In the backdrop of Naga civil societies, including the Naga Students’ Federation and Naga Hoho, seeking solution to the Naga issue before the ensuing Assembly elections, the NSCN-IM on Thursday affirmed to cling to the ‘Framework Agreement’ and stand by it in “all weathers”.
“We will keep going with it even if there are oppositions. Our survival strategy is in our firm stand and the power of prayer,” said Rh Raising, convener, Steering Committee, NSCN-IM, while speaking at the Joint Council meeting of the outfit at its headquarters in Camp Hebron near here.
Asking what is meant by solution, not election, Raising claimed “election is antithesis of solution”.
“Solution is about the future of the Nagas whereas election is about the Indian constitution; solution is about the unique history, culture and identity of the Nagas whereas election is about India; solution is about the land of the Nagas whereas election means it is about Indian territory; solution is about the principle of self-reliance whereas election is about dependence on others; solution means Naga people will be the epicenter of Naga politics whereas election means Delhi will be the high command of the Naga politics,” said Raising.
“Let us therefore, decide whether we choose solution or election; whether we choose freedom or slavery. We are the prime factor. Our decision will take us to the top of the world or pull us down to the bottom,” he added.
He also said that the Naga people have nothing to fear or dismay as the people, all civil societies, all the churches, all the elected MLAs and MPs, international communities are with them. He said after prolonged negotiations, the historic Framework Agreement was officially signed between the Government of India and NSCN as two entities on August 3, 2015, which recognizes the sovereign right, the unique history and identity of the Nagas and land of the Nagas.
Raising claimed that taking the security of India and the political and historical rights of the Nagas into account , the two parties officially agreed that India and Nagas would coexist as two entities and share sovereign power between the two entities.
In this backdrop, the senior NSCN-IM leader posed a question – what is to be done if and when the Government of India does not keep the agreement and goes back on its word. “Our past leaders said most of the Indian leaders have names in insincerity and trickery,” he said.
According to Raising, such a situation will demand of the Nagas to give bigger efforts, to work out bigger policies and strategies, to create bigger minds and hearts, to build up bigger faith, to say bigger prayers and to take bigger and stronger determination and decision for the problem.
He said the “war-ridden Naga people” have been longing for an early solution to the long-drawn Indo-Naga conflict which is legitimate.
“But the focal point is whether it is an early solution or late solution it does not matter, what matters is – it must bring the complete set of what belongs to the Nagas. Nagas thirst for genuine solution that can protect their future. Any kind of solution that betrays the future of the Nagas is no solution. We cannot place our future to be decided by others. We must decide our future by ourselves and that is where NSCN stands,” he stated.
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