The NSCN (IM) has called upon India and Myanmar to release all Naga Political Prisoners of War (NPPoW) while also appealing to the international community to assist India, Nagalim, and Myanmar in the political conflict, and create conditions and platforms for the three entities to resume negotiations or call for an immediate withdrawal of “occupying forces from Nagalim”.
In a statement issued today, the NSCN (IM) stated that while India and Myanmar “illegally occupied Naga country”, they also systematically framed the conflict as an internal issue, viewing the Nagas defending their own country as a security threat to their respective countries.
“The conflict has resulted in the detention of numerous Nagas by the respective Governments, many of whom have been labelled as “insurgents”, “terrorists”, or arrested under “terror funding”. Mrs. Alemla Jamir, a cabinet minister in the National Socialist Council of Nagalim/Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim/(NSCN/GPRN), for example, was detained by India on December 17, 2019, at Domestic Airport (T-1) in New Delhi and later arrested in a “terror funding case” and remains in Indian custody”, it said.
The NSCN (IM) questioned if the NSCN/GPRN is a terrorist organization, why has India been in political negotiations with the NSCN/GPRN for more than two decades; and why did India sign the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, which recognized the issue as an Indo-Naga “political conflict” and was signed as two entities.
Reminding India’s commitment to the November 18, 2002, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Milan, Italy, which clearly stated and understood that the NSCN/GPRN is not a terrorist organization, the NSCN (IM) asked if this is the case, why are members of the NSCN/GPRN or Nagas being held on terror funding charges?
Urging the international community to uphold and defend international fairness and justice, to promote an equal and uniform application of international law and to reject double standards, the NSCN said, “The occupying countries, India and Myanmar, must immediately release all Naga Political Prisoners of War (NPPoW)”
