President of NSCN-K (Niki), Gen (retd), Niki Sumi on Monday asserted that without collective unity among Naga organizations, tribal bodies and political groups, any talk of final settlement to the vexed Indo-Naga issue would remain meaningless.
Addressing media persons at the Ceasefire Supervisory Board Office, the NSCN-K leader placed unity at the centre of Naga political struggle and underlined that “unity must come first, solution comes second”. He also warned that continued division among the Naga political groups have weakened the Naga movement and benefited external forces.
Referring to the NNPGs’ Agreed Position and the NSCN(IM)’s Framework Agreement, he said the core problem is not the absence of agreements but the absence of a united Naga voice. “The NNPGs have already reached an understanding with India. Why is the solution not happening? Because the Nagas are not united,” he said.
He questioned the viability of the NSCN(IM)’s demand for a separate Flag and Constitution. He drew a sharp contract between the NNPG’s approach and the NSCN (IM)’s “Framework Agreement”.
He argued that the NSCN (IM)’s insistence on a Flag and Constitution is contradictory if the Government of India does not agree to “integration”—the unification of Naga-inhabited areas in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam with Nagaland.
“Without Integration, how will a Flag or Constitution cover the Southern Nagas?” Sumi asked. “Will the Government of India agree to break the boundaries of Manipur or Arunachal? If Integration does not happen, the Flag and Constitution have no value for them,” he said.
He questioned about the contents of the Framework Agreement, stating, “What is inside it is not clear,” while praising the NNPGs for their stance on securing attainable competencies now and pursuing remaining rights democratically in the future.
Warning that prolonged disunity could push Nagas into a situation similar to Tripura, he said decades of struggle have failed to deliver benefits to the common people because Nagas continue to fight among themselves. “Instead of gaining strength, we are destroying ourselves through internal conflicts, extortion and ego clashes,” he remarked.
The NSCN-K president urged Naga intellectuals, civil society groups and the general public to look beyond personalities and factions and focus on collective unity for a realistic settlement. “Do not be carried away by emotions. Read both agreements carefully. If we do not unite now, our future generation will inherit only confusion and suffering,” he cautioned.
Strongly emphasizing organizational unity, he said the United Naga Council (UNC), Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) and Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) must come together without conditions.
“If these three unite, we can solve the issue. If the Nagas unite and apply pressure, the State Government will dissolve. India won’t ask for it to dissolve because the current situation benefits them,” Sumi asserted.
He warned that the alternative is the fragmentation of the Naga people into disparate autonomous councils, effectively killing the Naga political cause.
“Do not tell the public stories claiming, ‘I met the Governor,’ ‘I met the Home Minister,’ or ‘I met Modi,'” Sumi declared. “We also know the truth. You actually met with the IB (Intelligence Bureau), RAW, and the NIA. India tries to split the Nagas into small pieces. To solve the Naga political issue, we shouldn’t listen to the whispers of outsiders,” he said.
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On the role of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), he maintained that reconciliation would remain symbolic unless leaders genuinely commit to unity. “According to the earlier agreed framework for unity, if the members do not join together, it will remain just an observation. We don’t have much say in the FNR either. When will unity happen?” he said.
Appealing directly to civil society organizations, the NSCN-K president urged them to take the lead in uniting the UNC, ENPO and NTC, stating that once ‘overground unity’ is achieved, political groups would be easier to bring together. “When the people and civil bodies unite, political parties will have no choice but to follow,” he asserted.
Sumi urged the Naga public to stop being spectators. He warned leaders that public silence should not be mistaken for consent. “The Naga public has brains,” Sumi said, adding, “If the public does not ‘follow up’ or argue with you, it doesn’t mean they accept it in their hearts… first comes unity. Second is the solution.”
Calling unity the foundation of all political progress, he said that unemployment, underdevelopment and social decay cannot be addressed as long as Nagas remain divided. He pointed out that both “overground” and “underground” leadership have failed to jointly tackle unemployment and economic stagnation. He dismissed the idea that low-level entrepreneurship or recruitment drives could fix the systemic economic rot.
“Perhaps unemployment will be solved if sovereignty is achieved, but as long as we are under the Indian Constitution, how much development does the Naga state actually need?” he asked. “We need to talk about a settlement. Will more money come? Will more posts be created? Political parties must find a solution,” he opined.
The NSCN-K leader also criticized retired officials and political leaders who, he said, failed to deliver when they were in power but now contribute only to confusion. He warned that leaders who work individually for personal gain weaken collective bargaining power and keep divisive policies alive.
Reiterating that unity is the only way forward, he said, “Even if I do not like you personally, if we care for the Nagas, we must unite. Without unity, there is no solution. With unity, even the impossible becomes possible,” he said, urging all stakeholders to think beyond factional interests and act for the collective future of the Naga people.
No separate talks without unity
Responding to a question on the recently formed Naga Common Platform by the Nagaland GB Federation and other civil society organizations, which supported implementation of both the NSCN (IM)’s Framework Agreement and the NNPGs’ Agreed Position, Niki Sumi expressed concern over the non-participation of Naga tribal hohos.
Questioning the logic of selective involvement, he asked, “Whether they implement the Framework Agreement or the Agree Position… if both are not there, why finalize before hand? He also expressed concern over the split in the NNPGs and said Nagas would ultimately suffer if political understanding is fragmented.
He also said that if he signs any agreement, it would not have any value if other factions do not agree with each other. In such case, neither would be implemented effectively, he said, adding political value is lost the moment unity is sacrificed.
On a query whether his group would submit a separate Charter of Demands or engage in independent dialogue with the Government of India, Sumi made it clear that he would not pursue a separate path unless there is Naga unity.
“Even without dialogue, I can sit quietly,” he said, asserting that initiating talks is meaningless if Nagas themselves are divided. “Who will unite with us? Who will lock together? That is not my duty alone,” he remarked.
Niki Sumi clarified that if any agreement—whether under the Framework Agreement or the Agreed Position—ultimately benefits all Nagas and is accepted by the people, he would have no objection. “If the Agreed Position leaders get a deal and it does good for all Nagas, I will be happy. That is not my personal issue,” he said.
However, he warned that creating multiple agreements would only bring confusion. “Already there is trouble between two agreements. If a third one comes, who will take responsibility? If Nagas are divided, even 100 agreements will not give everything,” he stated.
Reiterating the concept of an “Inclusive One Solution,” Niki Sumi said inclusivity must be demonstrated in practice, not merely spoken about. “If you say it is inclusive, then show it by uniting the Nagas first. If I don’t fit there, I will step back. But if the people accept it, I will accept it too,” he said.
Responding to a query on whether he would join a unified process without conditions, the NSCN-K president said the question itself reflects the political confusion prevailing among the Nagas. He noted that neither the Framework Agreement nor the Agreed Position has received wholehearted public endorsement so far. “The majority has not followed either. So when Nagas unite, when political parties unite, and the people unite… we Nagas have to take that,” he said.
He further asserted that India is unlikely to create new agreements now and would instead re-draft or consolidate existing ones. “The real question is not which agreement India wants, but which one the Nagas want—truthfully and collectively,” he said, cautioning against blindly accepting any deal without popular consensus.
On the issue of illegal immigration, particularly of Bangladeshi origin, Niki Sumi expressed serious concern over the growing demographic pressure in Dimapur and Mon districts. He said current mechanisms are inadequate to handle the situation in the long run.
He warned that unchecked immigration could pose serious social and economic challenges in the future, particularly in commercial hubs. “If things continue like this, Dimapur and Mon will suffer the most. Later, we may not be able to handle this,” he cautioned.
