The All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) had come out strongly against the government of Manipur notification with reference to the meeting on August 7 chaired by the Chief Secretary, government of Manipur directing all headmen of villages to hoist “national flag” on August 15 to mark the 75th Independence Day of India and called the directive a matter of great concern.
In a press release issued by Thiirtung Wanglar, President, ANSAM and AC. Thotso, General Secretary stated ANSAM representing the collective voice of all Naga students and youth in Manipur must put squarely, that until and unless Government of India (GOI) fully implement the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 signed between GOI and NSCN/GPRN in letter and spirit, the Nagas living in Manipur state would not extend co-operation in celebrating the 75th Independence day of India. This strange notification amounts to complete denial of the present Indo-Naga political situation. It is unprecedented that the government of Manipur is resorting to such cheap political tactics to suppress the decades old Naga people’s movement for right to self determination, the release mentioned.
Indeed, the government of Manipur is well aware of the history that the GoI has duly recognized Naga political aspirations as “unique” and reaffirmed the same. The student body appeals for peace and understanding and not intimidation. People have sacrificed 75 years of Naga history to a conflict they did not create and will continue to sacrifice in the years to come. It is matter of question if the GoI expect the Nagas to respect and honour India’s National Flag in the lands when there is no reciprocal treatment to the Naga National Flag and asked if it is the way to find an honourable political solution. “It must be clear to everyone by now that the Naga people struggle and sacrifice for decades on so many levels because our political rights and identity is core to our very existence. Therefore, such directive or order is unacceptable to the Naga people. The true spirit of joining in celebrating India’s independence can happen only after mutually agreed FA is honoured by the GoI,” the student body stated.
ANSAM said it “truly believes in peaceful co-existence of India and Nagalim as two entities for all time to come. Any order or direction that imposes any conditions on the Nagas against their will is certainly neither the wish or command of Mahatma Gandhiji- father of the nation nor accepted by the Nagas. Therefore, as a mark of protest against the imposition of celebrating India’s independence, the ANSAM expresses our resentment and call for non-cooperation towards the celebration of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence Day.”
Accordingly, the ANSAM has directed all its constituent units to enforce non-cooperation to the celebration of the forthcoming 75th Independence Day of India on August 15 within their respective jurisdiction.
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