Kohima: The NSCN-IM has put it on record that it will not accept the alienation of the ancestral land of the Nagas in regard to the sensitive situation over the proposed Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC) in nearby Assam.
The group on Monday stated that Karbi Anglong, erstwhile known as Rengma Hills, is the victim of aggressive influx of outsiders for vested interests.
“Nonetheless, their historical status as the true sons of the soil cannot be questioned. For the same reason the Rengma Nagas have a glorious history, vis-à-vis their relations with the Ahoms and the British rulers,” it said.
According to the NSCN-IM, the proposed KAATC in Karbi Anglong between the Government of India (GoI) and the Assam government is an agreement to appease six rebel outfits — Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCKL), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) and three factions of Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT).
“However, historically nothing is far from the truth and no authority should go far enough to override the interests of the Rengma Nagas who are the legitimate owner of the land under the questionable proposition,” it said, further adding that the Rengma issue in Assam constitutes one of the important agendas of Indo-Naga political talks which is still pending.
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Saying that the Naga political movement is all about land and people, it stated that “it is a trail of blood, sweat and tears as no sacrifice comes too big for the Nagas to defend their God’s given lands”.
Further, the group stated that the Rengmas are not lost people or immigrants like others in Karbi Anglong and so it will not allow the Rengma Nagas to be driven to the edge without considering their historical factual status.
“NSCN makes it loud and clear that any agreement that victimize the Rengma Nagas would not be acceptable to the Nagas in general and to the NSCN in particular,” it added.
