The Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Thursday responded to criticism from the GPRN/NSCN (U), saying that remarks made by the State’s Roads & Bridges Minister regarding village chieftains were aimed at preserving the sanctity of traditional institutions and not directed against the Naga national movement.
In a statement issued through its Press Bureau, the NPF said the minister’s remarks were made specifically in the context of the Sumi community during the Sumi Kükami Hoho general conference and “not against the Naga National movement.”
“Their direct involvement with any particular group imperils the very social fabric they are duty-bound to protect,” the party stated while referring to village chieftains.
The NPF said it holds the institution of village chiefs in the “highest esteem,” describing them as custodians of Naga traditions and cultural heritage. At the same time, it maintained that chiefs should remain above factional lines in order to preserve their moral authority.
The statement came in response to a press release issued by the GPRN/NSCN (U) on May 19 through local media.
On the broader Indo-Naga peace process, the NPF reiterated that the ongoing political negotiations are between the Government of India and Naga political groups, and that the State Government is not a negotiating party.
Defending the Chief Minister’s remarks on the need for a political-level interlocutor, the NPF said the position was consistent with the resolution adopted during the Naga Consultative Meeting held on September 12, 2024, where tribal hohos, civil society organisations, intellectuals, legislators and Members of Parliament had reportedly appealed to the Government of India to appoint an interlocutor with political and ministerial authority.
“The fact remains that even after the 2021 statement that ‘negotiations had concluded,’ an honourable solution is yet to be arrived at,” the statement said.
The party also said it has consistently used the term “Naga Political Groups” in official communications and on the floor of the Assembly, adding that “terminology should unite, not divide.”
Reiterating that the Naga political issue is “above party politics,” the NPF urged all stakeholders to avoid public exchanges that could create confusion among the people “at this critical juncture.”
“The need of the hour is unity of purpose, clarity of position, and sincerity of effort toward an early honourable solution,” it added.