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DIMAPUR — The Global Naga Forum (GNF) has issued a public appeal to the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) and Angami Public Organisation (APO) as well as the Mao Council regarding the ongoing dispute over the Kezoltsa area, urging for ‘extraordinary caution’ in dealing with the matter.
In a statement issued on Monday, the GNF refrained from passing judgement on the merits of the case, acknowledging that discussions and negotiations have been ongoing between the involved parties for an extended period.
“The most GNF can do at this time, then, is to appeal to all concerned to exercise extraordinary caution and to speak and act with compassion for one another,” the statement read.
Highlighting the historical and ancestral ties that bind all Nagas together, the GNF underscored the shared responsibility to care for the land and each other for the common good.
“But we cannot do that without mutual empathy and a living commitment to peaceful coexistence especially during times of conflict like we’re in now,” it said, urging the SAPO to withdraw the quit notice, and the Mao Council to ensure withdrawal of the security forces at the earliest from the disputed area.
“Adversaries of Naga peoplehood have existed for many decades and are still busy working overtime to further separate and keep us apart wherever Nagas live – from India to Myanmar. None of us needs reminding, for instance, that it was not the Angamis and the Maos who decided to live in two separate Indian state administrations,” the GNF stated, emphasising that animosity and disputes between Naga tribes, such as the ongoing conflict within the Tenyimi family, hinder the Naga people's pursuit of unity and peace.
It further urged the two organisations to, “adopt new and creative strategies to resolve the dispute – as difficult as it must be, with even greater patience and mutual caring for the common good.”
The GNF also called upon Nagas everywhere to prioritise peace and unity, reflecting on shared history and aspirations. Emphasising the need for understanding, dialogue, and a willingness to look beyond immediate conflicts to achieve lasting reconciliation and unity, the GNF reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the welfare and prosperity of the Naga people.