No pact sans separate flag, constitution: Naga leaders
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 10 2019:
"Come what may, Nagas will never sign any accord with the Government of India until and unless New Delhi agrees to a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.
This is a collective decision of the Naga leaders at the highest level", said one prominent Naga social activist.
Naga intellectuals, scholars, social activists and senior leaders from Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur held a consultative meeting on September 21 at Hebron, Nagaland.
One prominent Naga social activist who took part in the consultative meeting, on condition of anonymity, told The Sangai Express, that a final accord may be signed even today itself if New Delhi guarantees a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.
The consultative meeting held at Hebron was also participated by NSCN-IM leaders of the highest level including Chairman, General Secretary and other top leaders.
The meeting unanimously agreed not to sign any accord with GoI until New Delhi agrees to a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.
The gathering of top leaders adopted a firm resolution to this end as the issue of separate flag and constitution has been already incorporated in the Framework Agreement.
In response to the Naga leaders' quest for sovereignty, New Delhi came up with the idea of 'shared sovereignty' and the two sides agreed on 'shared sovereignty', said the social activist.
There is a common currency for all member countries of the European Union.
As such, the members countries have compromised their sovereignty in terms of currency.
There is a flag for the European Union and this flag features all the flags of the 28 member countries.
In this matter, if there is shared sovereignty, Indian flag and Naga flag must be hoisted side by side.
If there is only one flag, it means total submission to the Government and this is something unacceptable, asserted the Naga social activist while attempting to explain 'shared sovereignty'.
Under 'shared sovereignty', there would be different areas/subjects which would handled by India and Nagas separately.
Sovereignty is clearly embedded in 'shared sovereignty' and Nagas have never given up the quest for sovereignty, he said.
The struggle of Naga people is not any ordinary struggle.
It has been there since the past 50/60 years back and it is a long story of huge casualties, brutal repression and untold misery.
The cease fire agreement came much later.
The Nagas waged their war holding their flag and constitution.
Through the Framework Agreement, the Government of India has already recognised the unique history of Naga people, said the social activist.
He categorically stated that separate flag and separate constitution are integral components of 'shared sovereignty'.
As all these points have been reflected in the Framework Agreement, the consultative meeting decided not to sign any accord with the Government of India until and unless New Delhi agrees to separate flag and constitution for Nagas, come what may.
Even though the particular resolution has been apprised to the Government of India, New Delhi has not yet agreed to the proposal for separate flag and constitution, added the Naga social activist.
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