67th Republic Day Speech By Brig. (Retd) S. Singnya, Kedahge, Federal Government of Nagaland on 22nd March, 2022
My beloved Country Men and Women,
On this historic occasion of the 67th Naga Republic Day, I greet you all in the name of our Almighty God. It is indeed a great opportunity and a privilege to address you on this red letter day of our nation. At the very outset, I pay my homage and respect to the Founding Fathers of our Nation through whose vision and far sightedness our Nation became a Republic based on the Historical and Political Rights of the Nagas. Our journey thus far has not been easy but our struggle has withstood the test of time.
It was in 1956 on this day the 22nd of March that Nagaland became a Republic when the Naga National Council convened the First Tatar Hoho which brought together the Free Nagas represented by the Hongki Government and the Naga National Council representing the then Naga Hills District leading to the establishment of the Federal Government of Nagaland. With the National Mandate entrusted to them in 1951 and acknowledging that the Almighty God alone is the Supreme Sovereign over this whole world, and the authority of the people to be exercised on the territory is a sacred trust from God, our leaders established our National institution based on the modern principles and ideals of Democracy, Justice, Liberty and Fraternity.
Today while commemorating 67 years of our existence as a Republic, as we celebrate the courage and vision of our pioneers who had guided and contributed to the formation of our nation, we also rededicate ourselves to follow in their footsteps, to focus on what we all hold dear to our hearts and to address the issues that are confronting us as a people and a nation.
We need to move forward in the best way possible to achieve our goal and follow the path till our historical rights find full expression. Rights, whether it be birth right or historical rights or political
rights will not change anything until those rights are legitimately established. Naga nationalism was founded on courage, the courage to believe that Nagas are different and unique as a people and as a nation, founded on the historical and political reality of the time. We must travel back in time to the distant past to reclaim our rights that was declared in unity and trust and struggle together with pride and dignity. We strongly believe that there is a future before us and that it is waiting for those who are morally strong, determined and resolute enough to make it their own.
The NNC/FGN firmly believes that Unity is Strength and the need of the hour for the Nagas is to unite and to stand united against all odds for the Naga Cause and pursue the clarion call of the Nation with one voice. The NNC/FGN as a part and parcel of the NNPGs continues to support the Working Committee of the NNPGs for an honourable solution the Indo- Naga Political problem based on the historical and political rights of the Nagas, the political dialogue for which was concluded on 31st October 2019.
The NNC/FGN strongly feels that it is the bounden duty of all right thinking Nagas to give refuge and humanitarian aids wherever necessary to our hapless Myanmar Naga brethren who in order to save themselves from the intolerable persecutions and human rights violations of the Myanmar army and their desire to uphold their belief in the Democratic Principles, have crossed the borders and are now in different parts of the Naga inhabited areas.
I pray that God will give us the grace and wisdom to be patient in times of hardship and to guide us in times of hardship as we journey forward. Happy Republic Day.
May God bless you all and KUKNALIM
