Nagas committed to enduring inclusive peaceful co-existence with Indians

Joint Political Statement by Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers’ Association, Naga Students’ Federation, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights, distributed by the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL):

***

Since British colonization, the Naga Peoples have fought for their freedom and self-determination. Naga Tribes united under the Naga National Council to declare independence on August 14, 1947, a day before India’s formal declaration of independence from British rule.

Nagaland's declaration of independence only lasted a day before the Indian government forced its occupation over the Naga peoples’ land as the call and movement for Naga liberation grew in 1952. Under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) 1958, the atrocities against the peoples were institutionalized.
The existing draconian laws, heavy militarization, non-recognition of people's right to ancestral lands and self-determination as Indigenous Peoples, and impunity continue even after several ceasefire agreements and the Peace Accord has been signed.
The International IPMSDL supports the struggle of the Naga Peoples. To achieve peace, we call in addressing the root causes of conflict including the peoples’ right to their land and resources, democratic and political rights, self-determined development and freedom to live their culture and ways of life.
We call the international community to join our long time partner, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights, and the Naga peoples reaffirming their resolve for genuine peace and justice.
The Naga People are an independent indigenous Nation in assertion to which a peaceful and prior informed Plebiscite was conducted in 1951 that resulted in 99.9% in support of our independent status as declared on the 14th of August 1947.
The Indian armed forces have been occupying our land ever since its military aggression in 1954. Our Nation is militarized and subjected to political and social suppression and most dehumanizing oppression. Left with no option but to defend our political, social, religious and economic rights, we have resorted to confront and resist the occupational military forces of India and Burma. This war has ever since continued in the midst of two “Ceasefire”.
We are subjected to live in constant fear and trauma, which is a never ending-nightmare.
Our homes and granaries are vandalized and burned. The armed forces occupy our crop fields, schools, hospitals and make them their camps. Our Churches are desecrated and have been made concentration camps. Our women and daughters are molested and raped. Our wives and daughters are subjected to give birth in public.
Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, the former Secretary General, United Nations, while still holding the Office, had officially acknowledged these violences, destruction, pain and untold sufferings of the Nagas by observing that "there is human rights situation in Nagaland".
Nagas are peace-loving and most humane people with great respect for peaceful co-existence and we courageously defend our dignity as we respect and uphold the dignity of all people exhibited by our great hospitability.
A political dialogue following the Cease Fire Agreement, 1997, is in place and a Framework Agreement, 2015, has been signed by the representatives of the Government of India and the Naga People as the basis to work out the political agreement to resolve the armed confrontation. Although a decade shy of two years is nearly passed, yet the political resoluteness and honorable approach and guarantee on the part of the Government of India remains a dangerous doubt.
We implore upon the International Community to humanly intervene in the violations of human rights in our Naga country, recognize our legitimate political, social, economic and religious rights as enshrined in the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
The Government of India must stop its militarization and military operations. The Indo-Naga political conflict cannot be solved militarily and must be solved politically, as admitted by no less than three Indian Army Generals and others.
The Government of India must honour its word in the Agreement and the Indo-Naga political impasse must be resolved accordingly.
On our part, Nagas have agreed and committed to an “enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities” – between Nagas and Indians.

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