Principles of FA include integration: TNL president
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, September 04 2020: The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has said that any final settlement of the Indo-Naga political issue should be within the principles contained in the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement signed between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India.

Speaking to this correspondent, TNL president Hopingson A Shimray said that the inclusive solution should be based on the agreed principles of the Framework Agreement and added that this includes integration, flag and Constitution as an inalienable sovereign rights of the Naga Nation.

Any solution short of this shall never be honourable and acceptable to the Naga people, added Shimray.

Principles of FA include integration: TNL presiden

The TNL president also informed that a memorandum has been submitted to the Prime Minister of India detailing the position of the Tangkhul community on the Indo-Naga political issue.

Shimray said that inclusive solution is needed to proceed with the peace process and arrive at a settlement and this is one important point that has been highlighted.

He said that the talk is at a crucial stage and has to be settled honourably considering the situation of either side for a long lasting political settlement.

The TNL leader said that the Naga people including from civil society organizations, Church leaders, mass based organizations across the length and breadth of Naga homeland held an intensive consultative meeting and interaction in 1999 at Niuland, Nagaland and in 2002 & 2003 at Bangkok, Thailand with the collective leadership of NSCN (IM).

There it was unanimously decided that the Naga political issue should be resolved or settled on four basis.

The four basis included-the Indo-Naga political solution should be on the basis of the uniqueness of 'our history and situation'.

Unification of all Naga contiguous areas is legitimate and therefore non-negotiable, was another point and political solution should be arrived at through peaceful means.

Both the Government of India and NSCN (IM) should uphold utmost sincerity towards finding a political solution.

This was again re-affirmed in the two day gathering at Hebron on January 20 and 21 in 2005, and on the second day of the gathering, the people's endorsement was given to the NSCN (IM) towards finding a political solution to the Indo-Naga political conflicts.

Hopingson asserted that the Tangkhul community stands with the endorsement of Naga people to the collective leadership of NSCN (IM) for resolving the Indo-Naga issue.

He went on to state that unlike other princely States of India, Naga never joined the Indian Union although many States signed merger agreements in the formation of the Indian Union.

He said every Naga village is self governed under the customary village authority, which has absolute power and this is still observed by all Naga villages.

The Government of India also officially recognized the unique history and situation of Nagas and this officially announced on July 11, 2002 by former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, added Shimray.

"We have substantial evidence that Nagas are different from Indians" stated the TNL president and added that the Tangkhul community yearn for peace and an early solution.

TNL will continue its endeavour to resolve the 70 years long political conflict between NSCN (IM) and the Government of India through peaceful negotiation and dialogue in order to avert violent confrontation, said the TNL president further.