Dimapur, August 14: General Ningkhan Shimray, Longvibu of Naga Army, has urged all Nagas to unite beyond tribal or political lines to defend their land and future. In an interaction with the Naga Working Journalist Manipur before the commencement of the main program of the 79th Naga Independence Day, he shared a message that touched on faith, unity, and the Naga people’s future.
In his message, the Longvibu of Naga Army said, “this is something very short and precise. What I would like to share is that we are confused in what world, in what situation, we have not asked about the creation and the love of God. But, in the creation of heaven and earth, there is a place for us. We exist out of God’s plan. We, the Nagas do not exist at the mercy of any other country but our existence, there is a plan. So we exist, we are proud to say, the Nagas we exist under the will of God.”
Addressing the importance of unity in safeguarding identity and heritage, Shimray stated, “When it comes about land, our forest, our future, our identity, our history, we must stay united. When our land, when our security, when our forest is under threat, our land is under threat, I would like to say we should not differentiate, we should not divide ourselves saying that you belong to this tribe, you belong to this group, you belong to this civil society. When our house is burning, everyone, all walks of life must come forward and voice out in one spirit to save, to protect our land, to protect our future, for our freedom.”
He further emphasized, “God has created us as one. So, Nagas must stay as one. If we are divided in different opinions, we may have different kinds of aspirations, ways of thinking. But, when it comes to our principle issue, our freedom, our land, in that principle issue, in that national cause, in that vision of Nagalim for Christ, we have to be one. We cannot stay divided. That would be too dangerous.”
“And this is not only NSCN-IM policy or politics. It has nothing to do with that. We are just a vanguard, we are just an instrument to safeguard the land, our future. A time will come when there will be no more NSCN. A time will come. Now, it is coming. It is replaced by the people’s voice, the people’s movement. The people are coming in the forefront. We are so happy that now that people leadership has come and I am glad to say that it is no longer an NSCN movement, it is now people’s movement. And through the power of the people we will try. Even in the international world, the referendum, the voice of the people will decide our future. So the time has come. Let the people decide,” Shimray further explained.
Concluding his message, he appealed: “Naga people, let’s stay united and in the fear, in the love of God, in the love of freedom. Let’s stay united. Kuknalim.”
