Naga flag, Constitution non-negotiable: NSCN-IM Chief Muivah reiterates stand amid thousands in Manipur

Nagas of Manipur endorsed Muivah's leadership and his stance regarding the negotiation for a solution.

Guwahati: For the second time in a week, Thuingaleng Muivah, the chief of Naga insurgent group in ceasefire, NSCN-IM on Wednesday reiterated that the Naga flag and Constitution is non-negotiable while finding a solution to the over seven-decades old Naga conflict.

Addressing a large crowd in Manipur's Naga dominated Senapati district, the 91-year-old patriarch of Naga insurgency said, "The letter and spirit of the Amsterdam Joint Communiqué (2002) and the Framework Agreement (2015), duly recognizing the sovereign Naga national flag and the sovereign Nagalim national constitution, are the rallying point for Nagalim and the Naga people, wherever they are."

An image showing the gathered crowd.

Nagas from Senapati, Manipur's Naga-dominated district and elsewhere lined up the streets in traditional attire with the pale blue "Naga national flags" in their hands and welcomed Muivah, who landed from a helicopter on Wednesday. Muivah was at Somdal in neighbouring Ukhrul, another Naga-dominated district. The veteran Naga leader, belonging to Tangkhul tribe, visited his ancestral Somdal village on October 22 after more than 52 years. Muivah, one of the founders of NSCN-IM, has been living in a "designated camp" at Hebron near Dimapur since the group had singed a ceasefire in 1997.

A similar attempt for Muivah's visit to his ancestral village in 2010, however, did not materialise as the Congress government in Manipur then did now allow the same, mainly due to objections by the majority Meitei community. Meiteis are against NSCN's demand for "unification" of all Naga-dominated areas including those in Manipur.

This time, however, the scenario was different with the Meiteis even taking part in Muivah's reception function at Somdal on October 22. Manipur has remained under President's Rule since February due to the Meitei-Kuki conflict.

Many in the Northeast expected that the gesture shown by the government and the Meiteis could soften Muivah's stance regarding a final agreement. But the same tough stance regarding the flag, Constitution and the "Nagalim territory" upset many.

United Naga Council, the influential forum of Nagas in Manipur that organised the public reception function, also adopted "the Naga People's Declaration" at the event, endorsing Muivah's leadership and his stance in the process for finding a "final agreement."

In his long speech, Muivah on Wednesday recalled the developments in Naga conflict and the negotiations with the government. He said Nagas are independent and will, in no circumstances, sign an agreement which is under the Constitution of India and Myanmar.

"The final negotiated political settlement between the Govenment of India and the NSCN representing Nagalim shall be according to the “uniqueness of Nagalim history”. It means that “a new relationship” of “sharing of sovereign power” shall be according to the sovereign Nagalim unique history duly recognized inclusive Naga national flag and Naga national constitution. The “new relationship” of “sharing of sovereign power” shall not be defined by the constitution of India and Myanmar but by the political agreement of the two sovereign entities, and it shall be outside the Union and constitution of India and Burma (Myanmar)."

NSCN-IM's stance, according to government officilas, has remained as the "only hurdle" in finding a "final agreement."

Muivah also alleged that the Centre was resorting to the stratagy of “divide and conquer” through distortion and perversion of the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015. "In this regard it is regrettable that some section of Nagas has become pawns in the hands of the GoI and its agencies. The NSCN/GPRN do not recognize any agreement signed within the Constitution of India- past, present and future." Muivah was hinting about the agreement the Centre signed with Naga National Political Group, a forum of another six Naga insurgent groups, in 2017.