Q.Tuccu, Chairman, NSCN (I-M)
My dear countrymen,
I am very proud of our history and for that reason we commemorate the historic truth when the Nagas stand up united to define their political identity as a sovereign nation.The historic decision of the Nagas to endorse the Naga Declaration of Independence that was rooted in the Naga Club’s submission of memorandum on January 10, 1929 to Simon Commission with resounding victory scoring overwhelming 99.9% is being brought to live today.
This is not just another occasion as brought about by history but a testament of the Naga people’s sentiment linked with the historical and political rights of the Nagas that still echo in the heart of all living Nagas across the Nagalim.
This reflect our resolute stand to keep alive the God given history to the Nagas. Let us praise God for showing us the way to assert our democratic spirit and courage that is in keeping with the international law and human rights as indigenous peoples.
Indo-Naga history has taught us bitter lessons as Indian mindset of hegemony and suppression never shy away from betraying the Nagas time and again.
As testified by history running over 75 years of Naga Political movement, Government of India desperately tried to force us into submission to their line of political ideology and constitution.
Nagas have stood the ground not to accept what is not right, culturally and politically and historically.
This force them to betray the Nagas by presenting made to look-like important political agreement with no intention to fulfill.
Naturally, trust became the victim as India stand up in defiance of truth . This is the damning relation between the Nagas and India.
Nevertheless,the betraying character of India only strengthened our strategic planning to take us forward with determination and dedication to stand up against what is not right for the Nagas. The sanctity of sovereign right of the Naga nation cannot be allowed to be defeated in the hands of the occupational forces. This is what has guided the Naga Political movement throughout the Indo-Naga history.
The Nine-Point Agreement or 16- Point Memorandum are craftily prepared as show piece to play with the Naga political movement. Today’s situation that has seen much bloodshed and killings are the creation of Indian agency using the treacherous Nagas under the payroll of the Indian government.
My dear countrymen,
Let us give eternal glory to our pioneers of Naga freedom movement. It is because of their visionary leadership that we are here today,not selling out our sovereign right for a morsel of consolation to keep our mouths shut down and arms laid down. We shall never imagined such disastrous interactions with the Indian government in the name of Naga Political solution.
Today, so much is talked about the so-called “common draft”. We are no novice to the divisive politics planted by the Indian agency.
This is no less a scheming policy to destroy the Framework Agreement of 3rd August,2015 by placing at the level of Agreed Position of 17th November,2017 drafted by RN.Ravi, representing government of India and made the Working Committee of NNPGs pen their signatures.
It is something not workable when NNPGS have compromised the historical and political rights of the Nagas and agreed to accept the Indian constitution based Naga political.
Anything that is deceitfully planned against the sanctity of the Framework Agreement is not acceptable to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN).
The historic Framework Agreement was signed, cognizant of the Unique history of the Nagas that reveals the truth of Naga Declaration of Independence and Naga plebiscite that reaffirmed the sovereign right of the Nagas to be independent nation.
There’s no going back to betray ourselves like falling off the cliff as devilishly planned by government of India. Too many times Government of India has played with the Naga issue in the name of agreement after agreement.
Enough harm has been done to kill the right of the Nagas by creating many groups to counterweight the NSCN,the only authentic group that has firmly spearheaded the Naga political movement after the infamous Shillong Accord.
Let us not be confused how the Naga political solution go about in the midst of pressing situation. Time and again we have made our stand very sharp and clear that Naga political solution and the Framework Agreement of 3rd August, 2015 cannot stay apart.
Any attempt to seek solution diluting the Framework Agreement is not acceptable. No other agreement that has been signed under the Constitution of India should be brought at the level with Framework Agreement.
We the living should leave no stone unturned to honour the truth of history. We have announced before the world that Nagas stands for sovereign independent nation as declared on 14th August, 1947 and reaffirmed by plebiscite with 99.9 in favour of sovereign naga nation.
This is our democratic rights and dignity. If we fail to defend this historic decision it will do irreversible damage to our time honoured sanctity of Naga history.
Let us take the pledge once again to stand by Framework Agreement that was based on the historic declaration of Naga Independence and Naga Plebiscite.
