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The Naga National Movement was not born on the eve of India's Independence in 1947. As the first chapter on sovereignty and Independence of the Nagas shows, the Naga sense of Nationhood and solidarity was a fact that existed ever since the Nagas have been in existence in historical records of the Ahom Kings. The Borunjis mention that in the 13th century when the Ahom prince Sukhapa marched across the Burmese corridor through the Patkai hills enroute to Assam from Thailand, they had fierce encounters with the Naga tribes who were already settled in the hills, prior to the migration of the Ahoms. Claudius Ptolemy the Greek scholar and historian in his 'Geopnaphia' also mention the Nagas referring to them as 'Nagaloi' in 150 AD. Nagaloi means the realm of the Naked - a fact which was true of ancient Naga. The same spirit of solidarity was shown when the British at the turn of the 19th century extended their territory. The Naga defense of their ancestral lands against the British invasion in 1832 preceded the Indian independence uprising of 1857 by at least 25 years.
Throughout their history and prior to 1947, the Nagas were independent - sovereign groups of tribes. Nagaland's history is repeated with self defense wars fought against external invasions from kingdoms. For every Naga born in his generation and subsequent
generations, fear, anger, frustration, persecution and sound of gun-fire have been his/her companion for their entire live. Therefore, it is convinced with a sense of total weariness and a deep longing for peace, a night to experience life on earth, free from the cruelties of war. Even as early as 1929 when the Simon commission visited Kohima the Naga organization (Naga club) had clearly stated that Naga would not join the Indian union because they were not Indians. That AZ Phizo the founding father of the nation played a very significant role in shaping the political destiny of the Nagas and that he was largely responsible for giving shape and form to that destiny is an undeniable fact. That, however, does not mean that prior to AZ Phizo there was no form or consciousness of that national destiny. It must also be remembered that many others helped shape that destiny with equal zeal and commitment.
The misunderstanding must end. But it will never end as long as we try to hide the facts from one another and from the world. India and the world must know why the Nagas are insisting that they are not Indians. India and the world must know why this small nation of hardly four million people has inspite of 56 years of blood and tears refused to surrender to India's claims that Nagas are Indians and Nagaland is India. The battle has been fought in term of an ant against an elephant and India and the world must know why the ant insists that he is not an elephant. True, other nations on earth too have suffered from cruel ravages of war, but all wars have an ending and people get an opportunity to experience the blessing that peace brings. Does 56 years of war still not qualify the Nagas for peace and freedom? Must they continue to bleed and cry unheeded? India may be a hundred times bigger than Naga-land but that does not make Nagaland's rights any smaller than the rights of India or for that matter, the rights of any other nations on earth. After all, National rights of Nations are not measured in terms of geographical or population sizes. However small our nation may be, I offer no apology to any nation on earth for believing in and asserting our national right.
There are three universal laws which govern the origin and existence of any nation on earth in the past or present. Universal law - (I) "No nation on earth exists without a concrete geographical land". Universal Law - (II). "The national identity of a nation is inseparable from the geographical identity of that nation". Universal Law III "The national identities of a nation are indestructible and unchangeable'.
All wars between nations that have ravaged this planet earth throughout human history are the result of violating these universal laws. The Indo-Naga conflict that has ravaged the Naga country for the past 56 years (1947-2003) is a result of India's violation of these universal laws with respect to Nagaland. Relating to the on-going burning issue - 'Territorial integrity', in its proposed basis made by Naga organization for discussion to achieve a comprehensive solution to the Naga issue bears no resemblance to the conflict between two sovereign nations.
In the first place the terminology 'demand' has no place in the conflict between Naga-land and India. Secondly, Nagaland is not in conflict with neighboring States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. And questions relating to Naga territories removed for 'Administrative convenience' by the British when it obtained Suzerainty over Assam valley by the 'Treaty of Yandabo' on 24th Feb 1826, will be addressed at the appropriate time after consultation with the people involved in a friendly and civilized manner based on historical facts. However, nothing will come out from the present futile exercise by some organization.
By a tragic twist of history, Nagaland in the 20th century was severed in two through a treacherous betrayal by the British Govt. Burma was gifted with half and the other half fell under Indian dominion. Those areas that fell under Indian Territory were further subdivided into four fragments. Thus, within the Indian Territory, large chunks of Nagaland and Naga people were put into three other States against the wishes of the Nagas. This was done to reduce the Naga political issue to the smallest possible geographical area. The present Indian State of Nagaland is comprised of only 16,557 sq kms with a population of hardly over one million people.
However, in actual fact, the Greater Nagaland including those areas in Myanmar is comprised of over 65,000 sq km. These areas are located at 25.6" and 27' degree latitude and between 93.20" and 95.15" degrees longitude. The total population of the entire Naga people of the actual Nagaland would be above four million. Thus, the Greater Nagaland which all Nagas have been fighting for all these 56 years is thrice the size of Israel with a population of over four million people.
Ancient Naga history is based on oral tradition. Some noble families could trace back family lineage and tradition to 52 generation. By all accounts the Independent Naga communities most of the times maintained friendly and peaceful relations with neighboring kingdoms and chiefs for instance, Ahoms, Meiteis, Kachins and Burmese. chronicles kept by ruler of the neighboring people occurred with Naga accounts.
Before Great Britain granted independence to British - India in 1947 the Naga leader AZ Phizo separately met and invited the leaders of Assamese, Garos, Khasis, Lushais, Mikirs Abors, Mishmis and Meiteis in an attempt to persuade these people not to join the Indian Union but instead form independent countries of their own. His efforts failed and all other princely as well as tribal people of the NE India region which had not been a part of India in history joined the Indian Union voluntarily. And it should be very clearly understood that Nagas are not guilty of claiming even an inch of India's territory through aggression.
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