Ukhrul, October 14: Fifty-five years after leaving his native village to join the Naga movement, Thuingaleng Muivah, the 90-year-old general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), is set to return to Somdal village in Ukhrul district on October 22. His visit marks the end of decades of failed attempts and political tensions that had long prevented his homecoming.
Emotions are running high in Ukhrul as preparations intensify for the much-anticipated visit. Community leaders described the occasion as “historic and sacred,” with Tangkhul Naga Zingtun Longphang (TNZL) chairman Epchan Kapai saying, “We warmly welcome him with open hearts and prayers for his good health and safety.” Similar sentiments were echoed by leaders from the Tangkhul southern, eastern, and western regional bodies, who called the event “a moment of pride for all Nagas.”
Muivah, once among the most wanted men in Manipur in the 1970s, left Somdal in 1970 to join the Naga National Council (NNC) and later co-founded the NSCN in 1980 with Isak Chishi Swu and S.S. Khaplang after disagreements over the 1975 Shillong Accord. Following internal differences, the group split into the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions.
Despite signing a ceasefire with the Centre in 1997, Muivah was repeatedly denied entry into Manipur. The last major standoff occurred in 2010, when the then Congress government refused him entry, leading to clashes at the Nagaland-Manipur border that left six people dead. Earlier, the 2001 decision to extend the NSCN (I-M) ceasefire beyond Nagaland had triggered violent protests in Manipur, claiming over a dozen lives and resulting in the burning of the State Assembly.
Over the years, Muivah has largely resided in Dimapur, Nagaland, unable to visit his home despite living just 160 km away. His scheduled visit—announced on October 10—comes at a time when no major opposition has been voiced, signalling a possible easing of tensions.
