The Ao Lanur Telongjem (ALT) registers its profound outrage over the persistent, politically motivated personal attacks targeted at Dr. S.C. Jamir—former Chief Minister of Nagaland and former Governor of Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa—by leaders of the NSCN (IM) and the Naga People’s Front (NPF).
Recent media reports highlight a concerted campaign to denigrate Dr. Jamir simply for offering his perspective on the Naga political issue. The ALT finds the derogatory rhetoric used by NSCN (IM) leaders V.S. Atem (‘Deputy Ato Kilonser’) and R.H. Raising (member of the ‘Collective Leadership’) completely unacceptable. Both have sought to dismiss a veteran statesman as though he were a non-entity in the Naga political discourse.
The ALT takes severe exception to V.S. Atem’s claim that Dr. Jamir is neither authorized nor mandated to represent the Naga people in ongoing negotiations, as well as R.H. Raising’s assertion that Dr. Jamir is “not an advocate of the Naga people.” The ALT unequivocally censures both leaders for these reckless statements.
Dr. S.C. Jamir is a true son of the soil who has dedicated his entire life to the service of Nagaland and its people. He possesses every right to speak on the Naga political issue. What gives the NSCN (IM) the impression that it holds an absolute monopoly or exclusive mandate when 37 Naga political Groups exist today? To be precise: where were V.S. Atem and R.H. Raising when the Nagas submitted the historic memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929? Where were they during the Naga Plebiscite of 1951, or when the landmark Naga People’s Convention was held at Ungma in 1958?
The ALT firmly maintains that the Naga issue belongs to no single individual or faction. Every Naga has an inherent stake and equal right to speak on our collective political future—a right even more pronounced for a leader of Dr. Jamir’s stature. While political disagreement is permissible, vilification and attempts to erase his relevance are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
The Naga public has sacrificed endlessly and continues to bear the brunt of political uncertainty. At this critical juncture, vilifying a veteran leader and treating him as a persona non grata bodes ill for the collective Naga political future. Do four failed assassination attempts on his life still fail to satisfy the NSCN (IM) leadership? It was providence that saved him on all occasions. Or do they harbor the illusion that Dr. Jamir’s legacy can be erased from history? This is a futile hope—the historical reality of the pivotal role played by Dr. Jamir and his contemporaries can neither be altered nor erased.
Therefore, the ALT demands that V.S. Atem and R.H. Raising retract their malicious statements at the earliest.
Furthermore, the ALT takes serious exception to comments made by AchumbemoKikon, MLA and NPF Secretary General, who reportedly labeled Dr. Jamir “an old man in a hurry.”
While Dr. Jamir is today a senior statesman and considered as a political patriarch, who too was once a young leader. Decades of public service give him unmatched experience in statecraft and the Naga political issue. While Naga youth view Mr. Kikon as a rising politician with potential, deriding a veteran who devoted his life to Nagaland is unbecoming of a responsible public figure.
If, in Mr. Kikon’s estimation, Dr. Jamir is “an old man in a hurry,” it may equally be said that Mr. Kikon is a young man in a hurry to build his political standing. Youthful enthusiasm must be tempered by the wisdom and experience of those who walked the path before.
Mr. Kikon’s remarks have deeply hurt the sentiments of the Ao youth, and we urge him to exercise restraint in his rhetoric. The Naga political issue is highly sensitive, and the monumental contributions of pioneer leaders must not be dismissed so casually. The present generation cannot afford to be blinded by political shortsightedness that risks opening a Pandora’s box and deepening internal divisions among the Naga people.
In conclusion, the Ao Lanur Telongjem reiterates that the Naga political issue requires an early, honorable, and inclusive settlement based on the Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position.
(IMNAONEN PONGEN)
Convenor
(TIA LONGCHAR)
Co-Convenor
(The views expressed are those of the writer and not of the newspaper)
