Speech of Th. Muivah, Ato Kilonser, Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim on the occasion of 80th Nagalim Independence Day celebration at Oking, CHQ, Hebron on 14 August 2026.
My dear Naga people!
Greetings to all the Naga people in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, on this day, August 14, 2026, as we commemorate the 80th year of the declaration of Nagalim independence. Today, we also give our revolutionary salute to all the patriots and the martyrs, who have laid down their lives for the freedom of our people. I take this opportunity to extend my tribute to late Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, late Vice-Chairman Khadao Yanthan, late Brig Thungbo Pangmi, and late Vice-Chairman Gen. Retd. Kholi Konyak. Their contributions to the rise of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) and Naga national movement shall be remembered by generations to come. I also extend my revolutionary greetings to all the organisations, national workers and leaders who have stood firm and are standing firm and resolute on sovereign Nagalim. I, on behalf of the NSCN, thank you all for your support and commitment to the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement that has duly recognised the sovereignty of Nagalim. Your commitment and contribution to the nation will continue to strengthen and consolidate Naga’s national political position.
My dear Naga people!
The Almighty God has given Nagalim to the Naga people and that is clear to us. Our ancestors moved from Mongolia through China, and Burma before finally settling in Nagalim. And we are the first people who settled in Nagalim. In China, there are enough of fertile lands, but why didn’t our ancestors settle there? Why did they keep on moving? Why not settle in the Irrawaddy valley? They passed through those territories and finally settled from Chindwin towards the mountainous Patkai range and stopped along the plains of Brahmaputra. Nagas found peace when they reached this land and settled down here and made their home. The question is why did they refuse to go beyond? Why not the Irrawaddy, the Ganges or the Yamuna? From this we know that the present India even Burma (present Myanmar) are not ours, but Nagalim is ours.
Nagalim is the God given land for the Nagas. What is more precious than the gift of God? Therefore, we are not the creator of Nagalim. Nagalim did not start with us, and it will not end with us. So, our personal wills are not the first and the final, what matters is discerning the will of the Almighty God for Nagalim. That is a pertinent point I would like to stress so Our adversaries have divided and sub-divided Nagalim by superimposing artificial states and so-called international boundaries and left our people divided in the present state of India and Myanmar. Therefore, we must be steadfast and commit ourselves to integrate the fragmented Nagalim territory.
My dear Naga people!
Remember! Nagalim, the most precious gift of the Almighty God is not yours unless you truly carry it in your heart. We must hold on to it, for if we fail to value it, Nagalim will perish. God does not take pleasure in doubts. Our future is in our hands; others cannot decide it for us.. We are the people who have confidence in Nagalim and the Naga people. With this confidence and trust in the unique history we shall approach and negotiate the world today and tomorrow. We shall never bow down. We are serious. We do not want any wrong people to bring any wrong decision or solution. Why? Because we do not want to exist as a wrong nation or as a wrong people, who are lost forever, cursed by God and humiliated by the enemies. No! Do not teach me to accept this kind of fate.
My dear Naga people!
What is the reason and purpose behind the creation of this universe? When we question this, I think wisdom starts in us. We must earnestly seek the wisdom to understand the reality of God and the reality of the universe He has created, of which Nagalim is one. No Naga should have confusion on this.
The correct assessment of the truth behind creation and the plan and purpose of the Almighty God for the Nagas and Nagalim cannot be simply dismissed by being submissive or complacent to bondage. Servility is a crime. We must face the world with confidence and never make the mistake of approaching the world with uncertainty. Our existence and our future must be based on the truth: that is, the right approach. Doubt makes one’s existence meaningless. Nagas must not forget that the Almighty God has given us a share when He created the heaven and earth. The truth, therefore, is to believe in God and Nagalim.
My dear Naga people!
We must not forget that Nagalim and the Nagas were endowed with the spirit of freedom. The coming of the British imperialists in 1832 met with stiff resistance from the Nagas. The spirit of freedom did not diminish but consistently grew with time, witnessed by the letter to the Simon Commission in 1929, the war of freedom led by Haipou Jadonang and many others. Nagalim history is unique because we have no history of subjugation by any imperialists or colonial powers and Nagalim was/is never a part of India or Burma, either by consent or by conquest.
It is important to understand together that the Naga national resistance movement did not begin with us, but the seed of freedom was planted by our forefathers and later the Naga National Council (NNC) and its leadership including AZ Phizo, Imkong Meren, T. Sakhrie and others consolidated Nagalim nationalism into an organized people’s movement. We must accept this fact and teach them to the younger generations. I thank the Almighty God, for again at the right time He gave us NNC and its leadership.
