The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and the Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) have announced plans to celebrate August 14 as Naga Independence Day, asserting their rejection of India's sovereignty and colonial rule.
This observance reflects Nagalim's ongoing fight for independence and their resistance to what they see as post-colonial oppression.
In a press statement issued by the GPRN's Ministry of Information and Publicity, the organisation reaffirmed its historical opposition to India's independence on August 15, 1947.
The statement articulated Nagalim's refusal to accept the constitutions of both India and Myanmar (formerly Burma), alongside its long-standing boycott of elections sponsored by the Indian government.
Highlighting key milestones in their political struggle, the GPRN referenced the Amsterdam Joint Communique of July 11, 2002, and the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015.
Both documents are viewed as official acknowledgements of Nagalim's unique history and sovereign status. However, the GPRN expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Indian government's handling of these agreements, critiquing the perceived failure to adequately address Nagalim's aspirations.
"Despite these challenges, the NSCN/GPRN remains committed to defending Nagalim's sovereignty and pursuing an honourable political resolution with India and Myanmar," the statement emphasised.
The notion of Nagalim encompasses the vision of an independent state that would include all Naga-inhabited regions across Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of Myanmar.
This proposed territory, situated in the Patkai range at the tri-junction of China, India, and Myanmar, spans approximately 120,000 square kilometres, significantly larger than the existing Nagaland, which covers 16,527 square kilometres.
The NSCN-IM claims that Nagalim is currently divided by the Indian government into four administrative units: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland. Meanwhile, Myanmar has laid claim to portions of Nagalim, categorizing them under Kachin State and Sagaing Division.
The establishment of Nagalim, therefore, poses a potential threat to the territories of Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as parts of Myanmar.
The NSCN-IM has released a map indicating Nagalim's claimed areas, which include Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills in Assam, as well as significant portions of Golaghat, Sibasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, and Jorhat.
In Arunachal Pradesh, it claims the Dibang Valley, Lohit, Tirap, and Changlang districts, along with key regions in four of Manipur's seven districts: Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul, and Chandel.
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