The NSCN(IM) claimed that since the inception of the Naga movement, the Indian government has attempted to suppress it through military force, deploying thousands of armed personnel to the region. They allege that in the process, hundreds of thousands of innocent Nagas lost their lives, yet the movement remained resilient
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) [NSCN(IM)] has once again asserted that the Naga movement is not a secessionist struggle but a resistance against what it terms as “Indian aggression”. In a press release, the group stated that their struggle is for the restoration of their sovereignty following what they allege as the forceful occupation of Nagalim by India.
The NSCN(IM) claimed that since the inception of the Naga movement, the Indian government has attempted to suppress it through military force, deploying thousands of armed personnel to the region. They allege that in the process, hundreds of thousands of innocent Nagas lost their lives, yet the movement remained resilient.
The statement also accused the Indian government of employing political manoeuvres to weaken the Naga struggle, referring to the Naga People’s Convention (NPC) and the subsequent 16-Point Agreement. According to NSCN(IM), this agreement was drafted without the consent of the mandated Naga national leaders with the intention to divide the Naga people. “It was an attempt to legitimize the illegitimate occupation of Nagalim by India,” it said, rejecting “the Indian imposed agreement”.
They also rejected the Shillong Accord of 1975, describing it as an effort to politically subjugate the Naga people by betraying betrayed the Naga national principle.
Following years of armed conflict, a ceasefire agreement between the Indian government and NSCN was signed in 1997, leading to a series of political negotiations. A significant milestone was reached on August 3, 2015, with the signing of the Framework Agreement in New Delhi in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary to PMO Pramod Kumar Mishra and a host of NSCN leaders.
NSCN(IM) stated that the Framework Agreement acknowledges the unique history of the Nagas and recognizes their sovereignty while establishing a principle of shared sovereignty between India and the Nagas. According to the group, the agreement affirms that the Nagas are the rightful owners of their land and its resources.
Reiterating their commitment to a peaceful solution, NSCN(IM) emphasized that any agreement must respect the sovereign rights of the Naga people. The organization stated that the Framework Agreement is a solution both the parties have been working for it. “It is the cornerstone of Indo-Naga relationship. It is a bridge, not a wall. No one should ever attempt to tear down the Framework Agreement. It was purchased with the precious sweats, blood and tears of hundreds of thousand revolutionary patriots,” it added.
The NSCN(IM) also reaffirmed their stance on coexistence with other communities while building their state on the foundations of Naga identity and aspirations.