The NSCN-IM said on Monday that its attention has been drawn on the reported finalization of the proposal to create Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in Karbi Anglong.
“What has drawn the attention of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) is the Government of India and state government of Assam finalizing the proposal to create
Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in Karbi Anglong, an agreement to appease the six (6) rebel outfits like Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCKL), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) and three factions of Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT),” said the NSCN-IM in a press statement. “However, historically nothing is far from the truth and no authority should go far enough to override the interests of the Rengma Nagas who are the legitimate owner of the land under the questionable proposition,” it also said, adding, “No wonder, taking cognizance of this historical status, the Rengma issue in Assam constitutes one of the important agendas of Indo-Naga political talks pending final decision”.
The NSCN-IM statement said that land alienation is the major point of conflict in the Northeast, particularly Assam and Nagaland. It also said that there can be little to doubt that this is the creation of history under the colonial rule. The NSCN-IM further said that the issue in focus is Karbi Anglong, erstwhile known as Rengma Hills. The NSCN-IM added that Rengma Hills are made the victims of aggressive influx of outsiders for vested interests. “Nonetheless, their historical status as the true sons of the soil cannot be questioned. For the same reason the Rengma Nagas have a glorious history, vis-à-vis their relations with the Ahoms and the British rulers,” it added.
Significantly, the the NSCN-IM said that the Naga political movement is all about land and people “because land represents economic, political and social power and identity of the people”. The NSCN-IM also said that the Naga people had sacrificed countless lives in the course of the movement. “It is a trail of blood, sweat and tears as no sacrifice comes too big for the Nagas to defend their God’s given lands,” kit added.
Given the sensitive situation in the light of the proposed KAATC, NSCN-IM said that it put on record that it would not accept alienation of Nagas’ ancestral land which is tantamount to undermining the spirit of the Indo-Naga political talks. The NSCN-IM statement also said that the Rengmas are not lost people or immigrants like others in Karbi Anglong. “NSCN, therefore, would not allow the Rengma Nagas to be driven to the edge without considering their historical factual status,” the statement said, adding, “Thus, NSCN makes it loud and clear that any agreement that victimize the Rengma Nagas would not be acceptable to the Nagas in general and to the NSCN in particular”.
NNN