On the 7th “observance” of the signing of the Framework Agreement between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India, Naga organizations based in Manipur urged prime minister Narendra Modi to “honour the historic Framework Agreement”.
In a joint memorandum, the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga Women Union (NWU), the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights-South Sector (NPMHR) drew the attention of the prime minister to exercise his statesmanship to “help restore the rights and dignity of the Nagas by honouring the historic Framework Agreement and accordingly resolve the long pending Indo-Naga political issue”.
The joint memorandum was submitted on August 3.
The Naga organizations said they placed “this kind and gentle reminder that the ceasefire agreement signed between the Government of India and NSCN on July 31, 1997 has completed 25 years with no desirable outcomes worth mentioning till now”.
The joint memorandum to the prime minister also said that the Naga people were made to believe that a fresh impetus was given and significant progress made when the Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 “with your consent and your solemn presence on the occasion”.
It stated that many years have passed since then and the wait for implementing the same agreement continues.
The UNC, the NWU, the ANSAM and the NPMHR-S said: “We would like to state in no uncertain term that while having a ceasefire agreement in place only to continue the policies of development aggression and increased of military mobilisations and entrenchment activities by your government, an attempt to keep the Nagas hostage and our rights blatantly violated must end”.
The Naga organizations then urged the prime minister to note that Nagas were handed a raw deal since India achieved Independence and have been at the receiving end suffering the consequences of draconian legislation such as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 that infringes the right to life of the Nagas.
The joint memorandum of the Naga bodies to the prime minister also said: “At stake is the democratic institution and conscience of Indian citizens and leadership when Nagas are enduring untold misery and hardship as a result of subjective policies being pursued by the government of the past and now “with your esteemed self at the helm of affairs”.
“We will explore all means humanly possible to restore our rights and dignity which are very dear to us and inalienable, without which our existence holds no meaning,” the memorandum added.
Moreover, the joint memorandum reminded the prime minister that the declaration made by the “NSCN following the Emergency National Assembly held on May 31, 2022 is timely and reflects the sentiment and position of the Nagas which was conveyed to your good office through our earlier representations”.
