Any agreement that victimises Rengma Nagas won’t be acceptable — NSCN (IM)

Dimapur, June 7 (EMN): Amid talks of the Indian and Assam governments finalising the proposal to create Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in Karbi Anglong, the NSCN (IM) has issued a statement, making it made loud and clear that any agreement that victimises the Rengma Nagas would not be acceptable to the Nagas.

Stating that land alienation, which is a creation of history under the colonial rule, is the major point of conflict in the Northeast, particularly Assam and Nagaland, the NSCN (IM) stated that “Rengma Hills are made the victims of aggressive influx of outsiders for vested interests” but their historical status as the true sons of the soil cannot be questioned, citing Rengma Nagas’ glorious history and their relations with the Ahoms and the British rulers.

“What has drawn the attention of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) is the

Government of India (GoI) and state government of Assam finalising the proposal to create

Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in Karbi Anglong, an agreement to appease the six (6) rebel outfits like Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCKL), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) and three factions of Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT),” read the press release.

“However, historically nothing is far from the truth and no authority should go far enough to override the interests of the Rengma Nagas who are the legitimate owner of the land under the questionable proposition. No wonder, taking cognizance of this historical status, the Rengma issue in Assam constitutes one of the important agendas of Indo-Naga political talks pending final decision,” it added.

It stated that the Naga political movement is all about land and people; countless lives being lost in the course of the movement and “no sacrifice comes too big for the Nagas to defend their God’s given lands”.

“Given the sensitive situation in the light of the proposed KAATC, NSCN put on record that it would not accept alienation of Nagas’ ancestral land which is tantamount to undermining the spirit of the Indo-Naga political talks. The Rengmas are not lost people or immigrants like others in Karbi Anglong. NSCN, therefore, would not allow the Rengma Nagas to be driven to the edge without considering their historical factual status,” the NSCN (IM) stated.