Myanmar’s political turmoil snowballing into existential threat for Nagas — WC-NNPG

DIMAPUR — The Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPG) has vehemently condemned the compulsory conscription of Nagas in Myanmar by the military junta against their will, and opposed the use of Naga soil to launch military strikes against those fighting to defend democracy.

Expressing deep concern over the grave situation in Naga areas of Myanmar, the WC-NNPG, in a statement, said “the political turmoil is slowly snowballing into an existential threat for Nagas”.

“There is a sinister plot to make the Naga area the final battlefield between Myanmar Military and the People’s Democratic Force (PDF) and its Alliance,” it said, adding that conscripting Naga youths at a time when the Myanmar army is reportedly incurring “tremendous loss” is like “pushing them over the cliff”.

“Forcing a man to kill his own blood brothers is barbaric and unacceptable,” it stated, while calling out few Nagas who are collaborating with the junta and converting the Naga Self-Administered Area and major Naga townships of Taga, Lahe, Khamti, Leshi, Homalin, Thamanti, etc., into a safe haven for junta forces to regroup and launch offensives against ethnic pro-democratic forces.

“Naga individuals or groups involved in aiding Myanmar military junta in their desperate attempt to suffocate the ideals of truth, justice and federal democracy would be on the wrong side of history,” it said, adding that history will judge those working hand in glove with the junta.

The group also voiced the need for transitioning Myanmar into a peaceful democratic nation.

On the suspension of Free Movement Regime (FMR) in Indo-Myanmar border, it said the Indian government must recognise Nagas’ right to promote, maintain and value their common culture, maintaining that “artificial boundaries cannot confine a man’s spirit”.

Dubbing the Meitei-Kuki/Zo conflict as a creation of the Indian government, the WC-NNPG said the incident can’t be used to insult the Naga history, identity and culture that date back to pre-independent India era.

“This is too narrow a prism to subjectively ground the Naga people on unresolved political issue and also on FMR,” it said, adding that, “GoI (government of India) cannot create physical barrier to matters which echoes and resonates in the very soul of a people.”