GNF cautions against narrowing debate on Naga political issue

DIMAPUR — The Global Naga Forum (GNF) on Sunday cautioned against what it called a deliberate narrowing and distortion of public discourse on Naga political issue, warning that dissent and alternative political persuasions were increasingly being delegitimised.

In a statement, the forum suggested that recent public assertions by influential voices had moved beyond criticism of organisations or methods and were instead questioning the legitimacy of resistance itself.

Such a trend, it stated, was unhealthy and risked shrinking political space in favour of administrative convenience and state power.

Responding to claims that the delay in reaching a political settlement was solely due to NSCN (IM), the GNF termed the assertion misleading, pointing out that negotiations had continued for over two decades while leaders aligned with the Indian constitutional framework had also held high office without delivering a settlement.

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Responsibility for delay, it added, could not be placed on one party alone.

The forum rejected arguments portraying resistance as an obstacle to peace and development, asserting that “peace without political resolution is not peace, but quiet administration,” and that development could not substitute for a dignified political solution.

It also challenged claims that resistance no longer reflected the will of the Naga people, pointing out that no alternative body with a collective mandate had been proposed.

Delegitimising existing representation without replacement, it warned, risked unilateral closure of unresolved political questions.