When the NNC lifted the banner of “Nagalim is ours”, all Nagas were united looking up to AZ Phizo and I was the happiest person to know and hear that slogan because I did not want history of humiliation anymore. My mother used to tell me some of our history of humiliation and it hurt my conscience. It hurt my pride, we Nagas being a suppressed nation. So, we appreciate that slogan with heart and soul. Nagas were united under this banner and there was no division.
My dear Naga people!
The pertinent issue is who upholds the Naga national principle and the mandate of the people? After the fall of NNC from the grace on account of the Shillong Accord, we the NSCN are the only people who represent the Nagas and uphold the national principles. The national principles here mean, defending and protecting the August 14, 1947 independence declaration and the May 16, 1951 plebiscite to live as an independent sovereign people.
My dear Naga people!
A time came when we were faced with an overwhelming challenge, and we are thankful to the Almighty God, for He was there when hopes and confidence were all shattered in the tragedy of the 1975 Shillong Accord. We made up our mind, declaring that the Shillong Accord is not the end of our history. No! It was never the will of God that we sell off our birthright, and we were persuaded that He wants us to be free, saying, “I will make a great nation of thee”. Therefore, we took a firm decision and condemned the Shillong Accord for betraying Nagalim’s national principle, thereafter, we formed the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) in 1980 to save the Naga nation from perishing.
Why are the Nagas divided today? It is very clear to all of us that the Shillong Accord divided the Nagas vertically. The Shillong Accordists are the Nagas who lost hope and faith in Nagalim and the Naga people. They had renounced their own rights and the rights of the Naga Nation. Do we allow these traitors to decide the future of the Nagas and betray the cause? The NSCN respects the Naga people and the history of Nagalim. We respect our future, and we will give everything for Nagalim, and the NSCN is upholding the unique history of sovereign Nagalim despite all our failings.
My dear Naga people!
In self-defence, we confronted the Indian and Burmese armed forces for decades and proved them wrong that military solution is not possible. One of the greatest achievements in the history of Indo-Naga political conflict was that the leadership of India and at least three Indian Army Generals admitted that a military solution was not possible. Can we understand the reality behind this? It is through the intervention of the Almighty God that made the Indian leadership and its Generals admit, “Military solution is not possible”.
In 1993, the NSCN was admitted to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO). Before that, we were called to explain our position for taking up armed struggle. We explained that the Nagas have the right to defend themselves in the wake of the armed aggression by the Indian and Burma states. After the position was clarified, the NSCN was admitted as a member of the Steering Committee in UNPO. During our international campaign, the NSCN made important interventions at the UN Human Rights Commission and Sub-Commission through the Society for Threatened People, who have the UN (United Nation)’s ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Status. We participated regularly at the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Population (UNWGIP) and in 1992, KWIA (Flemish Support Group for Indigenous Peoples) acknowledged the Sovereignty of Nagalim.
The NSCN’s campaign and network caught many by surprise, particularly India. Thereafter, the Government of India (Gol) started sending feelers for dialogue in order to resolve the Indo-Naga political conflict through peaceful negotiation. During the Congress rule in New Delhi, Mr. Rajesh Pilot was instrumental in preparing the spade work for the Indo-Naga political peace process.
My dear Naga people!
In 1995, on the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narasimha Rao, late Chairman Isak Chishi Swu and I met him in Paris, France, and we told him that the Nagas wanted a solution but India has been sending its armed forces to crush the Nagas. He stated that, Quote:
“I believe in Political solution. We must solve the problem through political talks and dialogue. We should be patient enough and tolerate in tackling the problem”.
Thereafter, we also met Prime Minister Mr. HD Deve Gowda at Zurich, Switzerland for 3 hours and he frankly told the NSCN leadership that,
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“We believe in peaceful means. We must seek peaceful political solution”.
During the Prime Ministership of Mr. IK Gujral, the cease-fire between the Gol and the NSCN was announced in the Lok Sabha and Late Chairman Isak Chishi Swu announced it in the General Assembly of UNPO at The Hague on July 25, 1997, which came into effect on August 1, 1997.
My dear Naga people!
The Indo-Naga ceasefire indicated the change in policy of India from seeking a military solution to political solution and the Indo-Naga political peace process began as two sovereigns based on the following principles:
1) The talks shall be without condition from both sides.
2) The talks shall be at the highest level; that is, at the Prime Minister level.
3) The venue of the talks shall be anywhere outside India.
4) The fourth point of a third party participation remained unsettled.
My dear Naga people!
On September 3, 1998, the NSCN leadership met Mr. AB Vajpayee in Paris, France and he assured us that,
Quote:
“I believe in peaceful political solution. Violence and military solution are ruled out. We must seek political solution because it is a political issue”.
We met the Prime Minister again at Osaka, Japan on December 8, 2001. We went to make the historical position of the Nagas very clear and our late Chairman, Isak Chishi Swu spoke well on the unique nature of our case. On the issue of Cease-fire without territorial limit, Mr. AB Vajpayee stated, “Wherever there is fighting there is Cease-fire, Cease-fire is everywhere.” The delegation of the Gol invited the NSCN leadership to come to India, so we told them, “Why don’t you try to make the way?” Subsequently, the Gol agreed and officially revoked the ban on the NSCN under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and renewed the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister to the NSCN leadership to come to India for political talks. These were officially agreed upon by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) dated 18 November, Milan, Italy and the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué of July, 11, 2002. The official recognition of Nagalim’s unique history and situation by the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué indicated positive progress in the Indo-Naga political peace process,
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“The Gol recognises the unique history and the situation of the Nagas. It is agreed that talks should proceed in an accommodative and forward-looking manner so that a lasting and honourable solution can be arrived at.
The Government of India renewed the invitation of the Prime Minister to the Chairman and General Secretary of the NSCN to come to India at the earliest to carry forward and expedite the peace dialogue. The NSCN leadership expresses willingness to come to India after the procedural aspects are taken care of.”
My dear Naga people!
In the past, during Mr Jawaharlal Nehru’s time, Mr. AZ Phizo and the Naga delegates were humiliated and threatened stating,
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“Even if heaven falls & India goes to pieces and the rivers run red with blood, India will not let Nagaland go. In a matter of days, we can crush the Nagas”.
On the part of Naga Leadership from 1947 till March 1955, Nagas indeed were firm to solve the Indo-Naga problem through peaceful negotiation, and no Naga replied with violence to all the attacks on them and their hearths and homes.
But villages across the Naga Hills and NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) of Tuensang area were set ablaze time and again with a scorched-earth policy. No Naga man or woman was safe, be it in the village or forest. Tens of thousands of our people were tortured to death or shot or hacked to death. Womenfolk were molested and raped beyond count, and no one remained unscathed. Even villages like Yimpang Chang, Shatukiir, Longtukiir, Matikhrii, etc. were massacred and wiped out. Thereafter the Indian military aggression expanded throughout Naga areas where untold human rights violations were committed against the Nagas without exception of age, gender or status.
There was no positive response but only insults heaped upon the Nagas. The Nagas were not happy, but they are proud people, and they did not yield to the insults. So, from the end of March 1955, the bloody confrontation started between the Indian armed forces and the Nagas. It is more than seven decades now since Jawaharlal Nehru made this statement, but there is a difference between one year and seven decades. I see that there was a failure of statesmanship. There was no respect for the history of the Nagas. Nehru considered our land as no man’s land, pointing to our land. But did we accept his statement? No! We are not a part of India or that of Myanmar either by consent or by conquest.
Today, at the Prime Minister level, the Government of India (Gol) has officially recognised and acknowledged the unique history and sovereignty of the Nagas through the signing of the Amsterdam Agreement of July 11, 2002 and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015. These are positive political steps, which should be taken to their logical conclusion.
My dear Naga people!
When the people have doubts about their own existence and rights, their nation does not belong to them. That is the genesis of political crime. Do you think other nations know best for you? When you hand over your fate to be decided by others, remember, there is no portion for you here in this world. Failing in our responsibility means we do not value the precious gift of God. These are the basic principles.
My dear Naga people!
The Nagas are one. But division exists because we interpret Nagalim in different ways. The way you look at Nagalim is different from mine. So, we have to understand the importance of the world of ideas. When your ideas are different from mine, then division is there, not on the ground that you are not a Naga. There are some Nagas who believe in the rights of the Nagas and some who do not. Some believe that Nagalim belongs to them, some do not. So, that is the difference among the Nagas. We believe that the Nagas are the right people to decide their own future.
My dear Naga people!
The truth is that we have our rights and our land. We cannot determine our future through fear. Correct philosophy should guide us. Without understanding the truth, I would rather not exist and be less than a human being. Our national existence will have meaning if our faith in Jesus Christ is secured. Truth is not subject to change. Truth is the foundation of the Naga Nation. And Christ alone is the truth. When the question of truth comes, I have to stand for the truth. We are to be realistic, for freedom is not an end in itself, but to serve the truth. Moses was also a nationalist, and he said, “If your presence shall not go with us”. So, I want you to know that there should be no doubt and uncertainty when it comes to the existence of the Naga people. What is ours we must hold on to it. There will be no compromise whatsoever on this issue. Our good God may give you independence, but what will you do with your independence if it becomes a Godless society? Freedom is essential and an indispensable step for the existence of a people to decide their own future. I am sure I am clear. So, the end of the matter is that, “Nagalim shall be for Christ”.
My dear Naga people!
