News Desk |
Nagaland, one of the north eastern states in India has declared separation. The move came from an influential organization which has been struggling for independence and was announced a day before India’s 73rd independence day.
The Naga Students Federation (NSF) declared independence by hoisting the Nagaland flag across the north eastern states as well as the Naga areas in Myanmar.
Nagaland has also released its own National Anthem and declared the city of Kohima as its capital.
The news was picked up by news outlets in India after a notification issued by “Federal Government of Nagaland” surfaced on social media.
Federal Govt of Nagaland announces freedom from India, 14 august 2019 celebrated as Indieoendence Day of #Nagaland #NagalandIsNotIndia#Nagaland pic.twitter.com/9QNdhQuwCL
— Northern News Updates (@QAD_North) August 14, 2019
“[we are] jubilant to learn that the Naga Student Federation (NSF) is going commemorate the 73rd Naga independence day on 14th August 2019.”
“The Ministry wishes a grand success”, the notification ended.
It is bordered on its west and north by Assam, on its east by Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), on its north by Arunachal Pradesh, and on its south by Manipur.
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The Nagaland conflict is today one of the world’s longest running and little known armed conflicts. It was initially made a backward area, an excluded area, and a district of Assam. In 1963, it became a state, known as Nagaland. The Nagas started waging an armed conflict against India to establish a sovereign independent state in Nagaland.
Although the demand for independence has not dropped, the Nagas agreed to a ceasefire in the late 1990s and softened their demands to ask instead for greater autonomy and bringing Nagas of India into a single political entity, a demand which is yet to be met.
The Nagaland flag contains a tri-colored stripe and a white star on a blue background. The notification says it was hoisted for the first time on 22 March 1956.
While declaring its independence on 14th August is a significant because it is commemorated as independence day by Pakistan, the timing is also important.
India is currently increasing its troops in Kashmir and enforcing a communications blackout after revoking the state’s special status. The Indian government has denied self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions for ever since partition.