KUKNALIM
Adinno Phizo, President, Naga National Council
Greetings to all the Nagas on this historic Day. I am immensely grateful to the Almighty God and Nagas for this privilege to address the nation on this momentous occasion of the 75th Naga Voluntary Plebiscite Day. You all must be aware, this year it is remarkable and more precious than the other past Plebiscite Days, that today we are commemorating the 75th Naga Plebiscite Day in the very place (Khuochiezie Playground) where in 1951 on 16th May the Naga Voluntary Plebiscite was inaugurated and commenced the Plebiscite, where the Naga National Council (NNC) office was also located in the vicinity of this playground.
In commemoration of the Naga Plebiscite Day, it is always a time of thanksgiving to the Almighty God for inspiring the Naga leadership of the day, and thereby all Nagas, who enthusiastically participated in the Plebiscite of 1951. This self-determination process of the Nagas to stay independent as in ancient times is definitely an epoch making history of the Nagas. For which, we are gathered together to thank God and all the Nagas who participated in this famous Naga Voluntary Plebiscite, drawing strength from them we celebrate the day to strengthen us more.
Even before we could be as knowledgeable and innovative as we are today, the Divine has guided us through our honest and clear-headed Nagas to chart our destiny as a family and a free nation much before the Plebiscite had taken place. With the end of British colonialism in the Naga Hills, the Nagas under the banner of the Naga National Council declared the independence of Nagaland on the 14th of August, 1947.
On formal declaration of Naga Independence, India started propagating that “the talk of Naga Independence is the voice of only a few educated Nagas.” As such, Naga National Council felt the need to really show the stand and wishes of the Nagas to India and the rest of the world called for a Voluntary Plebiscite.
In order to be fair and transparent, India was informed about our intention, and invited India to send its observer. As a result of the invitation, India sent its Intelligent Chief Mr. B.N. Mullik. Who came to Kohima to observe the Plebiscite proceedings. And later commented to NNC President Phizo “you have already won. I am surprised to see your people, they are so disciplined and so happy even in such a big meeting.”
However, notwithstanding our declaration and Plebiscite, India imposed her first general election upon the Nagas in 1952. The Nagas stood by their declaration on Independence and Plebiscite. Hence, no Naga participated in India’s first general election and all the ballot boxes were returned empty. This unilateral and unanimous act of the Nagas stands as the first strongest singular action of the Nagas to uphold their decision to live as a sovereign nation, for none has bequeathed us to another nation; nor had we wavered in our decision to live as an independent nation.
Nevertheless, it is astounding and ridiculous to witness, for a fact, that even after all the Nagas had legally established themselves as a sovereign nation, India invaded Nagaland in the year 1955 with full military might. Herein lies the Indo-Naga problem. Therefore, be it known that the Indo-Naga problem is not a political problem or a socio-economic problem, but a bilateral problem involving two nations wherein, India had aggressed and invaded Sovereign Nagaland and continues to illegally occupy it.
Be it known hence, our defence of our country is not a freedom movement to gain or demand freedom from someone, but rather a struggle of defending what has already been bequeathed to us; that is our freedom and sovereignty as established by the declaration of independence and ratified by our Plebiscite. Ours is not a struggle to break free from someone’s yoke but to continue to be free to carry on with our own yoke, our inheritance, legally passed down to us on that fateful day of our national Plebiscite on the 16th of May, 1951.
Heretofore, our predecessors have stood their ground in upholding our Plebiscite and national principles both in ink and in blood. All of us have contributed in the building of our Nation and some may have gone awry; but I am sure our intentions were good and I am aware that inspite of all our differences of opinions, the fact remains that we are one as a sovereign nation by the very act or our National Plebiscite.
Hence it is my earnest wish that we do not devastate our present and our future by trampling on the foundation that our forbearers have built and established for us in the form and spirit of the Naga National Council. It is for us to work together to uphold the decisions we have made for ourselves, regardless of the differences of opinions we may have; for it is not by emotions, but by facts of history that we have come this far.
May God bless Nagaland.
Urra Uvie : Our Land Belongs To Us.
Senka Ao, President, NNC
Greetings Message on the 75th Naga Plebiscite Day
On this historic day of the 75th Naga Plebiscite Day, I extend my greetings to each one of you in the name of our Almighty God. This day stands as a towering testament to the resolute will of our Naga political struggle, when, on May 16, 1951, under the visionary leadership of the Naga National Council (NNC), -united in purpose and spirit- articulated our inalienable right to self-determination through an unprecedented democratic expression declaring to India and the international community: We are Nagas, a sovereign people, committed to the path of self-determination. The 1951 Plebiscite was never a referendum on accession to India, for the question of integration into the Indian Union had no basis in our political reality. Rather, it
was an emphatic assertion of our national identity and inherent sovereignty. The outcome— 99.9% in favour of independence—was not a statistical anomaly but the unequivocal voice of the Naga people asserting our right to exist as a free and independent nation.
