G20 Summit – 2023, Kohima
Camp: Kohima, Nagaland
5th April, 2023
An urgent call for action by the international community in the Naga political issue. (India, Naga, and Myanmar – erstwhile Burma).
Taking this rare opportunity of the G20 Summit at Kohima, the United Naga Council (UNC) on behalf of the Naga People in the state of Manipur would like to reiterate our desired political aspiration for translation into political reality for the ends of lasting and durable peace in the region. Keeping in mind the fluidity of situation arising out of a deadlock of the talk between the Government of India (GoI) and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), the following resolutions were adopted during the course of the Naga People’s Consultative Meeting on political issue on 25th March, 2023 at Tahamzam, Southern Nagalim.
The Naga people present for the Naga people’s Consultative Meeting on Naga political issue in great earnest and deep concern deliberated the more than seven decades of Naga political conflict with India and Myanmar (erstwhile Burma).
The Naga people’s consultative meeting on Naga political issue discussed the current Indo-Naga political negotiation between the GoI and the NSCN and seriously viewed that in the event of the breakdown of the political negotiation, the situation in Nagalim will escalate into a full-fledged armed conflict.
The Naga people’s consultative meeting on Naga political issue concluded that the Nagas represented by the NSCN entered into a political negotiation with the Gol respecting democratic norms for resolving the issue through political negotiation. During the political negotiation, the unique history and situation of the Nagas was recognised on July 11, 2002 and on August 3, 2015 the ‘historic’ Indo-Naga Framework Agreement (FA) was signed based on the foundation of sovereignty of the Nagas. It has been more than seven years since the signing of the FA but today, the fate of the agreement hangs in balance as the commitment of the GoI fluctuates wildly every now and then by refusing to acknowledge the Naga National Flag and Constitution. From the Prime Minister level talks and without pre-condition, the Gol is now side-tracking the Indo-Naga political issue into its “internal law and order” issue.
The Naga people’s consultative meeting on Naga political issue also recognized that Naga-Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) conflict is on account of the Nagas’ refusal to join the Union of Burma and hence, they did not sign the Panglong Agreement of February 12, 1947.
Therefore, the Naga people convened for the Naga people’s consultative meeting on Naga political issue at Tahamzam, Southern Nagalim adopted the following resolutions:
1. To call upon the Government of India (GoI) to implement in letter and spirit the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement, wherein sovereignty is the cornerstone and the Naga national flag and constitution must be acknowledged.
2. The integration of Naga territories is the inherent birthright of the Naga people, wherever they are. We, therefore, call upon India and Myanmar to remove all artificial national and international state boundaries that has divided the Naga territories.
3. We condemn the GoI dubious and questionable method of accusing the negotiating party, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), as a “Terror organisation” after the November 18, 2002, Milan, Italy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) discontinued the ban on the NSCN under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and while the NSCN leadership is having political negotiation with the GoI in India on the official invitation of the Government of India through the Amsterdam Joint communique of July 11, 2002.
4. Naga people’s consultative meeting on Naga political issue observed that the GoI has deliberately made a U-turn from the current Indo-Naga political dialogue. Unless, serious, and renewed efforts are made to break the impasse, it will threaten regional and international instability.
5. We, therefore, seek international third-party intervention in resolving the present impasse between the GoI and the NSCN because there is trust deficit between the negotiating parties.
Place: Senapati Tahamzam
Date: 5th April, 2023
(Vareiyo Shatsang)
General Secretary
United Naga Council (UNC)
(NG. Lorho)
President
United Naga Council (UNC)
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