The Federal Government of Nagaland, Naga National Council, has called upon Nagas to be “careful and wise in speaking, writing and doing in defence of our Nation.”
In astatement dated February 26, the Ministry of Rali Wali, NNC/FGN reminded the public of the 14-Point Guideline issued by AZ Phizo, President of the NNC, on May 30, 1980, in London. It stated that while there may be “a little plus or minus in a better way to use in accordance with the evolution of generation, time and situation,” the guideline remains relevant and helpful for the Naga people.
The 14-point document reiterates the NNC’s longstanding position that the Nagas are a nation in their own right and that Nagaland is a sovereign state. It maintains that the Nagas had no treaty with the British and did not become a protectorate, and asserts that India’s offer of autonomy in 1947 was rejected on the grounds that the Nagas were already sovereign prior to India becoming a republic in 1950.
The document asserts that the Naga issue is not an internal affair of India and that every sovereign nation has its own external affairs. It states that matters such as security, finance, defence and communication “are subjects we the Nagas need never worry” and cautions against being intimidated by discussions of economic viability.
The guideline also rejects the use of terms such as “underground,” “hostiles,” or “rebels,” stating that such descriptions are intended to portray Nagas as insurgents before the outside world. It similarly rejects words such as “secede” or “secession,” maintaining that these do not apply to Nagas.
On constitutional and political terminology, the document states that the Naga position is not a “movement” or a “struggle for independence,” but rather a defence of what it describes as an already sovereign and independent nation. It further asserts that the issue is not one of grievances, oppression, suppression, minority rights, self-determination, political rights or political justice, characterising such expressions as matters of internal politics.
The guideline describes the situation between Nagaland and India not as a dispute, issue, demand or claim, but as a matter of invasion.
The Ministry also cited a letter written by Phizo to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dated May 10, 1986, in which he stated: “The case of Nagaland is a case of invasion. It is war. And it is not a political issue.”
The statement urged the Naga people to remain mindful of these principles in contemporary times.