Dennis Zeliang speaks at consultative meeting of leaders

Today I am really privileged to be in the midst of our Naga National Leaders to discuss, the Naga of common interest being subject of common concern. Which need collective and co-operative approach to reach a conclusion in regard to the complex burning Naga Issue.
There, if we all have self confidence and determination to make an aching efforts success is ours. Our aims and objective must be very clear regarding our stands yesterday ought to be the same today. We must know our strength and weaknesses. Let us minimize our weakness and increased our strength and concentrate on our destination Let us convert the challenges into opportunities. With self control and adjustability, tolerance and accommodating nature seeking no excuses, without complaint of this and that be in full command of yourself. It is a test of your qualities of leadership.So now, let us penetrate deep into our main Naga Issue. We cannot shift truth from untruth. It must be based on realities. We must know the past, the present, and the latest.
Dear Leaders, Naga Issue it the outcome of the non-fulfillment of 9 points agreement which was signed between the GOI represented by Sir Akbar Hydari the then Governor of Assam and Sir Gophinath Bodoloi the then Premiere of Assam on behalf of Govt of India on one side and Naga people represented by the then Naga National Council on the other during a meeting held between them from 27th to 29th June 1947 at Kohima. Several times the Naga overground leaders have brought this historical fact to the notice of the GOI that insurgency in Nagaland emendates due to Non-Fulfillment of 9 points honorable agreement by the GOI with the Naga leaders since 1947.
The 9 points agreement clearly indicate • That the right of the Nagas to developed themselves according to their freely expressed wishes is recognized.
Land – That the land with all its resources in the Naga Hills should not be alienated to a non Naga without the consent of the Naga council.
Boundaries – that present administrative divisions should be modified so as to bring back into the Naga hills district all the forest transferred to the Sibsagar and Nagaon District in the past and to bring under one unified administrative unit as far as possible. All the areas so included would be within the scope of the present proposed agreement. No areas should be transferred out of the Naga Hills without the consent of the Naga Council•
This fact cannot be compromise and the GOI cannot shift its responsibility to the state Govt for demarcation of boundary.
As such the Naga National workers who are in cease fire talk with GOI is in a strong position to reiterate that the non-fulfillment of the commitment of GOI is the main reason which lead to the unilateral plebiscite of may 16, 1951. Therefore it is proper to guide both the national workers and the GOI to arrive at acceptable solution based on historical realities.
And any attempt to deviate from this historical fact will lead to further agitation by the Naga people based on this legal and political rights deriving out of the agreement.
The GOI would be doing justice, if this matter is first resolved before proceeding to other issues instead of attempting to shift the matter to the state Govt or civil societies• The arrival of Mr Ravi interlocutor alongwith the visit of PM is an opportunity to inform him to what extent the Naga People are aware of their legal rights.
We know that the IBI has all along been trying to cover-up this lapse of the GOI as clearly evidenced in the meeting of GOI with the leaders of Naga Public Conference in 1960. This is clearly indicated in a book “My years with Jawaharlal Nerhu” by Mr Mallick. Therefore to speak of “amicable settlement”, “Give and take” or “ground reality” on Nagaland Assam border will be simply falling into the trap of IBI. After all how can the GOI having failed to carry out its own offer have decided to ask the view of the state Govt and the views of the Naga Civil societies after 67 years. This has to be understood as an attempt to falsify the historical truth by the IBI, because at no point of time the agreement has been abrogated by any party except by statements of few individuals which cannot be/construed/as/legal.
• Now if everybody agrees to this Naga historical truth, no one faction can claim precedence over the others since all are the offshoot of the original NNC which came to existence in 1946. We do not believe in parties hence a single party should stand for the Naga cause.
• There will also be no occasion to accuse or point of finger by one against another among the Naga family. All factional / groups are the product of divide and rule policy of our common adversary.
• It is unfortunate that for a long period of time we have been prevented from seeing the truth. But now the time has come for us to look back to our historical past and create a new vision for present and future unity.
• Let us therefore stand together at this hour on this fact and move ahead for the future prosperity of the Naga everywhere.
In conclusion following is suggested:-
Everyone has a right to his own thoughts but no idea will supersede the thought of God. The Naga issue like every other issue must follow the commandments of God. The word of God clearly tells us to remember your past and think carefully where you have gone wrong and repent and obey all the commandment of God and do things that are pleasing to God and only then you will receive what you are praying for.
1. It was not wrong for our forefathers to ask the then British Govt to leave us out of the proposed India Union for they instinctively knew that to be brought under the teeming millions of Indian under the present system without any protection will deprive the Nagas of their basic rights and even livelihood because Indians cannot be trusted.
2. Realising the feeling of the Nagas the then Interim GOI under Nerhru offered protection to the Naga’s rights including return of all Lands transferred out by the then British govt and to amalgamate all Naga tribes under one administrative unit. Accordingly, believing the GOI to fulfill its promises the then NNC agreed to join the India Union under the 9 pts Agreement.
3. But because the GOI has signally failed to fulfill its commitment in time and this has led the Naga to fight for independent Hence the present Naga issue.
In view of the above, any solution to the Naga issue, must be on reciprocal basis. On one hand the Naga’s should cease fighting and on the other hand GOI be obligated to fulfill all its commitments made earlier as per written agreements and return all the historical Naga territories to Nagaland and amalgamate all the Naga tribes under one Administrative unit.

Dennis Zeliang
People Concern Forum