Speech of the President, United Naga Council
3nd Anniversary of the martyrdom of Late Loshou & Late Chakho – 6th April, 2013
We are gathered at Martyr’ Park here this morning to pay our respect to the two martyrs Neli Chakho Mao (20) ,BA 2nd yr, St. Joseph College, Bangalore and Mr. Daikho Loshou Mao (20) BA 2nd yr, St.Joseph College, Jakhama, both of Kalinamei village and to the hundreds of Nagas, mostly womenfolk who suffered brutality and savagery of the IRB and Police Commandos of the Government of Manipur on this morning, the 6th May, at Mao Gate town three years ago.
It is a day when we come together to reaffirm the spirit with which Chakho and Loshou faced the bullets of the adversaries. They died because they would not take injustice and brutality laying down. They gave their all for the rights of a people to their identity, their aspirations and for a future with honour. The sacrificing spirits of this two martyrs made them heroes and we are all proud to be gathered here around this memorial, which stands to symbolize our struggle before the world.
I would like to share with the Naga people this morning one important thing. Although there has been seemingly many developments and changes since that fateful day of 6th may, 2010, the material conditions in our collective life remains the same. The same suppression of our rights, the same discrimination, the same manipulations, the same inequality in opportunities, the same opposition to our inherent rights to live with dignity and honour, the same objection to our political aspirations for real political empowerment – they continue unabated and in more incisive measures although more subtly and camouflaged from within.
The day of martyrdom of Loshou and Chakho is a good day to place ourselves once again on our political position as a people – On the 1st July, 2010 NPC, we had declared that we will sever all political ties with the communal GoM and demand an alternative arrangement pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, because of the unmistakeable facts that we cannot live with dignity and honour nad have our rights to life & property, to our identity, to our land & resources, to our traditional institutions and customary practices protected under the GoM. We have since then recommitted ourselves on this position consistently in auspicious and solemn platforms.
The odds and challenges in the realization of this position seems insurmountable. But the Nagas in Manipur will not give up the struggle for an alternative arrangement that is outside the system, which is programmed and engineered to make us exist without identity, political empowerment, rights and opportunities, dignity and honour. Our Youth and Students of today, to whom the future belong will not take it nor will their younger brothers and sisters accept such fate in resignation. We will achieve our aspiration in the spirit of struggle and sacrifice, which late Loshou and late Chakho epitomizes before us today.
I also would like to share with you all that the movement for securing an alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur has been registered in history with the process of the democratic process of tripartite talk of the GoI, GoM & the Nagas in Manipur under the aegis of the UNC. This dialogue process will now be entering into the 6th round of talk that will be held soon. We would inform our people of the need to be prepared for what could happen in the days to come, depending, particularly on the response of the GoI with regard to taking forward the process already put in place to its logical end.
In conclusion, I thank all of you for making it a point to be here. Your presence here is meaningful and precious to the memory of Loshou & Chakho, their families, their village, the Mao people and above all particularly for the Nagas in Manipur and the political position on which we stand today.
May the Almighty God, who ordains all events in our lives bless you all. May the noble souls of Chakho and Loshou rest in peace
Kuknalim !
President,
United Naga Council
Respected Presenters, Dr Gina Sangkham, Secretary General NPMHR and Mr Samson Remei, Former President of the UNC; Rev K. Koda, Executive Secretary, MBCA; Rev. Fr Kaisii Moses, Headmaster DBHSS Punanamei; Mr H. K. Zhimomi, Speaker NH; Mr Paul Leo, Chairman CFAA; Mr Kelhouneizo Yhome, President NSF, Tongpang Ozukum, President elect, NSF & their colleagues; Mr Neingulo Krome and Ms Rosemary Dzuvichu, Convenor & Member Secretary respectively and their colleagues of the erstwhile CCNCS,
NMA, ANSAM, NWU, NPMHR(C), NPMHR(S), NPO, CNPO, and tribe Presidents of the constituent units of the UNC, SDSA, SDWA, CNWU, TSL, … the village councils under the Mao Council, Units of the Mao Student Union, Units of the MNWWA, Church leaders of all denominations, respected members of the media fraternity and my dear Naga people.