On this defining moment in our history, we pay homage to the indomitable legacy of A.Z. Phizo, the Father of the Naga Nation and President of the NNC, for his unwavering commitment to the Naga national movement. Under his leadership, the Plebiscite was conducted in strict adherence to democratic principles, with transparency and integrity. We owe a lasting debt, for he not only consolidated our collective aspirations but also internationalized the Naga struggle for self-determination.
The 1951 Plebiscite was neither clandestine nor ambiguous. It was a conscious and open declaration of our political aspirations, undertaken with full transparency and prior notification to the Government of India, in two formal communications addressed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in January and March 1951, respectively. These missives clearly outlined the intent of the Naga people to determine our own political future through peaceful and democratic means. The NNC also extended an invitation to the Government of India to send official observers to witness the Plebiscite. In response, the Indian press (Hindoostan Standard) and B.N. Mullick, a senior officer from the Indian Intelligence Bureau, came as observers, further affirming the legitimacy and openness of the process. The Plebiscite’s outcome, a resounding endorsement of Naga independence, was not merely a symbolic gesture but a definitive mandate that closed the door to any negotiation within the constitutional framework of any external power. It was a clarion call to the world that we, the Naga people, having distinct historical, cultural, and political identity, would not acquiesce to subjugation but would steadfastly pursue our rightful place among the world community to live as a free nation. The Plebiscite was our answer to India’s refusal to acknowledge our declaration of independence on August 14, 1947. It was our non-violent plea to the world: See us, hear us, respect us as a nation.
As we reflect on this historic day, let us pray that God spares us from becoming victims of imperialism and that He guides us to a future where Nagaland shines as a sovereign nation, free and equal among the nations of the world.
Thepushuyi Keyho, President, NNC
Naga Plebiscite Day Message
My dear fellow Nagas, on behalf of the Naga National Council I convey my greetings and best wishes to the Naga people on this historic ‘Naga Plebiscite Day’. I also give all glory and honour to our almighty God who is our defender and protector.
On this day of May 16, Naga National Council(NNC) organised the historic event, the Voluntary Plebiscite of 1951, which was conducted by the NNC under the leadership of Dr. A.Z Phizo, the then President of NNC, where 99% of the Nagas showed an overwhelming majority in favour of sovereignty.It was a time when Naga people exercised their right to self-determination, boldly exerting their identity and aspiration for sovereignty.
Therefore, NNC urges all the Nagas to come in to one accord, respecting and honouring what our predecessors achieved on this day the 16th May by showing to the world that Nagas are an independent nation and that Nagas do not want to live under any other nations be it now or even in the future. We also salute them for opening wider doors for the greater good of the coming generation. We are grateful to our pioneer leaders for their fore-seeing thinking and courage.
Nagas were sovereign and independent even before the British settlement.Thereby, Naga Plebiscite of 1951 was conducted, an event that sought the people’s desire to live as a free nation as before and not to joined the Indian Union.NNC will never accept to live under the Indian constitution nor acknowledge any agreement to accept the Indian Constitution.
The then President NNC Dr. A. Z Phizo, who is regarded as the father of the Naga Nation played a crucial role in shaping the Naga Independence Movement. A. Z Phizo’s ideology was grounded in belief that Naga people have an inherent right to self-determination based on their unique cultural and historical identity. He argued that the Nagas are never part of Indian and that their forced inclusion in the Indian Union is a violation to their fundamental rights. He advocate for a peaceful but firm stance on Naga Sovereignty.
Therefore, our commitment to the principle of NNC and to Democracy, Justice, Equality and our stand on the Naga Plebiscite of 16th May 1951 has been the guiding light, steering us towards liberty.
As we celebrate the ‘Naga Plebiscite Day’ and look towards the future let us reaffirm our commitment to unity. Let us strive to bridge the gaps that divide us to confront the challenges that lie ahead with unwavering resolve and to build a brighter tomorrow for generation to come.
Kuknalim!