KOHIMA, June 26: A historic convergence of 12 Naga Political Groups (NPGs), 28 Tribal Hohos—including the Tirap-Changlang-Longding People’s Forum—and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) was held on Tuesday at Medziphema. The gathering issued a powerful and unified call to advance the Naga people through trust-building, inclusive dialogue, and collective action.

A joint statement issued at the end of the convergence described the atmosphere as one “marked by openness, humility, and a shared longing for the Naga people to advance together—firm in the conviction that the path forward lies in the collective act of building the ‘Naga Bridge’.

This bridge, the statement elaborated, is “not merely metaphorical, but foundationally grounded in the historical and political rights of the Nagas,” citing key historical milestones including the Simon Commission’s report (1929), the Naga Declaration of Independence (1947), and the Naga Plebiscite (1951). These events were affirmed not as “relics of the past, but living testaments to a people’s enduring assertion of identity, dignity, and self-determination.”

The Naga Political Groups present at the gathering demonstrated rare unity and introspection. They acknowledged past failures with what the statement described as “commendable self-reflection,” openly recognizing the “human condition—marked by fallenness and finitude.” In a notable moment of transparency and reconciliation, they expressed “contrition for past failures” and emphasized the “urgent need to converge upon one inclusive common table, transcending factional divisions.”

This envisioned common table, they said, must become a “platform of communion—where trust is mended, differences are engaged with integrity, and a common journey toward our future is launched.”

In strong and unified voices, the Tribal Hohos present at the meeting warned against the dangers of “persistent polarization” and emphasized the need for collective healing. “This is not the time to put one another down,” emerged as a recurring refrain. “It is time to lift one another up.”

They reiterated that Nagas are not adversaries “contending for dominance, but co-heirs of a sacred trust,” a trust “bequeathed through history, faith, and struggle.”

Far from being a mere symbolic gathering, the Medziphema convergence culminated in the adoption of three concrete resolutions:

1. A collective call for all Naga Political Groups to convene at the forthcoming meeting, which was described as “a watershed moment—an opportunity for inclusive dialogue and coordinated forward movement for an inclusive solution upon one common Machan.”
2. An earnest appeal to all other Naga Tribal Hohos, regardless of region or affiliation, to “extend their moral and cultural support toward the fulfilment of common Naga aspirations.” The appeal emphasized “mutual respect for each community’s distinct identity and legitimate concerns.”
3. Endorsement of the initiative titled ‘A Common Journey’, described as “a pilgrimage of presence, listening, and accompaniment to diverse districts and localities across Naga areas.” The initiative aims to deepen grassroots participation, build trust among the people, and “foster a shared imagination of what unity looks like in practice.”

The Forum concluded with a powerful affirmation of collective purpose:“Together, we rise—not to rehearse the politics of explanation, but to embody the promise of transformation. Let this be the chapter where courage becomes action, remembrance becomes renewal, and bridges become our inheritance.”