SPEECH OF MR. TH. MUIVAH, CHIEF POLITICAL NEGOTIATOR AND GENERAL SECRETARY /ATO KILONSER, NATIONAL SOCIALIST COUNCIL OF NAGALIM/GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF NAGALIM, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 79TH NAGA INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION AT COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, HEBRON 14TH AUGUST, 2025
Countrymen!
Let us give glory to our Almighty God for sustaining the Naga nation and giving us the courage to assert our political rights as a nation. The brutal truth of history is painful to us as we commemorate the 79th Naga Independence Day on this day, 14th August, 2025. We are being oppressed and suppressed by the invading nations, India and Burma (Myanmar). Nagalim declared independence one day ahead of India and tomorrow India is celebrating her 79th Independence Day. This is the brutal truth of history. The painful irony is that we have to fight for the historical and political rights that have touched 79 years today.
Countrymen!
The indelible records of history mentioned how the political suppression of the Nagas started in the most inhuman manner under the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He abhorred the very idea of Naga people’s political assertion to exist as an independent sovereign nation. To achieve his aggressive control of Naga political movement he blatantly introduced the draconian act, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 to suppress the political rights of the Naga nation. The world condemned this draconian act but Government of India (Gol) had been defiant throughout. Today and yesterday, Naga people have proved J. Nehru wrong in crushing the Nagas’ right to live as a sovereign independent nation. Let us thank God for giving us the enduring patience and strength to maintain our position as upright people in defending our sovereign identity.
Countrymen!
Today as we commemorate the 79th Anniversary of Naga Independence Day let us recall how the ongoing Indo-Naga Political Talks started. This happened on account of the realization and recognition of the Indo-Naga conflict as a political conflict. The credit for this honesty of admitting the historical truth is the then Prime Minister of India, PV Narasimha Rao. It was on 12th June, 1995, in Paris (France) when he told the NSCN leadership, “I believe in political solution. We must solve through political talks”. This statement was a turning point as NSCN leadership took note of his approach as the unfolding development showed up. Eventually, ceasefire between the NSCN and Government of India was declared on July 25, 1997 to pave the way for political talks. Finally, the formal talks started on 1st August, 1997, based on the following principles:
(1) The talks would be unconditional;
(2) That the talks would be at the highest level, that is, at the Prime Ministerial level;
(3) That the talks would be somewhere outside India in a third country.
Countrymen!
I have to point out the brutal truth of Indo-Naga Political Talks that has crossed 600 rounds held in a third and neutral country, in India and in Nagalim. Let us remind ourselves that the military confrontation with India and Burma (Myanmar) was provoked because Nagalim nationalism was treated as “secessionist” and Nagas were blamed for disturbing the “law and order” of India and Burma (Myanmar), thereby posing a threat to their national security. However, with the signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communique of July 11, 2002, and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 in the current political peace process, the Gol recognized and rectified the contentious issues on Nagalim history and sovereignty and expressing regret over the misunderstanding, recognized and acknowledged the “unique history and position” of the Nagas and accept that sovereignty lies with the people and agreed on the sharing of “sovereign power”. In the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015, both the parties mutually agreed that “an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of two entities” can be realized by honoring the letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communique of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015.
Countrymen!
Let us understand that the labor and efforts invested in the Indo-Naga political negotiation has led to the signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communique of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015. This is no small achievement. I believe that the political space and the opportunity given by the Indo-Naga political peace process and the signing of these two agreements must be harvested in order to conclude a negotiated political settlement.
Countrymen!
