GPRN/NSCN Ato Kilonser N Kitovi Zhimomi has called on the Government of India to consider constitutional and political measures to recognise the distinct history and identity of the Naga people while retaining existing state and international boundaries.
In his 80th Naga Independence Day speech on Friday, Kitovi urged the Government of India to “take a leaf out of your pre-independent years and juxtapose it with the Indo-Naga matter at a present time.”
He said the Naga people had made a political decision to co-exist with India through the Framework Agreement and Agreed Position.
“The Naga people have taken a decision; by signing the Framework Agreement and Agreed Position on 17th November 2017, our people acknowledged and understood the contemporary political realities and chose to co-exist with India wherein, the right of the Nagas to self-determine their future in consonance with their distinct history and identity,” he said.
Kitovi said this would require “broadening and enhancing political and administrative mechanisms in a federal structure through constitutional amendment”.
He said such an arrangement would also allow the Nagas to play a strategic role in India’s Act East policy.
Pointing to the division of Naga-inhabited areas across four Indian states and Myanmar, Kitovi said the “wrongs of history” could be addressed without altering state or international boundaries.
“Appropriate political and administrative steps and space must be created to recognise and respect Naga history and Identity,” he said.
Kitovi further said the “STATUS PAPER” of the Working Committee of the NNPGs and its addendum papers clearly define what he termed an “honourable and acceptable Naga solution”. (Read full text here)