When you overestimate your enemy, you undermine yourself. Your assessment will be wrong when you conclude that India or others know better for the Nagas because you have faith in them. The basic mistake starts here. I believe we can be the strongest and be the best. Had there not been the past leaders like AZ Phizo, Imkong Meren, T. Sakhrie and others, the history of Nagalim would have been a history of humiliation.
My dear Naga people!
It is not India or any other power that can defeat the Nagas and Nagalim, for we have and can accept any challenge. But the danger is our own sin, which will destroy us. We will perish if the Almighty God is not pleased with us. He has the final say in our destinies. After the Cease-Fire, the NSCN have degraded, and we truly regret this development. The Almighty God must be saying, “I have brought them to victory, but they have forgotten me. Can I trust these people?” We have committed a number of transgressions against Him for which we have to repent; if we fail to do that, the danger of self-destruction exists. In God lies the salvation for the Nagas. Rebellion will destroy us. Do not fear the enemy, for we know they cannot destroy us.
The Almighty God wanted Job to know his own limitation and questioned, “When I made heaven and earth, where were you?” God has the final say, and our destiny is in God’s hands. This must be acknowledged: “not me or you!” That must be the beginning of our politics. We must realize our own limitation, and it is not for us to decide. It is to do with God’s will, and we must be united in this “eternal truth”. Nehemiah said national confession and repentance, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. There lies our victory. Humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways and do His will, and all things shall be added unto us. I am therefore persuaded that God has the final say. Despite our weakness, God is with us, and when the Almighty God favors us, the joy of the Lord overcomes.
My dear Naga people!
The Nagas are not a lost people; we have a unique history as sovereign people. The Indo-Naga political agreement must reflect that uniqueness. The Naga national flag and constitution are rooted in the recognised Naga sovereignty. Under the July 11, 2002 Amsterdam Joint Communiqué and the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement, the “new relationship” of sharing sovereign power is between two sovereign entities.
We all desire an early, acceptable, and honourable political solution. The NSCN, its leadership, and the talk team have taken every possible step toward that goal. I remind the Naga people that the Government of India is betraying the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement and the recognised Nagalim national flag and constitution. On grounds of political expediency to please India, we shall not compromise our national sovereignty, flag, and constitution.
Our political position is crystal clear. The final political agreement to be concluded from the ongoing negotiations shall be in accordance with the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement. We stand for an acceptable and honourable political agreement in which sovereign powers, as defined by the Framework Agreement and its competencies, In the matter of her own affairs Nagalim shall be sovereign.
Any political agreement that does not uphold these national principles is a betrayal of the Nagalim national principle. Nagalim took up armed struggle in self-defence against the occupational forces of India and Burma. With a breach of the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement, India is consciously reverting to a military solution. We will not accept an imposed agreement or be silent spectators to a military approach. We stand for a negotiated political settlement that recognises Nagalim’s sovereignty, national flag and constitution; we shall stand firm.
My dear Naga people:
For an honourable and acceptable political agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN, I reiterate my November 7, 2024 political testament: the Government of India must respect and honour the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN). The two entities were duly recognised for peaceful co-existence. I declare that Nagalim and the NSCN shall defend and protect,
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“Nagalim unique history”, “Nagalim sovereignty and freedom”, “Nagalim sovereign territory”, “Nagalim sovereign national flag” and “Nagalim sovereign national constitution”, to the last, come what may.
These non-negotiable national issues have been mandated by the Naga people; we shall stand to the last. Anti-nationals and reactionaries cannot claim the moral right to represent the Naga people or Nagalim politically. Factions born of rebellion, mutiny and vested interests have been created and nurtured by adversaries to destroy the Nagas from within. These forces, within and without, oppose and thwart the plan and purpose of God for Nagalim and must be warned against.
My dear Naga people!
I thank all of you, my dear Naga people, wherever you are, for your sacrifice, contributions and commitment to the cause of free Nagalim. I extend my heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness to all international communities and support groups, the Indian civil societies, individual sympathisers, Naga CSOs, Churches and the thousands of Prayer-Warriors for the support to our national struggle. May the good Lord bless Nagalim, the Naga people and all our sympathisers, wherever they are! I appeal on my nation’s behalf to all of you to keep on supporting Nagalim.
Nagas and Nagalim do not demand anything from anyone, but we want everyone to respect Nagalim, our unique history and sovereignty. I reaffirm that we will not accept an imposed solution or remain silent to military solution. And consequently, an acceptable and honourable political agreement shall be according to Nagalim’s unique history, respecting the letter and spirit of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement, duly recognizing Nagalim’s national flag and constitution.
The Almighty God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. He has started everything, and everything will also end according to His will.
Kuknalim!
Th. Muivah
Ato Kilonser
