Despite the recent split within the Working Committee (WC) of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), representatives from the Neokpao-led WC, NNPGs asserted on Tuesday that internal differences will not derail the Indo-Naga peace process.
This came after a closed-door meeting held at the Nagaland Police Complex, Chümoukedima, between the Government of India’s representative for Naga political talks, A.K. Mishra, and the WC-NNPGs (led by MB Neokpao Konyak). While Mishra did not engage with the media despite repeated attempts, key Naga leaders from the NNPGs addressed a press conference post-meeting, expressing commitment to a unified and inclusive solution.
Present at the press briefing were Isak Sumi, co-convenor of the Neokpao-led WC, NNPGs; P. Tikhak, Ato Kilonser of the NSCN (Reformation); Wangtin Naga, President of NSCN (Reformation); and C. Singson, a member of the Collective Leadership of GPRN/NSCN (Neokpao-Alezo).
“Regardless of the undesirable split in the Working Committee, the reconciling, the converging, consolation is that we all are for a solution. That is where we converge. So, let the NNPGs affair remain as an NNPGs affair and it will not impact on the solution that is being pursued because we are all for a solution that is a converging point,” said Isak Sumi.
The leaders acknowledged the complexity of the Naga issue, with its roots in decades of conflict and overlapping jurisdictions across multiple states. They emphasized the need to build consensus through dialogue not only among political groups but also with civil society, tribal leaders, and church bodies.
P. Tikhak clarified the group’s position regarding the much-debated “Agreed Position,” signed in 2017 between the NNPGs and the Government of India. “We did not come here to claim the ownership of the Agreed Position. We have come here as a Naga leader, and we have come here to discuss the Naga political issue and for the Naga solution. So, for us Agreed Position or Framework Agreement, we don’t want to place Agreed Position above the Framework Agreement, neither do we want to place the Framework Agreement above the Agreed Position. It is a Naga political issue, and we are all for the early Indo-Naga solution.”
Wangtin Naga added that while two agreements exist, their purpose is singular. “There are two agreements, Framework Agreement signed by NSCN (IM), and Agreed Position signed by NNPGs. According to our understanding, maybe two agreements signed by two groups, but it is only for one goal. So, time will not be far away for all of us to combine and compile these two agreements and formulate only one thing for one solution. So, we never talk about Agreed Position alone. We talk about the entire Naga issue. To bring about a final inclusive solution.”
On being asked about the Government of India’s view on the split in the WC, NNPGs, Wangtin remarked, “NNPGs have been split in two. One group under Kitovi, another group under Neokpao Konyak. But, for us it is only one. Because NNPGs have signed Agreed Position under the leadership of N. Kitovi. Whatever he may think, but this agreement has been signed under his leadership. NNPGs, you may see two, three NNPGs, but for us there is only one NNPGs. There will be no two agreements. Agreement has been already signed. NNPGs never belonged to Neokpao, nor does it belong to Kitovi. It belongs to the Nagas.”
C. Singson echoed a similar sentiment, saying internal divisions stem from personal differences and ego clashes. “NNPGs, two groups that we have, in fact, this is a creation of our own people, organization, differences, failing to understand and know the oneness of the Nagas. And I personally feel that the time has come that we must show the world the oneness of the Nagas by coming together… The Government of India is not bothered about the differences between political groups. They are watching and they take all the political groups seriously, and with all these groups the Government of India wants to go for an acceptable solution. So, I think with this opportunity time has come for the Naga national workers to wake up and come together. This solution is being delayed, in the other sense, because of our differences. We cannot be throwing blame on the Government of India. But now the time has come where we must have the power of acceptance. The power of forgiveness among the Naga national workers. And then if we can materialize it, I think this is going to be our strong stand and then we can question the Government of its credibility and the stand of the Government of India. And today’s meeting I found to be very fruitful. And now the ball is in the court of Naga leaders.”
The leaders admitted past mistakes and urged all stakeholders to move beyond blame. “The Nagas have every right to question the credibility of the Naga political groups also as well as the leaders. We cannot justify and we cannot shy away from that. We also make our sincere apology to the Naga people for all the wrongs that have been done. We cannot justify on any front for all the errors that have been committed. Now the basic issue here is as to how to resolve the solution at the earliest. You know, there is no justification in delaying the solution. However, there might be some genuine reasons also. You know, the Naga issue is a very complicated story. It has been an ongoing conflict for the last seven, eight decades. And our objective for a comprehensive, all-encompassing Naga solution in itself is complicated because the Naga area is spread into four, five states. Multiple groups. There are certain issues where the Naga interest and the affected states and the interest of the Government of India overlaps. So, it is time-consuming and therefore the delay,” said Isak Sumi.
He also highlighted ongoing collaborative efforts under the Council of Naga Relationships and Cooperation (CNRC) platform initiated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), supported by all the Naga tribal leaders.
Asserting that the process now hinges on formulating an “execution plan,” Sumi stressed that discussions on the Framework Agreement or Agreed Position have become secondary. “On the part of NNPGs, we are very clear. We are now beyond discussing the Agreed Position or Framework Agreement. We are rather looking towards formulating a final execution plan inclusive of all the Naga political groups as well as the stakeholders, also taking into consideration the aspiration of the Naga people in general. And therefore, the Framework Agreement or Agreed Position to our perspective is no longer an issue. It is rather the working out of an execution plan.”
In a closing note, Wangtin said, “Total unity will happen only on the solution. Once the Government of India makes a call for a solution everybody will be part of it.”
Also Read: Manas records very high elephant density, tiger population surges