Nagas, whether in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam or Arunachal or anywhere else have suffered enough due to their unsettled political problem. They have been living under the dark shadow of sleepless night since several decades. Most of these sufferers are innocent village folks who live in the deep interior jungles who do not have any idea about the issue and the reason for which they are suffering.

They are been physical tortured and intimitated, financially exploited in the name of tax for national movement, and mental trauma due to fear of another assault at any moment.

Torture came from their own Naga fellows who claimed to be fighting for their right, accusing them that they are supporting Indians armies or one faction or another; torturing from the Indian armies suspecting that they are sheltering the under grounds. I know today some of our love ones remain physically handicapped, unable to do anything due to excessive torture from either of the two.

Financial exploitation includes taxation from the petty Govt. employees from their meager salary and even taxing from poor widows who survive by selling vegetable on the road side. Above all, developmental program complete ceased as no Government or NGO project or scheme could be taken up successfully due to interference by one group or another. The consequence is, the world has gone far but world of Nagas is still in 1st century.

Our brethrens still live in the deep jungle and toiled day and night just for two meals a day. The question of surplus or extra income and improving their living condition by building better houses, maintaining cleaner toilet and bathroom, adopting a new modern methods of farming and developing our villages or area through modern technologies is a dream far off.

Their only purpose of life seems to be working day and night for filling stomach- nothing else-and wait for the day to be buried. The only occasion they could lift their head to see the world outside (the village) is when Christmas season comes. During this season we can see innocent villagers coming from far flung villages flocking group by group in the bazaar, with a big bamboo basket hanging behind, shopping for the festival.

One could easily make out who are these people and some time they become the object of laughing stock for the so call 'own people'. In Dimapur town dwellers laughing at them calling, "HI! BOSTI MANU, KOT CHABO?"

At Imphal, meiteis would ridicule saying, "Hi! HUISA CHAPA? KADAIDANO?"

But what can they do? because that is who they are! They just have to ignore and swallow all the bitterness and humiliation and return to village, forget it as their fate and enjoy the feast. This is the plight of the 90% of Nagas who live in the villages today.

1997 Cease Fire agreement between GOI and NSCN with the then Congress government under the leadership of late Narasimha Rao in the Center and Rishang Keishing in the state, brought a bit relief for this suffering folks because it somehow decreased the severity of torture and mental suffering at least from one side( Indian armies) However, exploitations and torture from the other side continues though in disguise forms.

Invitation to MUIVAH and ISAAC by the GOI for talk and their coming brought a ray of hope and joy with the anticipation that some sort of solution is really going to find and bring an end to those sufferings and a new era of freedom and peace would prevail in this part of the world too.

Thousand of innocent Nagas villagers eagerly wait with deep prayer asking Almighty to do something for them. Their concern is not 'sovereignty' or 'not sovereignty', 'Nagalim' or 'not Nagalim' but only to end misery once and forever. These days I am sure Nagas in far flung deep villages, after returning from fields after the day's hard, would be sitting around the evening bond fires group by group, listening radio news eagerly expecting some good news for them from Delhi

In this juncture of crucial moment and high expectation, Nagas brothers expect our loving neighbors -Meiteis, Kukis, Assamies or Arunachalist to understand us and extend their fullest cooperation and sympathetic support to the on going talk. So that somehow a solution would emerge and a new era would prevail in Nagaland and entire North East. So that Naga brothers and sisters also may experience peace and prosperity once in their life- time.

However, this expectation is being disappointed by the recent statements issued from different corners of Manipur against the Nagas and the dialogue that is going on in Delhi. Ibobi Singh's, CM of Manipur, 'asking Nagas to leave Manipur if they wish but will not be allowed to take away even an inch of land from Manipur' will remain as a bitter tablet in the heart of many Nagas throughout their lives.

Such an irresponsible and thoughtless statement has added salt in the wound that is bleeding. His statement exposed the true attitude of plain peoples towards hills which have been remaining hidden for so long in the name of 'CHING TAM AMADANE'.

The statements that came from UNLF and KNA comrads also have not been the word of peace rather, one read it as, a word which came out of jealousy and opportunistic thinking. If our Meiteis have the right to fight for the liberation of their Sana Leipak or Kuki brothers have right to struggle for their homeland, why not Nagas? Their statements and objections to the present Indo-Naga talk is like African proverbs "Pocking another man's wound with a stick".

Hence, it is an earnest prayer request of thousands of innocent voiceless Nagas who are silently weeping in the deep interior villages, that let no one put word which would derail the peace talk that is going on at present.

Instead we appeal to our brothers to somehow understand our long suffering and extend fullest support and cooperation so that by the grace of Almighty, solution may find and our suffering may be gone once and forever. Our happiness will be the happiness of yours, our prosperity will be the prosperity of the whole North East brother as our agonies and suffering has been yours till today.

Thank you,

P.S : This article has been sent by a person who has lived with villagers for the last many years and experienced their plight and agonies and hence, with deep sense of responsibility, he has sent this appeal on their behalf. I hope nobody would take this article with negative sense rather the reader would welcome and respond positively.