Kohima: The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) on Friday said that if the Indians respect the history of the Nagas, Nagas would respect the history of India ten times.
Addressing the 46th raising day celebration of the NSCN-IM at the outfit's headquarters 'Hebron', Vice Chairman Tongmeth Wangnao said that the Indian government gave official recognition to the rights of the Nagas on two historic occasions.
He said that the first official recognition of the uniqueness of Naga history was on July 11, 2002, in an Amsterdam meeting, and was followed by the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, in New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the architect of the historic agreement.
Significantly, PM Modi was accompanied by a whole host of top-level ministers like the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as well as National Security Advisor Ajit Doyal, the Chief of Army Staff, and other high dignitaries who matter.
"The NSCN-IM was equally represented by the presence of its entire collective leadership. These two official recognitions are the indelible milestones that the world has come to know about the India-Naga political negotiations. Significantly, the signing ceremony of the Framework Agreement was given high-profile political status when the whole programme was live telecast for the world to bear witness," Wangnao said.
He said that for the past more than 27 years, "we have been talking with the government of India on the strength of truth behind the Naga political movement. However, it is very unfortunate that the government agencies have indulged themselves in unethical conduct to create many enemies behind the Naga political talks led by NSCN-IM".
"We should put on the whole armour of God, and stay strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. No wonder, it is our bounden duty to defend our country, our people and our legitimate rights for self-determination to define our political identity as a nation. In the process, I am proud to say that the NSCN was able to justify our political movement on international platforms and finally got admitted into UNPO as a bona fide member, followed by occasional forays in the UN human rights and indigenous forums. This international factor certainly added weight to our negotiation that led to the signing of the inalienable Framework Agreement that recognizes our sovereign rights as a nation." (IANS)
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