Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Regarding the Indo-Naga Peace Talks, the effort to end the war for between India and Nagaland, the Naga International Support Center, NISC, just sent an open letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This letter deals with the legitimacy of that Kingdom, then Great Britain, of transferring all of Nagaland to India and then Burma.
In that letter we requested the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to show the Naga Peoples with conclusive evidence that indeed the British Government transferred all of Nagaland to the Union of India and to what was then Burma.
We asked that because we know that around 65% to 75% of all Naga lands were never colonized by Great Britain and so even if Nagaland was officially transferred; papers to that effect should show this beyond doubt, still the rest of Nagaland, termed by Britain as ‘un-administered areas of the FREE Nagas’ or Excluded areas, could not have been transferred and so were free when the British decolonized.
We are certain you know also that Naga leaders of the National Naga Council declared independence a day before India. And, although this was ignored by India and all other nations, the United Nations received the declaration. However, possibly because Great Britain did not react by providing papers, Nagaland was not recognized as a sovereign nation.
Still, with the spot on of what you don’t have you cannot give, the Naga Peoples have every right to determine their own future.
It also means your predecessor Jawaharlal Nehru in 1953, with U Nu, leader of Burma, had no right to draw the border through Nagaland thus separating them internationally.
Being a wise man of stature we therefore request you to honor the rights of the Naga Peoples and also ask you to look into how their rights can be restored in practice.
Following that the question of repairing damages inflicted upon many Nagas by the Indian Armed Forces should also be discussed and determined.
Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a formidable leader we think you will agree that justice should be done to those who have been treated unjustly since 1947, almost seven long decades. NISC feels many lives could be spared on both sides if you let your wisdom prevail.
Yours sincerely
Drs. F.A.M. Welman
Secretary Naga International Support Center
1947. Mahatma Gandhi’s promise to the Nagas
7. In 1947 a Naga delegation went to India and met Mahatma Gandhi on July 19, 1947 at his Phangi colony in Delhi. We submitted the Agenda in writing why he wanted to meet him as it was requested by his secretary Mr. Pyrellal. We stated that
1953- A Naga delegation led by A.Z. Phizo, President of the NNC met Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime minister of India at New Delhi. Mr.Nehru said; “whether heaven falls or India goes into pieces and blood runs red in the country, I don’t care, or for that matter anybody comes in, I don’t care. Nagaland will not be allowed to become independent".
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