The Ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) has condemned the defamatory remarks made on social media by one Sword Vashum and by an unknown person on a Facebook page called “Patriotic Nagas” which were aimed at “defaming and character assassinating” former chief minister and governor Dr. S. C. Jamir and Ao women.

In a press statement, the former parliamentarians said that the questions raised by the unknown author of the group called “Patriotic Nagas” about the genealogy of Jamir and categorizing Ao women in such a derogatory and defamatory manner is not only “most absurd and irrelevant, but only proves the perverted mindset of the person”.

“Dr. S. C. Jamir is a Bonafide Naga by blood and a very dear son of the soil who traces his lineage back to Chungliyimti, the birth place of the Ao’s,” it stated.

It also expressed that it would not allow any person “to degrade and insult our women in such a manner” and called upon the authorities concerned to book the culprit under relevant laws and ensure that justice is served so that such incidents do not happen in the future.

Further, Ex-PAN said that the attacks on Dr. S.C. Jamir “centers around the creation of the State of Nagaland and the issue of Naga Integration” and affirmed that it would continue to support and defend Dr. S.C. Jamir and anyone from Nagaland “when they are being unfairly judged and accused for the existence of the land that we are proud to call ours”.

It stated that the Nagas are yet to realize the dreams for independence and integration “because of own follies not because of the rejection of God or the failure or fault of any one individual”.  Thanking God for the creation of Nagaland with special status conferred under Article 371A of the Constitution of India, the ex-parliamentarians said that the fruit of statehood is being “enjoyed” more by its critics.

It remarked, “Having enjoyed the hospitality of Nagaland, acquiring moveable and immovable properties both within and outside Nagaland under the safeguard of the people of Nagaland, yet refusing to accept the historical realities but instead, having the habit of casting aspersions against “‘individuals’ including the Ao womenfolk are nothing but the characters of a bully and a thug!”

The Association maintained that it is not a sin for anyone including Dr. Jamir to cite what is and what is not there from the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017. It added that had the former chief minister of Manipur, late Rishang Keishing, leaders and Naga brethren from Manipur “welcomed and supported the issue of Naga integration under clause 13 of the 16 Point Memorandum which was placed before the Nagas of Manipur by Mr. R. C. Chiten Jamir to be taken up as a joint venture before it was submitted to the Government of India in 1960 by the Naga Peoples Convention instead of rejecting it, the narrative would have been different today; but this was not to be thus giving rise to the current imbroglio”.

“What do these critics expect more from Nagaland when the NLA has adopted not less than 5 resolutions on Naga Integration without a single reciprocal gesture from the Naga people in Manipur and their elected representatives in the Manipur Assembly,” the Ex-PAN asked.

It also reminded that Dr. S. C. Jamir was just one of the signatories of the 16 Point Memorandum and is neither the architect nor the brain behind the memorandum. “The Memorandum was the collective effort and ideas of the Nagas of Nagaland who came together under the banner of the ‘Naga Peoples Convention’ to ensure that the violence and bloodshed that gripped Nagaland was put to an end!” the former parliamentarians stated.