The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) on Monday reaffirmed that the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement with the Government of India remains the basis for resolving the Indo-Naga political issue, while alleging that the peace process has faced “deliberate delay” over the past decade.
Delivering the Commemoration Day speech marking the 11th anniversary of the signing of the Framework Agreement, NSCN President Q Tuccu said the agreement was a “Red Letter Day in the history of the Nagas” and reiterated that any attempt to pursue a political settlement outside the agreement would be “a futile exercise.”
“Ten years down the line, the waiting game continues. The Framework Agreement has faced deliberate delay in finalisation,” Tuccu said.
He alleged that “the stand of the Government of India is becoming unsteady” and that there were attempts “to interpret the Framework Agreement according to their interest and convenience.”
Reaffirming the organisation’s position, Tuccu said, “The Framework Agreement must remain the basis of solution. Any attempt to seek a solution apart from the Framework Agreement will be a futile exercise.”
Seeking to “dispel the confusion, doubts and suspicions” surrounding the Framework Agreement, Tuccu outlined what he described as its “mutually agreed points.”
According to Tuccu, “The Framework Agreement clearly states that the Nagas have the unique history of independence.”
He further said, “Based on the universal principle of democracy, it is mutually agreed that sovereignty lies with the people, and that the sovereignty of the Nagas lies with the Naga people.”
Tuccu said the Framework Agreement “recognises the Naga national entity.”
“It also says that the Nagas and the Indians will coexist as two entities sharing sovereign power,” he said.
According to Tuccu, “In the competencies, it is also mutually agreed that Nagas are the owner of their land, and that anything on the surface of the land and beneath it belongs to the Nagas.”
On the issue of integration, Tuccu said the Framework Agreement states that “integration of all Naga areas under one political roof is the legitimate right of the Nagas.”
He further claimed that “the Government of India has recognised NSCN as the only authentic political organisation of the Naga people.”
Tuccu also said that “the government of the Nagas and the Naga army, which were branded as unlawful and labelled as banned organisation, are now recognised entities.”
He further said that, in recognition of Naga cultural identity, “the Government of India has proposed to institute ‘PAN NAGA HOHO,’ which will deal with the Naga culture, customs, literatures, languages and so forth.”
Referring to Naga-inhabited areas outside Nagaland, Tuccu said, “As the issue of integration is to be settled through political processes, apart from the present Nagaland state, alternative political institutions/arrangements called NRTC (Naga Regional Territory Council) will be instituted in Naga areas in Manipur, Arunachal and Assam for some time till the integration issue is settled.”
He added, “NRTC is transitional. The competency draft is a proposal yet to be finalised,” and quoted NSCN General Secretary Th. Muivah as saying, “We will come back to you before finalisation of the agreement.”
Tuccu further asserted that “the recognition of the above-stated principal issues of the Nagas has set right the long-standing historical mistakes and wrongs of the Government of India, which treats the Naga issue as a case of secession from the Union of India and a mere law and order issue of India.”
He also said the agreement “envisages an enduring, inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of two entities – the Indian people and the Naga people as partners as defined in the competencies.”
According to Tuccu, “The Framework Agreement embraces all Nagas wherever they are, including all Naga political groups. It is an issue-based agreement of the two entities,” adding that rejection of the agreement “would pull the two peoples back to armed confrontations, political upheavals and economic stagnation.”
The NSCN president said the organisation’s Tatar Hoho had repeatedly resolved to uphold the Framework Agreement “in all circumstances and at all costs.”
He maintained that the NSCN had “never ever betrayed the issue of Naga sovereignty at any point of time” and remained committed to “the issues of sovereignty and independence of the Nagas; the territories of the Nagas; the Naga national identity and the integration issue of the Nagas.”
On the unresolved issues of the Naga flag and constitution, Tuccu said they were “constituent parts of sovereignty” and expressed hope that “the issue of our flag and constitution, and other pending issues will be settled through bilateral agreements.”
Calling for unity, Tuccu urged “all NSCN cadres, Naga Political Groups and the entire Naga people to stand with one voice and one decision to resist the colonial policy and those divisive forces that seek to derail this principle-based solution.”
The Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015, between the Government of India and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah). Negotiations for a final settlement of the Indo-Naga political issue remain ongoing.
