The Speech of Yilow Humtsoe the President of the Naga National Council (Parent Body) on the Auspicious Occasion of the 78th Naga Independence Day Celebration

Dear Naga people,

I on behalf of the Naga National Council (Parent Body) on this auspicious occasion of our Independence Day extend our warm greetings to all the people in the Homeland in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world. The Nagas have every right to be an independent country as declared democratically as a people and nation on 14th August 1947 for which  the cable message was officially dispatched by the NNC which was  officially acknowledged by the United Nations Organisation. The Naga Independence Day was declared one day ahead of India’s Independence declaration of 15th August 1947 which is a historical and political fact. Hence, the Nagas as a whole were and are a democratic people and nation by political rights and history.

The Naga freedom as a people and nation was first recognised by the United Kingdom (British Government) through a Political Act of 1935 called “Naga Hills Excluded Area” which still stands tall as a Political Act passed by the British India. This political right cannot be overlooked as it was an Act enacted and adopted by the British-India Parliament, and hence this Political Right must be officially accepted by both the present day United Kingdom Government and the Government of India in particular to solve and settle the 7 decade long political problem of the Naga people.

Till date the Naga people have been denied their democratic rights by the Government of India who have been practising the divide and rule policy which is quite evident and well known by the world at large. However, the political situations around the world are now rapidly changing, and political upheavals are erupting so often around India (Bharat) by all the neighbouring countries in the recent past. The present situation in Bangladesh is a prime example that political suppression and oppression ultimately leads to a point of explosion where people’s rights and victory becomes inevitable, this has been proven all throughout history around the world.

The Naga People’s democratic and legitimate rights have been oppressed and suppressed by the Government of India for almost eight decades now, Independence is long overdue and we hope to see better days of freedom in reality.

As the Parent Body of the Naga people rooted in the principles of Non-Violence we the NNC will always stand for peace and Naga National Unity to achieve our freedom of sovereignty upholding the interest of the entire people in the region. And this has been the core national principle from the very inception of our political movement for freedom of sovereignty.

Today, I must once again urge all the factions to come forward without any reservation or exclusivity for Naga National Unity and settlement which is the urgent call of the people.

I also want to address the most prevalent issue confronting the people in the Homeland at present which is the ever growing number of factions, this must be dealt with seriously and collectively. Those so called leaders who were previously condemned and expelled time and again on grounds of betrayal and wrongdoings must not be counted or included as faction/group, the people and concerned agencies should refrain from including such group or groups for the best interest of the people and Homeland, and so to contain factionalism from growing further and to focus on our freedom as we called and stood for.

We once again reiterate our stand as we have done several times before regarding taxation and extortion, that we have always been and still is against such activities. Therefore we must say again to the people and NGOs concerned not to include or club the NNC (Parent Body) along with the other factions (groups) in the matter of taxation as we have never been involved.

In conclusion the NNC once again urge all the people to stand and speak unequivocally for the whole and all Naga inhabited areas as NNC declared in the inception of the Naga political movement for freedom. Therefore we stand firmly for the whole and all Naga people.

KUKNALIM.