The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) in a press release on Friday asserted, “Under the given situation where the focus of the talks with the GoI (Government of India) is now mainly on Naga flag and Naga constitution (Yehzabo), it has become an exigent concern to dwell deeper on Framework Agreement lest reckless interpretation comes into play to find an escape route.”
The NSCN-IM statement contended, “The recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas by the GoI on July 11, 2002 is a political milestone in the Indo-Naga political negotiations,” According to the statement, it came after five years of tough talking for the NSCN negotiators to drive home the point from the historical perspective. “The political significance of the recognition of the uniqueness of Naga history is that before or after the declaration of Naga Independence on 14th August, 1947, Nagas have never taken a single step to join the Union of India, either by conquest or consent. NSCN respects GoI for accepting historical fact in order to take forward the Indo-Naga political talks to a meaningful level,” it added.
NSCN-IM maintained that GoI “accepts” the universal principle that in democracy ‘sovereignty’ lies with the people. The press release reminded that Naga people exercised their sovereign option on 16 May, 1951 when NNC (Naga National Council) conducted Naga plebiscite where 99.99 % voted in favour of sovereign Naga independence. “Respecting each other’s position, shared sovereignty was defined in the competencies,” it continued. “Accordingly, how certain part of Naga sovereignty and vice versa was to be shared with union of India was defined in the competencies,” declared the statement. With this arrangement, NSCN-IM is confident that it will provide for an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful coexistence of the two entities.
The statement continued, “In the talks that followed, an understanding was reached that “enduring inclusive” was for lasting relationship of all the Nagas including other factions to be included in the Framework Agreement.” For NSCN-IM, “New relationship” implies that old relation of violent confrontation will end once for all, and new relationship of two entities pertains to peaceful coexistence of the two entities. The note also maintained that “the Framework Agreement is not far off for any layman to understand, that the identity of one is not dismissed, lost or demeaned in any manner that defines peaceful coexistence of two entities.” NSCN-IM also affirmed that they had stoutly defended their political identity.
The statement further reiterated, “It should be understood that Framework Agreement that speaks of the unique history of the Naga people and their sovereign independence identity embraces the flag and constitution.” NSCN-IM emphasized that there is no scope provided to have separate talk on Naga flag and constitution.
The press note alleged that by having separate talk on flag and constitution, GoI is sending a wrong signal that is not in sync with the Framework Agreement. “GoI should not undo its commitment and backtrack from the Framework Agreement by distorting what has been agreed upon,” it noted. “Even the appointment of the then Interlocutor as Nagaland state Governor is believed to have been deliberately done with the sinister design to undo his own signature from the Framework Agreement,” it further alleged.
“NSCN, is however, committed to sticking to the Framework Agreement to solve Indo-Naga political issue,” affirmed NSCN-IM. According to the statement, the sticking point is, in total contradiction with the Framework Agreement RN Ravi gave misleading report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee. “Such reports that are not connected with any agreement with the NSCN Negotiating team have now become the source of soreness in the Indo-Naga political talks,” the press release concluded.