Naga militant outfit NSCN (K) write to Queen of England – reminds her of Naga’s support in winning decisive battle of Kohima

by · TIMES OF ASSAM

The NSCN (K) has written a letter to the Queen of Great Britain, soliciting support to bring the “Plight of the Nagas to the world community”. A copy of this letter signed by Dy Commander in Chief of the NSCN(K), Lt. Gen. Niki Sumi was received by Times of Assam this morning.

Highlighting that the Nagas had collaborated with the British in both “World War I” and “World War II”, the letter reminded that the most decisive battle of Kohima (Current capital of Nagaland State in North East India), as acknowledged by the British themselves, was won by the British against the Japanese invasion due to the support of the Naga people. The NSCN mentioned that the British had always acknowledged that the Nagas were neither Indian nor Burmese, and as such the Naga areas were left out of numerous British Raj acts such as the Government of India act, 1935.

Alleging that the Indian Government has always been trying to suppress the Naga movement through brutal acts such as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) since the 1950s, the NSCN claimed that they would continue to “Defend their nation”.

It is to be mentioned that the idea of an “Independent Naga Nation” dates to the late 1940s and has fuelled the oldest running insurgency of India. The idea of Naga nationalism envisages an ethnic homeland spanning mostly across the Indian state of Nagaland as well as certain Naga inhabited areas of neighboring states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and even Myanmar across the border.

The rebel groups run a parallel government in the name of Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim which is more influential in remote areas of India-Myanmar border. There have been different attempts by the Indian Government to end this insurgency through peace accords and bilateral talks. However, there has not been a conclusion to these talks yet.