The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has reiterated the fundamental nature of the Indo-Naga conflict and expressed deep concerns over the apparent lack of political will and insincerity on the part of Indian leaders. The NSCN-IM criticized the Indian government’s consistent attempts to reduce the Indo-Naga political issue to a “mere domestic problem of India,” warning that such an approach threatens the prospects for an honorable and acceptable solution based on the mutually agreed Framework Agreement.
In a statement titled “The Crux of Indo-Naga Issue” issued on January 20, the NSCN-IM stated that Indian and Naga leaders have engaged in political dialogue as two distinct entities for nearly three decades. The group condemned the Indian government’s use of labels such as insurgents, rebels, terrorists, and secessionists to describe the Naga people, calling these terms misleading and reflective of a “double standard” among Indian leaders.
The NSCN-IM insisted that the conflict is one of invasion and forced occupation of Nagalim by India and Myanmar. It stated that since there was no consensual union, the question of secession does not arise. “We have been fighting a war imposed on us by India,” the statement said. “It is a battle between the aggressor India and the aggrieved Nagas. It is a resistance movement against Indian imperialism and the struggle of Naga people for liberation.”
The statement traced the history of the conflict back to British imperialism, noting that although the British occupied part of Naga territory, other parts remained free. After British departure, the Government of India attempted to annex Nagalim through military force, but the Naga people resisted fiercely. The NSCN-IM accused India of killing Nagas indiscriminately, creating factions, and attempting to buy loyalty through development funds, but asserted these efforts failed to suppress Naga nationalism.
The NSCN-IM warned against repeating past mistakes, stating, “Nagas are by nature sincere, honest, straightforward and true to their word, but they are lionhearted when insulted, provoked, betrayed or attacked.”
Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful resolution, the NSCN-IM quoted its chief negotiator Th. Muivah: “We believe in political solution. We are for a negotiated settlement.”
The NSCN-IM called attention to the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, describing it as a historic accord recognizing the “unique history of Naga independence.”
“Based on the universal principle of democracy, it was agreed that sovereignty lies with the people. And that the sovereignty of the Nagas is with the Naga people,” the statement read.
The statement stressed that the Government of India has recognized the sovereignty of the Nagas and that “integration of all Naga areas is the legitimate right of the Nagas.” It also stated that both the parties agreed “coexistence of the two entities (peoples/nations) sharing sovereign powers” and that “Nagas are the owner of their land and anything on the surface and beneath of it belong to the Nagas.”
The NSCN-IM urged that the Framework Agreement must be upheld as the cornerstone of the relationship between the Nagas and the Indians.
The NSCN-IM concluded by stating that the Framework Agreement is the “end result of the commitments and assurances of the former seven Indian Prime Ministers and the present incumbent Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi.”