Overview
- The NSCN-IM general secretary made a homecoming to Somdal in Manipur after decades away, with state support marking a notable shift from past restrictions.
- He reiterated calls for a separate Naga flag and constitution, as the 2015 Framework Agreement remains unresolved and territorial concessions tied to ‘Nagalim’ are widely rejected by Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar.
- Internal dissent surfaced as the Zeliangrong United Front demanded an apology and said he returned “empty-handed,” highlighting fractures within Naga politics.
- Ongoing Meitei–Kuki-Zomi violence in Manipur has caused over 250 deaths and displaced more than 60,000 people, complicating prospects for any expansive settlement.
- Two decades of development, GI-tagged products, and festivals like Hornbill and Shirui have shifted many younger Nagas’ priorities toward tourism, arts and enterprise rather than insurgent agendas.