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MOKOKCHUNG — The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) commemorated the 77th Naga Independence Day by organising a programme here at the AKM’s office premises on Monday.
The programme commenced with the AKM president Lanutoshi Aier hoisting the Naga flag in the presence of student leaders and others.
Professor Lanusashi of Nagaland University, the theme speaker of the event, said that the Naga flag symbolises “nationalism, dignity and freedom.”
The professor informed that the Hydari Agreement (June 1947) between Sir Akbar Hydari and the Naga National Council (NNC), categorically mentioned that after a period of 10 years, “Naga will be free to decide their future.”
However, Lanusashi alleged that in 1949 Gopinath Bordoloi arbitrarily destroyed the agreement.
He also informed that the 14 August 1947 declaration of Naga independence was tabled to the United Nations (UN) and that the UN had acknowledged the declaration.
“This is to be noted that in the history of their struggle, the Naga have never demanded independence or sovereignty from any authority,” he added.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]He went on to state that in the Naga plebiscite conducted on May 16, 1951, 99.9 per cent of Naga people voted for a free Nagaland, and even rejected Indian elections in 1951, 1956 and 1998 stating “We want solution, not election.”
Diving deeper into the history, Lanusashi said that in 1954, the Assam police and Indian Army started military campaigns in Nagaland by enforcing the Assam Disturbed Act 1955 and AFSPA 1958.
Between 1956 and 1958, 648 Naga villages were completely burned down and destroyed and by 1960, the Indian Security forces increased to 2 lakh personnel as against the Naga population of 3.69 lakh, he said.
He alleged that around three to four lakh Nagas were killed in the Naga freedom movement by the so-called "Friends of the hills people/ sati laga forces/ Good Samaritan/ Army Development Group (ADG), Military Civil Action (MCA)," the latest being the Oting incident in December 2021.
The academician pointed out that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Declaration on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), affirm that people have the rights to self-determination and that the remaining colonial countries should promote its realisation.
He further informed that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007, recognises the indigenous people's right to self-determination in its entirety — political, economic, social and cultural.
In this connection, Lanusashi said that India cannot run away from its commitment and declaration to the world and its claim to be the champion of democracy.
“Solution must be based on historical, political and UN framework. Recognising the inherent rights of the Nagas, peaceful coexistence and good neighbours. Our flag must be recognised by all including India and Burma. It must fly in dignity, equity and freedom,” he added.