Minphong Konyak
Mon | January 4
Calling upon the Konyaks to assist in the present “unification movement,” the Sumi Hoho visited Mon yesterday. A team of the Hoho convened a meeting with the Konyak Union advisory board and discussed at length the ongoing “unification” issue. The meeting dragged on late into the night and could be resumed only Today. Invoking the spirit of brotherhood between the Sumis and the Konyaks in the “unification,” the hoho reaffirmed the resolution passed by both on peace and reconciliation of the NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) in 2003. The hoho said that the two communities are two major tribes who can play a vital role in the “unification” of the Nagas.
“We have been involved hand and gloves in the peace process in the past and it is our priority now to do so at present as well when the time seemed so ripe” said a Sumi official. Responding to the appeal, Konyak representatives said, “Since long we had adopted unification of the Nagas as our ideal objective and had dedicated a lot towards it and as such, we had worked together with the Sumis during 2003 but due to some setbacks, a doubt was created in our minds, but now that the urge to unite has come from within, we cannot let it go, we will stand with our Sumi brothers in the unification of the Nagas.” The Konyak Union also said “Unification first and solution second was and is our stance and whoever or whatever agrees with that shall receive our support.”
Answering to some queries the hoho said that although the Sumis had, like the Konyaks, urged to unify the Nagas, this “unification” movement has nothing to do with the Sumi hohos. “The unification move was initiated by like-minded people from both factions who were fed up with bloodshed within Naga brothers. They gave the impetus and since it happened in our area we are espousing this noble cause with the urge and support of the peace camp” the hoho said. Supporting the “unification movement,” the Sumi Hoho said that it has been too long that Nagas have been yearning for peace. “For decades Nagas have been killing each other in the name of sovereignty. But it is not sovereignty but civil war and how long can we let this civil war go on? It is the right time for all to open their eyes and unite in making this movement a reality,” said a Sumi official. Clarifying another query, Sumis also said that the Intangki issue has nothing to do with the Sumis’ involvement in the unification movement. “We are concerned about Naga unification and appeal our Konyak brothers to work hand in hand as we done in the past,” said the Sumi Hoho.
The meeting ended today at around 1:00 pm with a resolution that the Konyak Union and Sumi Hoho, without prejudice, support the ongoing “unification” and initiative taken up by the “like-minded NSCN.” All the underground factions and Naga communities were appealed to, to work out modalities for unification of the Naga warring factions on the broad-base principle and to stop the fratricidal killings to pave the way for a solution to the Naga political problem.
(With inputs from Yato Konyak)
