India: NSCN-K to join political process, states report

Khango Konyak-led faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), a Naga insurgent outfit, has agreed to join the peace talks with the Government of India (GoI), Hindustan Times on January 11. The faction is likely to join the Working Committee (WC) of the six Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) which is in talks with GoI. According to Theja Therieh, spokesperson of the Nagaland Tribes Council, Yes, the Khango Konyak led faction has agreed to join the peace talks.

Shikuto Zalipu, the General Secretary of Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation also added that Isak Sumi has given the green signal to join the NNPGs. Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation (Nagaland village elders federation) has been talking to the Konyak-led group since Khango Konyak was impeached as ‘chairman’ of NSCN(K) in August 2018 and given a safe passage to return to Nagaland from Myanmar.

Zalipu stated that ‘The group wanted to retain its entity in the talks. They could either merge with the NSCN(I-M) or join the NNPGs. Since the Government of India has said no to talks with any third party the only option to enter talks while retaining their entity is to join NNPGs’.