Our fight for rights is now 79 years old: Muivah
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, August 14 2025: Nagalim's unique history, its territory and sovereignty, the National flag, the Constitution (Yehzabo) and integration of all Naga contiguous areas are non-negotiable, said NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah today.

He said this on the 79th Naga Independence Day at Camp Hebron today.

The NSCN (IM) leader said that the Nagas do not demand anything from India and Burma (Myanmar), but are only declaring and proclaiming "what is rightfully ours" .

"The brutal truth of history is painful.

We are being oppressed and suppressed by the invading Nations, India and Burma (Myanmar) .

Nagalim declared independence one day ahead of India, and tomorrow India is celebrating her 79th Independence Day.

The painful irony is that the fight for our historical and political rights has touched 79 years today," Muivah said.

Our fight for rights is now 79 years old: Muivah

The political suppression of the Nagas started in the most inhuman manner under the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, claimed the NSCN (IM) leader and added "Nehru abhorred the very idea of Naga people's political assertion to exist as an independent sovereign Nation" To neutralise the Naga movement the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 was promulgated, Muivah recalled.

Muivah then recalled how the ongoing Indo-Naga political talks started.

The talks happened on account of the realization and recognition of the Indo-Naga conflict as a political conflict, Muivah said, appreciating the honesty of then Indian Prime Minister late PV Narasimha Rao in admitting the "historical truth" .

"It was on June 12, 1995, in Paris (France) when he told the NSCN leadership, "I believe in a political solution.

We must solve it through political talks" .

This statement was a turning point and it paved the way for political talks, Muivah said.

After the declaration of the ceasefire between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India on July 25, 1997, the formal talks started on August 1, 1997, based on the principles that the talks would be unconditional; and it would be at the highest level, that is, at the Prime Ministerial level; and also that the talks would be somewhere outside India in a third country, Muivah recalled.

So far, more than 600 rounds of talks have been held, leading to the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, wherein the Government of India recognised and acknowledged the "unique history and position" of the Nagas and accepted that sovereignty lies with the people and agreed on the sharing of "sovereign power", Muivah added.

In the Framework Agreement, both the parties mutually agreed that "an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful coexistence of two entities" can be realized, Muivah said.

The achievement is a result of the seed planted by past Naga leaders, T Aliba Imti, AZ Phizo, T Sakhrie, Scato Swu, Khodao Yanthan, Isak Chishi Swu and others who stood uprightly, Muivah said, appreciating all stakeholders, organisations and individuals for their unwavering and unfailing support to the Indo-Naga peace process.

"We have our history and we have our sovereign rights.

We will stand by our precious unique history and sovereignty, whether it is today or tomorrow.

We do not demand anything from India and Burma (Myanmar) but we declare and proclaim what is rightfully ours.

That is why the Nagalim's unique history, our territory and sovereignty, Nagalim National flag, Nagalim National Constitution (Yehzabo) and integration of all Naga contiguous areas are non-negotiable.

Hence, if India and Burma (Myanmar) respect the history of the Nagas, we will respect theirs ten times more", Muivah asserted.