Dimapur | March 21 : The ‘Ato Kilonser’ of the NSCN/GPRN, Th. Muivah reaffirmed its stand for an honourable and acceptable solution arising out of the prolonged Indo-Naga peace talks. Muivah while addressing the 30th Republic Day celebration of the NSCN at the outfit’s Council Headquarters, Hebron stated that the Nagas will only agree to a ‘negotiated settlement’ with the government of India which is acceptable to both parties.
“We have to stand our ground, come what may… The Nagas alone will decide their own fate”, the ‘Ato Kilonser’ said while affirming that there can be no compromise. He said that the Nagas are only asking from the GoI what God gave to them and asserted that they will stand for it.
It was said that India will crush the Nagas in a few days yet they have not been able to do so even after more then six decades, Muivah said. “Do you realize God stood for us during our struggle all through these years?” “I believe in God, I believe in Nagalim too”, he asserted.
Paying rich tributes to the late vice president of the organization, Khodao Yanthan, the ‘Ato Kilonser’ said “He stood like a rock for the Nagas”. Expressing his condolences to the late leader, Muivah said it saddened him that he could be there when the last rites were conducted in honour of the departed soul.
He further said that the present Naga generation owes a lot to the pioneers of the NNC who laid the foundation of the Naga freedom struggle. His gratitude for the founding fathers of the Naga struggle was evident when he said “We owe our salvation to them”. He said that the pioneers made the right decision of fighting for a separate homeland for the Nagas and because of their able guidance and leadership early on, “we are safe and here today’.
Not dwelling much into the present talks with the GoI, the ‘Ato Kilonser’ took a dig at the GoI saying that they are not sincere enough. He informed that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of India have expressed their commitment to a ‘negotiated settlement’.
On a more introspective note the ‘Ato Kilonser’ called upon the national workers to look within themselves and seek for repentance. “We are becoming weak not because of the strength of India but because of our own sins”. Muivah said that the ‘national workers’ have to realize that or the ‘Naga nation’ will lose its strength for which they themselves will be responsible, even including himself and his subordinates. To prevent that from occurring he called upon the ‘workers’ to confess and seek the Almighty’s help. “Our time for victory is not far away… let us forsake our self righteousness and humble ourselves and God shall open the way.
The message from the ‘Yaruiwo’ Isaac Chishi Swu read out by the convener of the ‘Steering Committee’, (retd) Gen. VS Atem saluted all the “martyrs of Nagalim” who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of the ‘Republic’. It stated that the world is in search of peace and so are the Naga people. ‘Nagalim’ is not demanding anybody’s land nor right, Nagas want only justice “within the justice system of the world” which is peace, it read.
“Even though the Naga people are held at gun point by the aggressors”, the message said that young Nagas should be encouraged to pursue education which is the “most important instrument of nation-building”. The NSCN/GPRN is committed to the reconciliation movement for the cause of which the forum ‘For Naga Reconciliation’ is “ceaselessly working hard”.
Representatives from several Naga civil societies also aired support towards the Naga struggle. The president of the Naga Hoho expressed optimism that the peace talks with the GoI will bear results. At the same time he urged the NSCN/GPRN leaders to be “transparent” about the talks with the GoI. Expressing support towards the movement for reconciliation and unification of all Naga areas, the president urged the NSCN/GPRN not to become complacent.
Muivah asks national workers to seek repentance
He pointed out that the craze for power and position should not be allowed to creep in into the NSCN/GPRN, and he called upon them to be responsible to the welfare of the Naga people.
Attending a Naga republic day for the first time, the president of the ‘Chief Association, Tirap and Changlang’ brought greetings from the Naga “brothers and sisters” of Tirap and Changlang in Arunachal Pradesh. He said that they are as much a Naga as any other and is proud of it while reposing confidence in the ‘collective leadership’. Naga Women Hoho, Manipur hoped that the GoI will recognize the “birthright” of the Nagas and the “dream and vision will come true”.
Neingole Krome of FNR longed for the day when “a common Naga Republic Day” will be celebrated. “If the Nagas want peace, we must be prepared for any eventuality”, Krome said.  
Naga Council, Dimapur represented by its president said that the council will “act as a catalyst for change”. Together with the other Naga organisations, the president said that the council will work for the unity and reconciliation of the Nagas. The Eastern Naga Peoples’ Organisation, Naga Students’ Federation, United Naga Council and the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights also extended their support towards the cause of all Nagas.