Kohima: Mokokchung marked 63 years of the Indo-Naga ceasefire on Sunday. Citizens gathered at the historic Khensa Peace Talk Camp to weigh the legacy of the 1964 agreement. The site hosted three rounds of peace talks in 1965. Tensions linger. The political settlement remains elusive.
Church leaders and representatives of the Naga national movement met to discuss the future. Rev P Longri Longchar recalled a past defined by bloodshed. He pushed for dialogue over violence. Takuyaba Longkumer of the Naga National Council insisted that the 1964 ceasefire serves as the core of their political position on sovereignty. He argued that only political dialogue can settle the matter.
Kezha Angami, the Kedahge of the Federal Government of Nagaland, stated that military force failed to solve the conflict. He urged for truth and cooperation while calling to strengthen traditional village institutions. Dr. Villo Naleo of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council spoke on the necessity of reconciliation. He noted, "Ceasefire must lead us to a just peace." Naleo rejected the idea that economic packages or time alone could fix the issue.
The event honored a major gift of land. Descendants of the Leubaza clan, specifically Mapukaba, Merenmayang, Temsunungba, and Pangertoshi Leubaza, donated their heritage land at Yimyu Tenem to the Naga people on September 6, 1964. Organizers reminded the crowd that the land was granted at the request of the Federal Government of Nagaland. The programme closed with the Naga Freedom Song, which students first performed at the 1965 talks.
Updated at 7th September 2026 at 6:00pm
Organizers dedicated a Covenant Stone, or Azungashi Long, at the Yimyu Hilltop site before the formal ceremony began. The Peace Talk Camp is now officially recognized as an Azungashi, a covenant linked to the broader Naga peace process facilitated by the original Peace Mission, which included B.P. Chaliha, Michael Scott, and Jayaprakash Narayan.
Takuyaba Longkumer framed the current struggle through a historical lens, noting the August 14, 1947, declaration of independence and the 1951 Naga Voluntary Plebiscite where he claimed 99.9 percent support for sovereignty. He cited the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to bolster the current claim to self-determination. Kezha Angami added that the 1964 ceasefire was guided by 13-point terms, which sought to end hostilities and clear the air for sustained negotiations.
The Leubaza clan land donation, previously a verbal agreement, has now been formally documented. Official copies of the transfer agreement were handed over to the descendants, the president of the Federal Government of Nagaland, and the Khensa Village Council. Organizers are now pushing for churches under the Nagaland Baptist Church Council to recognize September 6 as an official Peace and Ceasefire Day in the future.
Updated at 8th September 2026 at 1:51pm
Organizers inaugurated the Azungashi Long, or Covenant Stone, at the Yimyu Hilltop site before formal proceedings began. Dr. Tsuknunglenla of Clark Theological College chaired the event, while Rev. Dr. Akok Amer led the dedicatory prayer. Merentoba Longkumer offered the invocation, and Rev. Puryapang delivered the benediction.
Dr. Villo Naleo warned that internal divisions among national leaders could turn into a political tragedy. He urged them to prioritize a common future over their differences. Kezha Angami paid tribute to early leaders A.Z. Phizo and Imkongmeren, noting that the struggle was sustained by local villagers through their service, sweat, and blood.
The event organizers are officially pushing for churches under the Nagaland Baptist Church Council to recognize September 6 as Peace and Ceasefire Day starting next year.
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