Veteran Naga leader and former governor and chief minister Dr. S.C. Jamir regretted that over the years, the 16 Point Agreement that formed the basis for creation of Nagaland, had been scorned and maligned by vested interests, including those who were enjoying the fruits of Statehood.
Speaking at the “At Home” programme hosted by governor RN Ravi at Raj Bhavan here on Sunday, Jamir maintained that being one of the pioneers of the State, he felt it was the right forum and occasion to reveal some truths and achievements of Naga People’s Convention (NPC) which has been suppressed till today.
He regretted that some people were inclined to apply distorted logic, analyse half-cooked information to draw faulty conclusions on matters requiring detailed and meticulous understanding .
As the lone living signatory to the 16 Point Agreement, 1960, Jamir said it was his bounden duty to place on record the undeniable reality how NPC had dedicatedly endeavoured to create a favourable political environment by lucidly highlighting the foundational basis of the legitimate demands and long-felt political aspirations of the Naga people before Government of India.
Jamir said that the 16-Point Agreement of 1960 was evolved after exhaustive and widespread deliberations by the representatives of the 16 tribes of Nagaland, and is a prominent milestone in the chequered political history of the Nagas. He also said the Act was conceptualized and drafted very consciously and judiciously, factoring all prevailing exigent and strenuous socio-political realities so as to act as a basis for an honourable resolution to the vexed Naga problem and included Article 371 (A) as one of the most important demands during the negotiations with Prime Minister of India in 1960.
Jamir urged the younger generation, especially young political leaders of the State, to understand how and why NPC emerged in the Naga political scenario so that a true perspective could emerge regarding the ideas, ethos, activities and goals of NPC.
According to Jamir, there were only two options for NPC during that time– either to surrender and remain as district under Assam or find an alternative to safeguard the political entity of the Nagas. He said NPC opted for the second option, due to which there was now an elected government to shape “our future according to our choice and design”.
He appealed to the Nagas, leaders in particular, to bury their hatchets and reinvent, redesign and revolutionise in true Christian spirit the new Nagaland to measure up to the sanctity of the declaration of “our” churches “Nagaland for Christ” since the Nagas were at the threshold of a new dawn for a united, peaceful and progressive Nagaland.
“0nly those who are in the dark night can see the stars. Similarly those who were actively involved in the situation of the time know the full story,” he remarked.