Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: Ato Kilonser Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), ruled out any compromise on Naga sovereignty during his 80th Independence Day address. Speaking on August 14, 2026, from the NSCN headquarters at Oking, Hebron, Muivah demanded a political settlement that honors the unique history of Nagalim. He explicitly stated that any deal must protect the national flag and constitution.
Muivah stood firm. He rejected forced solutions.
The veteran leader emphasized the importance of the August 3, 2015, Framework Agreement, citing it as official recognition of Naga sovereignty. He spent much of his speech recounting a history of resistance that he claims predates the formation of India and Myanmar. He specifically noted the 1929 letter to the Simon Commission and the leadership of figures like AZ Phizo, Imkong Meren, and T. Sakhrie in building the Naga national movement.
Reflecting on decades of conflict, Muivah recalled the 1975 Shillong Accord, calling it a tragedy that betrayed the national principle. He defended the NSCN’s decision to continue the fight, stating, "I believe in Political solution. We must solve the problem through political talks and dialogue. We should be patient enough and tolerate in tackling the problem."
Muivah warned against internal divisions, characterizing them as the work of adversaries aiming to destroy the Naga movement from within. He paid tribute to late leaders Isak Chishi Swu, Khadao Yanthan, Brig Thungbo Pangmi, and Gen. Retd. Kholi Konyak. He also expressed gratitude to international groups, including the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, for their long-term support. The message to his followers was clear: the NSCN remains committed to its mandate and will not bow down to external pressure.
Updated at 15th August 2026 at 2:00am
Beyond the NSCN headquarters, the Naga Students' Federation (NSF) announced a boycott of Independence Day events on August 15. The group claims recent government revisions to the Indian national song Vande Mataram clash with Naga faith. NSF president Mteisuding also demanded that Naga political groups purge non-Naga members from positions of responsibility, citing a need to prioritize local unity.
Legal expert Tongpok Pongen used the occasion to challenge the current state of the movement at a Kohima ceremony. He pointed to the biblical story of Cain and Abel to describe the fratricidal violence that scarred the Naga cause. Pongen urged the younger generation to stop relying on external aid, arguing that modern Nagas have traded their ancestral self-reliance for a cycle of dependence and internal division.
Updated at 15th August 2026 at 6:00am
Muivah anchored his vision for the state in theology, insisting that the fight for Nagalim is a service to truth and God. He traced the roots of the Naga people to migrations from Mongolia, China, and Burma, arguing that their current territory is a divine gift that predates any colonial or modern national borders. He warned that the movement is currently suffering from internal moral decay and demanded a return to spiritual discipline, claiming that the NSCN has grown complacent since the ceasefire began.
Meanwhile, the NNC Lotha Region held its own gathering in Wokha. President Ekyimthung Patton took aim at the proliferation of splinter groups, noting that more than 20 distinct factions now claim to represent the Naga cause. Patton accused various groups of selling out by cutting deals within the framework of the Indian Constitution, which he labeled a betrayal of the 1929 memorandum and the 1951 plebiscite. He urged a return to a single platform, claiming the Indian government is now weaponizing financial payouts and ceasefire terms to dismantle the movement from the inside.
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