Condemning what it described as “blatant” ceasefire violations and continued government silence on the Naga political issue, the National Highway Area Village Councils’ Forum (NH-29 from Airport to Chumoukedima) has announced a 6-hour “Shutters Down” protest on June 11, 2025, from 6:00 am to 12:00 noon along the NH-29 corridor.
The protest, the Forum said, is being called “to show our resentment, anguish and unhappiness” over the failure to arrest the perpetrators of the May 23 Unity Village attack, as well as over the broader issue of impunity enjoyed by armed underground groups.
In a statement issued by convenor Sebastian Zumvu, the Forum lamented that “the perpetrators of the dastardly act of May 23, 2025 at Unity Village have not been apprehended till date even though several of them have been identified and named in the FIR filed by Unity Village Council.”
It further charged that “Ceasefire Ground Rules have been blatantly violated by almost all the factions which have entered into Ceasefire Agreements with the Government of India on numerous occasions and the defaulters walk away with impunity and indulge in similar criminal activities without any fear of the law or of any repercussions.”
The Forum alleged that “designated Ceasefire Monitoring Offices have been converted into safe havens for criminals who commit crimes and take refuge in these offices,” while law enforcement agencies remain “hapless owing to defective restrictions contained in the CF Ground Rules” that bar them from entering such premises to arrest offenders.
Decrying the daily hardships faced by ordinary people, the Forum noted that “the general Naga public continue to suffer because of the nefarious acts of the numerous Naga underground factions such as imposition of illegal taxes on business establishments and traders, on Village Councils among others; abduction and torture of innocent civilians and so on and so forth.”
The Forum also took aim at New Delhi, stating that “the Government of India is maintaining a deafening silence over the Naga political issue even though the Naga peace talks have reportedly been concluded on October 31, 2019.”
As part of the June 11 protest, “black flags shall be displayed in front of all the shops and business establishments in the area,” the Forum announced. It also “appeal[ed] to all like-minded villages, business bodies and Urban local bodies all over Nagaland to join us in closure of shops during the above-mentioned period to show your solidarity with us.”
In a separate letter addressed to Chairpersons of municipal and town councils as well as Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Forum reiterated its appeal for solidarity, stating:
“The purpose of this closure and protest is to show our resentment, displeasure and anguish towards our demands to— Apprehend the culprits involved in the dastardly act on May 23, 2025 at Unity village by cadres of a certain faction; The need to amend the Ceasefire Agreements and Ground Rules which have been violated time and again; And also, against the Govt of India for being silent over the concluded Naga peace talks since October 2019.”
The letter added, “It is our humble request to kindly show your solidarity towards [the] common Naga cause for the betterment of our Naga society.” It also called on the organizations to “join us, or show your solidarity with us by way of closure of shops or at least display black flags in front of all the shops in your jurisdiction so that we can prick the conscience of the Government of India, the public of Nagaland as well as the cadres of the NPGs.”
A joint press conference with representatives of the 13 member villages will be held on June 10 at 11:00 am at the Sovima Village Council Hall, and all media personnel have been invited to attend.