MESSAGE OF ADINNO PHIZO, PRESIDENT, NNC ON THE 72ND ANNIVERSARY OF NAGA PLEBISCITE: 16TH MAY, 2023

On this auspicious Naga Plebiscite day, the 16th May in 1951, we the Nagas as one body, mind and spirit under the Naga National Council (NNC) led by then NNC President AZ Phizo unanimously expressed our self-determination to continue to live as a free and an independent nation. This Naga Plebiscite of 16th May, 1951 was not an event that happened out of the whims and fancies of the Nagas but is backed by legitimate historical facts since ancient times.

Even during the British period, the Nagas had made their stand crystal clear in the 1929 Memorandum to the Simon Commission. Following this, we declared our independence on the 14th of August 1947. To reinforce, affirm and clear any doubts and aspersions of our Declaration of Independence the Naga National Council conducted a national Plebiscite on the 16th of May 1951 with observers from our neighboring country, India. This Plebiscite decided our destiny to continue to live as a free and sovereign nation with the result of 99.9%.

However, in spite of the Plebiscite and historic legitimacy of Nagaland, India chose to invade Nagaland and the Indo-Naga war ensued. Many Nagas have died in this defensive war against a mighty aggressor, professing to be the world’s largest democracy. To this day it baffles one to think that India, the largest democracy, would do such a thing that is completely antithetical to the democracy she professes. This antithetical action of India upon Nagaland belittles the very principles of democracy; it is the rape of the right of sovereign nations. India has legitimate rights to claim Pakistan and Bangladesh which were historically, racially and culturally part of India but does not do so as they have legitimately become by their own right. However, to claim Nagaland which never had any political, cultural, racial or historical relation with India as part of India is a shameful act and an insult to logic and reason. It is comparable to a narcissistic delusional man claiming that all the islands in the ocean belongs to him and then throwing a party in one of the islands by inviting his acquaintances despite the protest of the inhabitants of the island. This is what exactly happened as recent as a few weeks ago with a chapter of the G20 summit being held at Kohima in Nagaland. India continues to illegally occupy our beloved country and toys and tests our peaceable patience while making Nagaland her geopolitical playground.

Today, if India in particular, and the world in general, cannot see the truth and take it for what it is, then the rights of all sovereign nations are at peril from the likes of bullying larger nations like India. We cannot afford to shy away even if we have to face a narcissistic juggernaut with all its perplexities. In situations and circumstances like these where we may have to stand alone for our sovereign nation that we hold dear. The Plebiscite of 1951 must be upheld even more strongly with an indomitable spirit of patriotism which we Nagas do not lack. The Naga Plebiscite of 1951 is not a mere expression of what the Nagas want. It is the sacrosanct covenant of what the Nagas were and are and will continue to be, and that is-NAGALAND: A SOVEREIGN NATION.

May God Bless Nagaland

Urra Uvie