Khango-led NSCN (K) advised to get its own house in order

Dimapur, July 5 (EMN): The Working Committee (WC) NNPGs has more or less asked the NSCN (K) group led by Khango Konyak to gets its house in order.

A press release from the committee on Friday stated that ‘in best interest of Nagas’ it had, on May 22 this year, written to Khango Konyak—urging him to change/replace the group’s general secretary, ‘Col.’ Isak Sumi “in the negotiating team with a sober, matured and mediatory leader.”

“Conducts on and off the meetings left a lot to be desired. On May 18, eight rounds were fired inside a room at Aier’s Enclave, PWD colony Dimapur, destroying windowpanes because chairman ‘Gen. (Retd.)’ Khango had gone out to meet GPRN/NSCN chairman ‘Gen.(Retd.)’ Neokpao Konyak without his (Isak Sumi’s) knowledge. The two Konyak Naga leaders are related by blood and are from the same village. Later, the reason given for firing inside the guesthouse was that Mr. Isak Sumi had test-fired his new gun!

“NSCN (Khango) leadership remains an integral part of NNPGs and any future Naga solution. The November 17, 2017 Agreed Position between WC and GoI and subsequent progress have been briefed lucidly. There is no political difference among the WC. Domestic issues back home should be solved respecting various adopted WC resolutions. Each leader is indispensible and answerable to the Naga people. At such critical period of Naga history there is no room for personal egos to run riot through expansionist ambition,” read the statement.

It stated that when the Khango-led group had joined the peace talks under the ‘Agreed Position between WC and GoI’, the former had set four conditions before the central government.

“There was no assurance from the GoI but rather it was conveyed to NSCN (Khango) through NGBF the fact that since ceasefire was unilaterally abrogated by NSCN (K), de-facto ceasefire status would be automatically restored once they joined the ongoing political talks. All their demands would cease to exist when political settlement arrives.

“The press statement in the media on 04/07/19 by NSCN (Khango) group appears to be a deviation from fact. On the other hand, there was a huge trust deficit on the part of GoI on Khango group. The WC convener Mr. N Kitovi Zhimomi, co-conveners and Naga civil societies had to do a lot of groundwork at various levels to convince the GoI that Khango Group must be trusted and their joining in the negotiation would be in the interest of both GOI and Nagas.

“The WC is saddened to go through the statement purportedly issued by NSCN (Khango) group. The WC convened an emergency meeting at the Oking to assess the situation. There is no denying that the menace of defection is presently creating confusion and mistrust within the NNPGs. Even before the joining of NSCN (Khango) in the WC, resolutions had been adopted and reiterated several times among the NNPGs to prevent defection. The same anti-defection laws were agreed upon and signed by NSCN (Khango) leaders on joining the WC.

“When few civil and military workers within NNPGs defected to Khango’s group, these opportunists were readily accepted which was against the NNPGs principle and resolutions on issue if defection. Arresting defectors among 7 NNPGs should not be considered as interference or intrusion into the others administration,” it stated.

Solution to Indo-Naga political issue, it reminded, should be the sole agenda of every Naga leader.