Time for Nagas to repent, reunite: NSCN leader
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, October 25 2023:
Collective leadership member of NSCN/GPRN Rh Raising has called upon the Naga brethren to repent, revive, and reunite for the larger cause of fulfilling their common aspirations and political goal.
"Our political movement is at a crucial juncture, and it calls for us all to remain united.
We can't afford to divide among ourselves, no matter what challenges we face.
We must sort them out amicably," stated the Naga leader during a one-day consultative meeting organised by the Wung Tangkhul Region (WTR) at UBC Centenary Hall in Ukhrul town, here, on Wednesday.
Stressing on the forgive and forget' concept, Raising said that confusions among the people are bound to happen even as peace progress is advancing.
"But the time has come for us to rectify it, and this, in God's word, is to repent and revive.
Agreed that we face myriad challenges on various fronts, but we are able to take them in our strides in various aspects of our political movement for years by God's grace".
Giving a clarion call for genuine reconciliation among Naga brethren, he said that reconciliation is a process to make peace and stop killing among Naga people.
He, however, noted that reconciliation is not a political platform and it should be strictly based on the principles and wishes of the people.
"Principles are the foundation of the Naga political movement.
Let's not lose sight of our principles because ours is an issue-based movement," he said.
"Let's rebuild our Naga society and look up to the will of God," he exhorted the gathering.
He went on to mention that Nagas are a mission-oriented, mandated people who have a political future.
"We have a living history, we carry the mission of Jesus Christ.
With this mission guided by God, Nagas will strive, move forward, and will go until our final destiny," he added.
On the protracted peace process, Raising appealed to the public to have patience and wait for God's timing.
"We are sure God is with us, and we will definitely reach our goal, and there's no doubt about it, I can assure you about this," he pleaded.
Touching upon the current status of the talks, he said that Nagas will stick by its stand on the flag and constitution.
"Sovereignty without a flag and constitution is a form without content.
Nagas will pot budge from its stand on the flag and constitution, affirmed the NSCN-IM leader.
Regarding the much talked-about Framework Agreement, Raishing said that many failed to understand what this Framework Agreement is.
It is an agreement between the Government of India and the Nagas based on the unique history of Nagas and sovereignty.
"This Framework Agreement is our legacy, it's the fruit of our years of struggles and sacrifices," he elaborated.
Raising also said that Nagas believe in peaceful coexistence with their neighbours, who have been living together for years, but immigrants tend to create social issues when they claim ownership of the lands they were allowed to reside on humanitarian grounds.
He further mentioned that rejecting the contentious Shillong Accord and 16-Point Agreement was the landmark move that salvaged the future of the Naga revolution movement.
He reminded that the Shillong Accord and the 16-Point Agreement were rejected on the ground that they would not resolve the Naga political issue; rather, they would make the Nagas a part of the Indian Union.
"But we didn't accept them, and that saved our future," he said.
In his welcome address, W Sayai, caretaker, CAO, WTR informed that the consultative meeting was organised with an aim to give a clear picture of the ongoing political peace process to the public for better understanding.
The meeting was attended by leaders drawn from a spectrum of NSCN GPRN, churches, CSOs, and public members.
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