The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has strongly criticized what it described as the “apparent lack of political will and sincerity” on the part of Indian leaders, stating that repeated attempts to reduce the Indo-Naga political issue to a mere domestic problem of India pose a serious threat to achieving an honourable and acceptable solution based on the mutually agreed Framework Agreement.

In a statement, the NSCN said that Indian and Naga leaders have been engaging in political dialogue as two entities for nearly the last three decades. The group asserted that labeling Naga political leaders as insurgents, rebels, terrorists or secessionists reflects immaturity and double standard nature of Indian leaders.

Reiterating its long-standing position, the NSCN stated that the Naga issue is one of invasion and forced occupation of Nagalim by India and Myanmar, and therefore the question of secession from them does not arise as there was never any consensual union.

“We have been fighting a war imposed on us by India. It is a battle between the aggressor India and the aggrieved Nagas; it is an armed confrontation against the Indian expansionist forces; it is a fight between the just and the unjust. It is a resistance movement against Indian imperialism and the struggle of Naga people for liberation,” it stated.

Recalling history, the NSCN said that while British imperial forces had occupied parts of Naga territory, large areas remained free, and after the British withdrawal, Government of India sent its forces to annex Naga lands through brute force, “but the Naga people put up tough resistance against the colossal forces of India in defence of our land, our sovereignty, our history, our identity, our politics, our culture and our faith till date”.

The NSCN (IM) said the Indian armies killed all sections of Naga indiscriminately, but they failed to extinguish the spirit of Naga nationalism. It alleged that India tried to divide the Naga people by encouraging factions and dissent, but they have failed in their efforts.

The group further alleged that successive Indian governments attempted to win over the Naga people through what it called “blood-tainted money” and false promises of development, but these efforts did not succeed. It maintained that Naga survival has been rooted on the strong foundat of their inherent rights.

Alleging that Nagalim has been made a killing field by India for decades, the NSCN (IM) said Government of India has the killing instinct to finish the Nagas, but the hard reality is that Nagalim for Christ is a living force. “It is not the nuclear weapons, nor the military might, but the truth force/the faith force that matters. Can the revolutionary Naga people be herded into the fold of Indian Union like animals?,” it questioned.

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The NSCN also warned the Government of India against repeating what it termed past mistakes of imposing “bogus accords and false peace,” stating that the Naga people have rejected such efforts in the past and will continue to do so. It emphasized that Nagas seek a solution that is honourable, lasting, and based on mutual respect.

Reaffirming its commitment to political dialogue, the NSCN said it believes in negotiation as the only path to resolve political conflicts, even while acknowledging that confrontation and negotiation are both dimensions of political struggle. Quoting its chief negotiator Thuingaleng Muivah, the statement reiterated that the organization remains committed to a negotiated settlement.

The NSCN (IM) recalled the signing of the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, describing it as a historic milestone witnessed by the world. According to the group, the agreement recognizes the unique history of Naga independence and affirms that sovereignty lies with the people, and specifically with the Naga people. It further stated that the agreement acknowledges the coexistence of two entities sharing sovereign powers, and recognizes the Nagas’ ownership of their land and natural resources.

The NSCN (IM) added that the Government of India had acknowledged the integration of all Naga areas as a legitimate right of the Nagas and described the Framework Agreement as the cornerstone of the future relationship between the two peoples. It said the agreement was the culmination of commitments made by seven former Indian Prime Ministers and the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi.