Message of Gen. (Retd.) Viyalie Metha, Kedahge, Federal Government of Nagaland on the 78th Nagaland Independence  Day, 14th August, 2024

Dear Countrymen,

I thank the Almighty God for enabling us to celebrate this historical day of our Nation. It is by the grace of God alone. And I pay my unfathomable respect to those national leaders who took the right decision at the right time and who had sacrificed their lives and their all for the right cause of our Nation.  I therefore, call upon each and every Naga citizen to celebrate this historic day of our Nation in appropriate manner with due humility towards God.   

As we celebrate this landmark of our national day, let us look back to the facts that were legally laid down by our past leaders. It was the fact that the Nagas declared the age-old independence on 14th August 1947 before India was set free by the British. It was the fact that the Nagas conducted plebiscite on May 16, 1951. It was conducted to clear the doubt on the formal declaration of the age-old Naga independence by the neighbouring community, India and to show the position of the Nagas to the world. It was the fact that the Naga people made the Lakhuti Resolution on 27th April, 1955 which still stands to judge those who violate the Resolution. It was the fact that the Nagas established the Naga National Government on 22nd March 1956 called the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN).   

God gave us Nagaland. Hence our past leaders courageously defended it and firmly laid down all the legal foundations so that none can destroy or take away our rights. Now it is for us to live and enjoy the fruits of our heritage that was handed down to us by our forefathers and also it is our responsibility to protect, preserve and nurture our heritage, and the true legacy that was handed down to us by our forefathers should not be forgotten.

But in contrary, some self-centred Naga intellectuals along with pseudo nationalists and renegade groups trying to mislead our people under the cover of holding stage-managed, the so-called peace talks with India till today without any outcome.  

On the part of our Nation by the grace of God the Naga National Council (NNC) and the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) had peacefully and successfully celebrated the Platinum Jubilees in 2021 and 2022 respectively at Chedema. So my dear countrymen let us continue to seek God’s mercy by counting His uncountable blessings in every step of our lives and upon the Naga Nation. And I appeal our people to humble ourselves before God, forsaking all sorts of malice and evil practices but truly repent to God. And it is my prayers that may the Almighty God forgive our sins and send a great revival in our land to revive us again. 

In conclusion, I would like to remind our people again that the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) will continue to uphold the Ceasefire Agreement of 6th September, 1964 between the Government of India (GOI) and the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) with non-violence policy.

May God continue to give us strength to drive away the occupation forces of India from Nagaland.  

May God bless Nagaland. 

KUKNALIM.