A recent response to the Concerned Naga Forum of Nagaland (CNFN) press statement questions the forum’s narrative and its portrayal of the state government’s role in the Naga political dialogue. The article argues that CNFN’s claims of the state government undermining negotiations and affecting the social, economic and political life of the Nagas lack substance.
CNFN has linked the prolonged ceasefire, which began in 1997 under Chief Minister S. C. Jamir, to Nagaland’s continued backwardness. The response contends that a ceasefire alone does not cause stagnation; instead, the focus should be on why the Naga political issue remains unresolved after decades of talks and why a common political position has not emerged among the people.
The forum also alleges that the state government hampered negotiations by removing former Governor and Interlocutor R. N. Ravi and is now appointing a new interlocutor with ministerial status, claiming this will consign the Framework Agreement to the dustbin. The article notes that the state government is not a negotiating party but a facilitator, and therefore cannot be held solely responsible for delays.
Further, CNFN claims to speak for all Nagas, yet the forum’s membership of former politicians and bureaucrats does not automatically grant it a mandate from village institutions, tribal hohos or civil society bodies that traditionally represent Naga interests. Many Naga groups—over thirty by some counts—maintain separate positions, complicating any inclusive settlement.
The response concludes that an early solution is desirable but not sufficient without unity among the Nagas. It stresses that the key to a credible, honourable resolution lies in the people’s collective willingness to reconcile internal divisions and present a unified voice, rather than in external political rhetoric or changing interlocutors. The door to a lasting settlement will open only when the Nagas themselves turn the lock together.
