Kohima: The Global Naga Forum (GNF) issued a strong rebuke on November 14 following a consultative meeting of the Central Nagaland Tribes Council. The forum took aim at comments from former Chief Secretary Alemtemshi Jamir and retired IAS officer K.K. Sema made on November 11. These officials suggested that state borders dictate Naga identity and questioned the role of Southern Nagas.
The GNF dismissed the claim that Naga nationalism is a recent invention. They traced their history back through village republics, inter-tribal cooperation in the 1830s, and the formation of the Naga Club in 1918. Their message was blunt. Borders cannot define a people. The forum argued that the 1963 state boundaries hold no power over shared ancestry or history.
Tensions flared over Sema’s specific ultimatum. He reportedly told Southern Nagas to either meet his demands for transparency or, as he put it, "get out." The GNF condemned this language. They rejected the attempt to exclude Tangkhul Nagas or use the 1960 16-Point proposal to justify such division. The forum pointed out that the 1960 agreement lacked a popular mandate and failed to represent the broader population.
The GNF remains focused on unity. They cited the 1929 memorandum to the Simon Commission and the 1951 voluntary plebiscite as proof of a long-standing desire for self-determination. By highlighting the work of figures like Rishang Keishing, they reaffirmed their commitment to integration. The forum urged tribal leaders to ditch personal attacks. They called for accountability, stating the future of the Naga people depends on solidarity rather than the lines drawn on a map.
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