Nagaland: NSCN(I-M) Maintains Steadfast Adherence To Political Demands For Framework Agreement

KOHIMA: The collective leadership of the NSCN (I-M) declared on Friday that competencies were being created in accordance with the FA's guiding principles and gave a detailed explanation of "The letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement."

The NSCN (I-M) chairman Q. Tuccu, vice chairman Tongmeth Wangnao, and general secretary Th. Muivah issued a joint statement in which they stated that "The Government of India recognises the unique history and position of the Nagas." They claimed that the history of the Nagas was distinctive. The Nagas have never been a member of either the Union of India or of Burma (Myanmar), either by consent or by conquest.

They justified their position by stating that "both parties have understood each other's diverse perspectives and are aware of the universal truth that in a democracy sovereignty rests with the people." Furthermore, it is well acknowledged that the Naga are Nagalim's legitimate rulers.

According to the collective leadership, the Indian government had admitted that the independent Naga people had rejected the Indian constitution in the past.

They stated that the Centre, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, had proposed the option of solving the problem "on the basis of the principle of shared sovereignty, which was subsequently signed under the leadership of the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 3, 2015," acknowledging the position of Nagas and appreciating the complexities of the Indian system.

Shared sovereignty, they continued, meant that "the sovereign Indian people and the sovereign Naga people will share sovereign power in specific sectors as described in the competencies."

The national identity of the Naga people was acknowledged, as was the fact that they had rejected the Union of India that the Indian Constituent Assembly had suggested for them. They asserted that the Indian government had instead put forth "an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful coexistence of the two entities."

The leaders continued by explaining that by inclusive, they meant that it encompassed all Nagas, regardless of where they lived or their political party, and that by the new partnership, they meant that it was founded on the Framework Agreement.

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