Kohima: Forty three years ago, on this day the 9th of September 1978, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) was formed; based on the universal belief that “violation of human rights in any part of the world is a threat to the human race as a whole and protection and promotion of human rights anywhere is a concern of all”, at a time in history when the entire Naga population was under atrocious and senseless Indian military repression where survival was considered a priceless gift.
An organised struggle was therefore launched through this formation, to expose to the world and to the Indian people themselves, how the Government of India through its military occupation of the Naga homeland has destroyed and devastated life, properties, territories and every essence of humanity through acts of genocide. This movement has thus far, by the Grace of God and the goodwill of the people, surpassed threats and intimidations, critics, isolations, disinformation and all kinds of divisive elements which hunts and persecute us from both within and without.
And we continue to draw our strengths and inspirations from solidarity groups and committed individuals and intellectuals from fellow travellers of the Indian sub-continent, who stood by our cause right from the inception of the movement till today even at the cost of not only being misunderstood but are being persecuted by the powers that be for “being our friends”. The many struggling Indigenous peoples of the World across the globe with whom we share our stories and draw inspirations from theirs too, and their undaunted solidarity to our movement ensures that we hold true to the paths of our collective struggles, as the various United Nations mechanisms and International human rights bodies empathizes and nurture our sentiments to the best of their ability.
On this 43rd year of NPMHR Founding Day, we re-dedicate and re-affirm our commitment to the 11-Point Charter of Declaration, and further assert our “right to live together as a people and the unification of all Naga lands”.
NPMHR also believe on the sanctity of our ancestors who through their unpolluted sense of wisdom had asked the British colonials, to “leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in ancient times” through the memorandum of the Naga Club that was submitted on January 10, 1929.
(NPMHR)