Naga Common Platform to push for final political solution on November 18

DIMAPUR — A Naga Common Platform under the aegis of the Nagaland GBs Federation is scheduled for November 18 at 10 am at Agri Expo, Chümoukedima, to press for a Naga political solution based on the Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position.

Announcing the initiative at a press conference in Dimapur on Thursday, Senior Citizen Association Nagaland (SCAN) spokesperson KK Sema said the initiative seeks to forge a collective Naga stand on the decades-old Indo-Naga issue and send a clear message to the government of India that the people desire an early, inclusive settlement.

He said the effort aims to build a unified Naga voice on whether to pursue an early, inclusive political settlement. “We urge all mothers and fathers—both in Nagaland and abroad—to recognise that the Naga political issue is ours to shape. It’s our duty to secure a fair future for our children,” he said.

Expressing concern over the prolonged deadlock, Sema said decades of uncertainty had created “an environment of hopelessness, lack of opportunity and social degradation”.

“As a father, I say this is not fair for my children. They deserve better,” the 79-year-old said, urging today’s generation to end the prolonged stalemate.

Explaining why the GBs Federation is spearheading the effort, Sema said the organisation was chosen for its traditional authority and non-partisan character. “No single civil organisation in Nagaland can unite all 17 tribes, but the GBs, as traditional custodians, have always shouldered the burden for both the government and the underground,” he said.

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The GBs are not government agents but unpaid community representatives who have historically served both the state and the underground, the former bureaucrat claimed.

He said the event would be attended by GBs and delegates from every district, along with representatives of all 17 recognised tribes and various civil-society organisations. Invitations have also been extended to all Naga political groups, civil organisations, and tribal bodies.

“Each group can decide for itself whether to attend,” he said, adding that the response to this invitation would indicate where each group stands.

“For once, we hope there will be no obstruction from any corner and that all Nagas will answer a simple question—do we want a solution or not?” he said.

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Sema maintained that the two political documents—the Framework Agreement signed with the NSCN (IM) and the Agreed Position signed with the Working Committee of NNPG—had already acknowledged Naga historical and political rights. “Our national workers have done their best; now the government of India must deliver the final solution,” he said.

He stressed that the initiative was not meant to rival the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), which he praised for its reconciliation efforts, but to focus directly on achieving a political settlement under the two existing agreements. “This platform gives all factions a chance to speak directly to the people, and the public deserves to hear them,” he added.

Sema also clarified that the platform considers the interests of Nagas living outside Nagaland—in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam—with plans to include provisions for autonomous territorial councils in those regions.

‘Give us one solution’

Former Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) president Theja Therieh called the 28-year-long peace process a “lost generation”, saying the drawn-out talks had weighed heavily on Naga society. He urged greater transparency, civil-society involvement, and a “people’s movement” to bring the issue to its logical conclusion.

He also recalled meetings with Indian leaders—including the prime minister—to push for an inclusive deal, saying all sides must now answer to the Naga people rather than continue “endless negotiations.”

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Naga Hoho president H Sulanthung reaffirmed the organisation’s role as a unifying body, urging all Naga tribes—including those in neighbouring states and Myanmar—to unite in “trust, confidence, and oneness” for an inclusive peace.

He noted the confusion among Nagas, especially in Nagaland, and urged a stronger collective voice guided by AZ Phizo’s philosophy—“Nagas are one people wherever we are.”

He said the Naga Hoho would remain neutral but support only policies that benefit the Naga people. “The documents are already on the table—just give us one solution,” he said, appealing to the government of India to merge the Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position into a single, inclusive settlement.

Similarly, NTC representative Nungsang Jamir said public patience had worn thin even as the peace agreements remain in limbo. Stating that the peace process cannot remain open-ended, he urged citizens to make their demand for a final political settlement heard.

Meanwhile, Sema said the outcome of the November 18 platform would be compiled and conveyed to the Government of India, reflecting the collective voice of the Naga people. “The ordinary Naga is reaching a breaking point. Tax burdens, lack of clarity and prolonged uncertainty are wearing us down,” he said, reiterating that the gathering will seek to answer one simple but vital question: Do we want a solution or not?