The Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) has appealed to the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Sumi Hoho to defer the upcoming Zunheboto meet by a week or two in order to facilitate a more inclusive and decisive discourse on the Naga political issue.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Working Committee traced the long and complex journey of Naga reconciliation efforts—from the signing of the Covenant of Reconciliation (CoR) on March 18, 2009, to the Lenten Agreement of March 28, 2014, and the September Joint Accordant of September 14, 2022—crediting the FNR, under the leadership of Rev Dr Wati Aier, for “igniting genuine hope of Naga unity” in the hearts of the Naga people.

It recalled how the early reconciliatory efforts raised hopes for a common future, but expressed dismay at the August 3, 2015 signing of the Framework Agreement (FA) between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM), which it said was done without consulting “genuine stakeholders on the ground,” including tribal apex hohos, village chiefs/headmen, custodian of Naga customary laws, FNR and other prominent civil society organisations.

“The GoI swallowed the bait without even consulting genuine stakeholders on the ground,” the statement charged, alleging that the Naga organizations were all taken for a ride.

The Working Committee criticized the FNR stating that “for next seven years, the FNR fell eerily silent, remained dormant and incognito, perhaps due to insincerity and betrayal to our common journey by a major stakeholder.

During this period, several Naga civil societies—including the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC), Nagaland GB Federation (NGBF), CNTC, Nagaland Joint Christian Forum, Senior Citizens’ Forums, CNCCI, Ex-Parliamentarians Forum, intellectual groups etc tepped in to analyse the ground realities and engage with the Indian leadership, the statement said.

While welcoming the FNR’s return to active reconciliation work in recent years, the WC acknowledged key milestones such as the September Joint Accordant (14th September 2022), agreeing to form “Council of Naga Relationships and Cooperation” and the January 14, 2023 “Nagas Are Moving Ahead” statement, in which WC Convener N Kitovi Zhimomi and NSCN (IM) Chairman Q Tuccu pledged “unconditional commitment to collaborate on the basis of our respective agreements, with immediate effect, for the resolution of the Naga historical and political rights with the Government of India”

However, the WC lamented that these commitments were later undermined by contradictory statements from the NSCN (IM), including its August 3, 2025 declaration that working with the NNPGs was a “dangerous proposition”, and that “Framework Agreement and Agreed Position are poles apart and we see no meeting point whatsoever”.

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On both the occasions, the FNR did not “applaud or rebuke,” it claimed. It further said Nagaland today is burdened by more than twenty Naga political organizations.

“The reality today is that there are only two Naga political groups,” the WC stated bluntly: “those who want an honourable and acceptable Indo-Naga political solution based on officially negotiated terms, which the overwhelming majority of Nagas want; and those who wish to prolong the conflict for their own interest and benefit.” It alleged that some elements prefer the status quo to continue “to enrich themselves by taxing the people of Nagaland in the name of the Naga cause.”

“The problem is now between the GoI and anti-solution elements and not between GoI and the Nagas or WC, NNPGs. It is absolutely clear that political talks have concluded. There are two agreements on the table for GoI to work on for ‘one comprehensive solution’”, it added.

To ensure that the upcoming Zunheboto meet, hosted by the Sumi Hoho under the aegis of the FNR, becomes “a pathbreaking, inclusive, decisive and historic meet,” the WC urged that NGBF and all key Naga civil society organisations—including the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), NTC< CNTC, Naga Hoho, CNCCI, ex-parliamentarians, church bodies, mothers’ organisations, intellectual groups, students’ unions and concerned senior citizens—be invited for a fruitful and united discourse.

“WC NNPGs believes it is in the best interest of Nagas that the journey goes on with all stakeholders with shared responsibilities to take strong decision,” the WC said and further cautioned against entrusting the process to “a single individual or a few members,” warning that this risks “stagnation and indecisiveness at this crucial hour.”

Reiterating its commitment to the principles of the Covenant of Reconciliation and the Journey of Common Hope, the WC emphasised that these ideals are not exclusive to political groups but can and should be extended to all apex civil societies.