The Nagas in the Eastern region has vehemently denounced the recent actions taken by the Government of India, characterised by an oppressive decision to fence and bifurcate Naga villages, fields, and farmlands between India and Myanmar, a statement by Naga Students’ Organisation (Sagaing Region Office, Myanmar) has said in a condemnation note issued on Saturday over the controversial Free Movement Regime move by GoI.
The Lahe Declaration: Our Unyielding Resolve for Naga Sovereignty
The Naga Students’ Organisation maintained that GoI move, “purportedly justified through divisive policies, stands as a flagrant violation of Naga sovereignty, tracing back to time immemorial. The imaginary border imposed in 1953 by India and Myanmar within the heart of Naga Land remains unrecognized and illegal to the Naga people, as well as the global community. The Naga people, steeped in the struggle for freedom from the invasive clutches of India and Myanmar, assert that Nagas fight for self-determination is resolute, unwavering, and will persist until the People’s aspirations are realized.”
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The Free Movement Regime (FMR), unilaterally established by India and Myanmar, is neither acknowledged nor accepted by the Nagas. Any attempt by the governments in Delhi and Naypyidaw to control the free movement of the Naga people within their homeland will face fierce opposition and robust retaliation. The Nagas staunchly assert their inherent right to move freely across their fields, farmlands, and villages without the imposition of passports or visas.
The decision emanating from Delhi has drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters. The Naga student’s Organization (NSO) firmly believes that India, being a signatory to the Universal Human Rights Law, should reconsider its actions and allow the Naga people the freedom to make choices and live unencumbered.
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Furthermore, the NSO strongly condemns the statements made by Eno Imkong L Imchen and Temjen Imna Along regarding the FMR. The integrity of these individuals are questioned, and clarification is sought on whether they have compromised Naga rights to curry favor with the BJP government, potentially marking them as traitors in the annals of Naga history.
The Nagas under Myanmar-occupied Nagaland view themselves as victims of the Naga National cause, and any such statements from people’s representatives are deemed deeply shocking and intolerable. The Nagas in the East, who have stood true to their common goals alongside their brethren in the West, make it unequivocally clear that any betrayal will not be forgiven by their ancestors for generations to come.
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In solidarity with Naga Organizations that have condemned Delhi’s divisive policies, the Nagas under Myanmar-occupied Nagaland call upon all Naga Civil Societies and Leaders, especially those on Indian-occupied Naga Land, to unite and oppose any laws that threaten the rights of the Naga people. United, the Nagas shall overcome someday.
This condemnation echoes the Lahe Declaration, a testament to the collective will and determination of the Naga people in Eastern Naga Land, reflecting their unwavering commitment to the promotion of their cultural identity, territorial integrity, and the pursuit of peace within the Naga Homeland.
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