with each village existing as a republic with sovereign authority
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“Naturally, the Nagas were against any kind of intrusion/incursions and domination over their sovereign rights,” he said.
Asserting that the Naga people’s allegiance to the Naga nationhood is the dynamism of the Naga culture, Wangnao said the Nagas’ passion for political freedom and independence are intrinsically linked and that this has been the motivating factor that drives the Naga political movement.
In his speech, NSCN (IM) deputy ato kilonser (prime minister) VS Atem said the origin, history and customs of the Nagas are different, adding the Indians and the Nagas had no “connection”.
Naga army general headquarters church choir presented a patriotic song on the occasion.