Special Correspondent
Ukhrul /Senapati, August 4:
Marking the 10th anniversary of the historic Indo-Naga Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, the United Naga Council (UNC) has issued a powerful reminder to the Government of India to honour its commitments and uphold the spirit of the agreement without further delay.
Signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Union ministers, the Framework Agreement acknowledged the “unique history and position” of the Nagas. In a press statement issued by the UNC’s Information & Publicity Cell, the Council reasserted that Nagas have historically existed as a free people, never as part of India or Myanmar by consent or conquest. The UNC clarified that the Indo-Naga issue is political in nature, not a domestic law-and-order problem.
The statement emphasized that the Agreement is rooted in the democratic principle that sovereignty lies with the people. By “shared sovereignty,” it refers to the sovereign Indian people and the sovereign Naga people jointly sharing powers in defined competencies—reaffirming the sovereignty of Nagalim lies with the Naga people.
Further, the UNC noted that the Government of India’s offer for a “new relationship of peaceful co-existence between the two entities” acknowledges Naga rejection of integration into the Indian Union, and calls for inclusive participation of all Nagas and political groups.
The UNC made it clear that the Naga National Flag and Constitution are non-negotiable elements of Naga sovereignty. “There is no ambiguity about it,” the statement declared, affirming that these symbols are inherent and inseparable from the identity and political rights of the Naga people.
Concluding with a stern message, the UNC warned against continued delays and token dialogues, stating, “The Government of India should not continue to buy time through talks, rather walk the talk to ensure that all is well in the subcontinent.”