The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN -IM) on Wednesday reiterated its demand for Naga sovereignty, urging the Indian government to honour the 2015 Framework Agreement (FA). The group warned that further delays in concluding the Indo-Naga peace talks could harm both sides.

In a statement issued by its Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP), the NSCN-IM reaffirmed its commitment to Naga self-determination and the Framework Agreement (FA) signed with the Government of India (GoI) on August 3, 2015. The NSCN-IM stresses that the right to self-determination, as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), is a fundamental human right. This right is crucial for the Naga people, who have long lived freely on their ancestral land.

The NSCN-IM reaffirmed its position that “Nagalim was and is never a part of the Union of India or Myanmar or any other powers either by consent or conquest.” The group described the ongoing conflict as a “resistance movement against illegal occupation.” They assert that Nagas have consistently resisted foreign occupation since the colonial era. The declarations of Nagalim Independence on August 14, 1947, and the Nagalim Plebiscite on May 16, 1951, reflect their steadfast refusal to accept foreign rule.

The NSCN-IM emphasized that Nagas did not initiate the decades-long violent confrontation but were compelled to defend themselves when India and Myanmar opted for military force. The statement condemned the continued presence of Indian military forces under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) despite a ceasefire in place since 1997.

The group argues that Nagalim’s liberation can only be achieved through a people’s revolution and not by waiting for the occupying forces to withdraw. The statement strongly criticised any attempts to frame the Naga issue as an internal matter of India or Myanmar, calling any solution within the framework of those nations’ constitutions a “sell-out” and betrayals of the national cause. It declared that the Nagas seek peace but will not capitulate to solutions that compromise their sovereignty. “Nagas would never seek a solution via the constitution of India or Myanmar,” it asserted.

While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue, the NSCN-IM stressed that political negotiation is “a means and not an end.” It described the FA as a significant step towards the resolution of the conflict and the recognition of the “unique history and sovereignty of Nagalim,” including the acceptance of a Naga national flag and constitution as essential components of sovereignty.

The NSCN-IM reaffirmed its commitment that Nagalim shall be for Christ and warned that any further delay in finalizing the peace talks could prove detrimental. They urged the Indian government to respect the terms of the Framework Agreement.