As we commemorate the 79th Nagalim Independence Day and celebrate the milestones achieved with the signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015, we are reminded that this achievement is a result of the seed planted by our past Naga leaders T. Aliba Imti, AZ Phizo, T. Sakhrie, Scato Swu, Khodao Yanthan, Isak Chishi Swu and several others who have stood uprightly for the Nagalim history and sovereignty. The leaders of India including Mahatma Gandhi, Shri Rajagopalachari, PV Narasimha Rao, HD Deve Gowda, IK Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi whose understanding and counsel on the Indo-Naga conflict also guided the course of the history and have enabled the official signing of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015 between the Gol and the NSCN. In this regard, due acknowledgement must also be given to the representatives of the Government of India for the Indo-Naga peace talks for their conclusive contribution towards the signing of the two historic agreements, including Swaraj Kaushal, K. Padmanabhaiah, Oscar Fernandes (former union minister), RS Pandey and RN Ravi. We also fully acknowledge the role of individuals like the noted human rights lawyer and activist, Nandita Haksar and others like Michael C Van walt van Praag of Kreddha as “third party mediator”. They helped sustained the Indo-Naga peace process in difficult times.
Countrymen!
We are also thankful and indebted to the international organizations who acted as the main pillars in our international campaign on Nagalim and such support had contributed to signing of the ceasefire on July 25, 1997 and the start of the Indo Naga peace process between the Gol and the NSCN from the 1st August, 1997. In this regard, mention may be made of organizations like the Society for Threatened People, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), KWIA-Support Group for Indigenous Peoples, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and several others. The United Nations (UN) and its various human rights mechanisms including the United Nation Working Group on Indigenous Peoples (UNWGIP), Permanent Forum, the UN Sub Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights within the ECOSOC and others provided the much-needed platform for the NSCN and the Naga civil societies to highlight Nagalim situation to the international audience. The NSCN becoming the UNPO member on January 23, 1993 was momentous and ground breaking. Today, the Nagalim national flag stands proudly in the institutions that support human rights and self-determination of nations and peoples.
Countrymen!
To the Naga tribes and civil society organizations (CSOs) from different places in India and Burma (Myanmar) I cannot thank them enough for their selfless services and cooperation against all odds as they stood up firmly to the occasion in times of conflict and peace. In this regards, please allow me to acknowledge all the Naga civil societies like Naga Hoho, Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organization (ENPO), Tirap Changlang Longding Peoples Forum (TCLPF), Global Naga Forum (GNF), United Naga Council (UNC) from south Nagalim and Naga tribe organizations from Myanmar, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Naga women organizations including the Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Naga Women’s Union (NWU), Manipur, the student fraternity including the Naga Student’s Federation (NSF), All Naga Student’s Association Manipur (ANSAM), Naga student’s unions (Delhi, Shillong, Tirap, Changlang, Longding), Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU), Eastern Naga Student’s Federation (ENSF) and Naga Students Organization (NSO) Myanmar, etc. Last but not the least, we are thankful to several individuals, organizations and committed well- wishers from the mainland India and elsewhere, wherever they are, for their unwavering and unfailing support to the Indo-Naga peace process.
Countrymen!
Kindly allow me to remind ourselves today on this occasion of historic 79th Nagalim Independence Day Commemoration, the 23rd year of the signing of Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July 11, 2002 and the 10th year of the signing of the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015. Significantly, these agreements speak loud and clear that Nagas are not lost people. We have our history and we have our sovereign rights. We will stand by our precious unique history and sovereignty, whether it is today or tomorrow. We do not demand anything from India and Burma (Myanmar) but we declare and proclaim what is rightfully ours. That is why the Nagalim unique history, our territory and sovereignty, Nagalim national flag, Nagalim national constitution (Yehzabo) and integration of all Naga contiguous areas are non-negotiable. Hence, if India and Burma (Myanmar) respect the history of the Nagas, we will respect theirs ten times more.
Countrymen!
I am proud that we have not forgotten the condition upon which God hath given liberty to mankind. That is to maintain “eternal vigilance”. Because, the enemy would not rest in order to destroy the God given history of Naga nation, Nagalim.
Countrymen!
In keeping with the spirit of Nagalim Independence Day commemoration hoisting our national flag, we must take the stand in our hearts to have the courage to maintain freedom in the mind, faith in the words and pride in our hearts and honor our creator God.
KUKNALIM!
Mr. Th. Muivah
