Dr SC Jamir, former Governor and former Chief Minister of Nagaland, addressed pressing issues surrounding the Naga political movement during his speech at the Ongpangkong Conference in Khensa Village on January 17. His remarks came amid ongoing debates surrounding the Naga flag and constitution, despite the Framework Agreement signed by the NSCN-IM and the Agreed Position signed by the NNPGs with the Government of India after nearly 20 years of negotiations.

Dr SC Jamir

“Flag and constitution are for an independent sovereign nation. Under India, we don’t need flag and constitution,” said Dr Jamir, emphasizing that Nagas should shift their focus away from symbolic issues and work towards practical goals.

Reflecting on the current state of the Naga political movement, Dr Jamir expressed frustration with the internal divisions that have emerged over the years. “We have destroyed the Naga political movement ourselves. It is our fault that the state of our movement is in this state,” he lamented, pointing out the paradox of having one government while 26 political groups continue to exist with differing ideologies.

Dr Jamir also expressed concern over the public’s silence on these issues. “The people are not raising their voice,” he noted, calling on the Naga community to “dream new and set new goals.” He stressed that Nagaland stands at a crossroads, where despite cultural shifts and changing appearances, the mindset of the people has failed to evolve.

“We are no longer living in history or Lungterok days,” he said, criticizing the tendency to dwell on past narratives instead of focusing on the present and future. He specifically pointed to the Ao community, stating that they, along with other Nagas, often talk about the past without addressing current challenges or future aspirations.

“The present is when we should work, but instead of working, we always talk about the past, and hence, Nagas are always going backwards,” he said. Dr Jamir urged the older generation to make way for younger Nagas, stressing that the youth are not being given the opportunity to lead.

MT

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