CONVERGENCE OVER FRAGMENTATION

16 NPGs, 34 Tribal Hohos adopt Covenant of Unity at Ungma meet

Morung Express News
Ungma | August 23

In what was described as a “Winning Day” for the Naga people, representatives from Naga political groups (NPGs), tribal hohos, and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) converged at the Rural Assembly Hall in Ungma village on August 23 for a meeting under the banner “Naga Reconciliation – A Journey for Common Hope.” The event was hosted by Ao Senden.

The gathering, attended by 16 Naga political groups and 34 tribal hohos representing Naga tribes across Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal, and Assam, issued the ‘Ungma Statement’ as a collective declaration.

Delivering the “Word from the Host,” Ao Senden President, Marsanen Imsong, expressed gratitude for the FNR’s “unwavering dedication over the past 18 years.” He said, “True reconciliation is the greatest victory we can claim. It begins not in speeches or new laws, but in the quiet, aching centre of the human heart. It is a choice and that choice must be made now, here, in this moment. It is now or never.”

Imsong urged the Naga leaders to consider the legacy they would leave behind, declaring: “Our children will remember us for one thing and one thing only: What did we build? Did we leave them a legacy of conflict, or a foundation of unity?” He further appealed, “Let us walk out of this hall not as representatives of separate groups, but as architects of a common destiny.”

“If the Naga Political Groups truly desire to reconcile and unity, we are ready to walk this path together with humility, with resolve, and with the unwavering conviction that the sake of our people must prevail over every disagreement,” he added.

On behalf of the host village, Ungma Council representative Imtidongba Jamir, Tatar (Tambuti) of Ungma Kosasanger Puso Menden, extended a welcome, recalling the resilience of the Naga people. “We are the descendants of warriors and headhunters who were brave, strong, and ready to defend our people at any cost. That same courage and strength is still in our blood today,” he said, while emphasizing, “Our greatest strength comes when we stand together as one.”

The meeting also featured a closed-door open discussion moderated by Rev Dr Wati Aier, where only the delegates were allowed to participate. Signifying the gravity of the occasion, Ungma village observed a genna (Süngkhum Shipang), marking the closure of the village gate during the proceedings. 

At a press conference held after the meeting, FNR leaders underscored the significance of the day. Rev Dr Wati Aier, Convenor of FNR, noted that the meeting was the 15th since January 14, 2025. “Almost all, all the speakers spoke about, let’s not waste time. Let’s come to a resolute decision. And so, I feel good… This (Ungma Statement) was read out to them many times, word by word. And they had no objection to it. Everybody accepted this.”

He pointed out that a breakthrough had been achieved: “They themselves said there cannot be two agreements because we are one people. So, that’s, I think, one way to move forward.”
On reconciling ideological divides, Aier said, “We need to go beyond framework and agreed position. We all have to go beyond. But they also agreed today that there cannot be two agreements. We are one people.”

Reflecting on the journey, he added: “The fact that they are here, or the fact that they came, that particular group came to be part of the process, it also says something… The only way for the public to have trust in us would be to change our attitudes. To change what we have not been doing correctly. And this, we will have to take full responsibility for that.”

Acknowledging the role of the FNR, he reiterated: “Our role is to bring the warring groups together, so that they can reconcile. FNR is not an expert on that. FNR should never be institutionalised. The moment we institutionalise FNR, we will cease to be effective. FNR is always a facilitator. We are not a political group.”

Responding to a question on the role of the opposition-less government, which was formed in Nagaland for the sake of an early solution, the FNR clarified, ‘We are two different entities. But, of course, it doesn’t mean that we don’t support one another. The government has its own way of doing things, but for the FNR, we have been consistent.’”

On being asked; “Do you believe the Naga political groups owe an apology to the younger generation? Personally, absolutely, yes. Absolutely, you deserve an apology. But we cannot force them to do that. It has to come from them,” Dr. Visier Sanyü, Member, FNR asserted.

Rev Dr Ellen Konyak Jamir, Member, FNR described the gathering as “remarkable,” stating: “For all Nagas to say we need one another, we need to work together, and we need to go beyond all our differences and do something worthwhile. Today was the largest group ever.”

Prior to the commencement of the meeting, Rev Dr Wati Aier unveiled the Naga Reconciliation Testament monolith outside the Ungma Rural Assembly Hall.

The monolith bears the inscription: “This stone is a testament to our commitment to Naga Reconciliation – a journey of common hope grounded in our historical and political rights through forgiveness and healing.”

UNGMA STATEMENT

(August 23, 2025)
Ungma Village, Nagaland

Preamble
Today, August 23, 2025, marks a “Winning Day” for the Naga people—a day etched into our collective memory as a testament of our resolve, unity, courage, and the enduring pursuit of a shared future. At the historic village of Ungma, the Ao Senden graciously hosted the meeting of the Council of Naga Cooperation and Relationship (CNCR), comprising representatives from the Naga Tribe Hohos, Naga Political Groups (NPGs), and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR). The gathering was solemnly welcomed by the Ungma Village Council and its vibrant citizenry, who declared a sacred genna—Sungkhum Shipang, the closure of the village gate on August 22 and 23—thereby signifying and affirming the village’s sacred and communal commitment to this historic convergence.
Statement

The meeting convened under the CNCR was attended by representatives of the 16 NPGs, 34 Tribal Hohos from all Naga areas and the FNR. In continuity with the January 14, 2025 Treatise, followed by affirmations and resolutions made throughout 2025, this assembly reiterates an earnest and unified call: that all Naga Political Groups, with the clear-cut support of the Tribe Hohos, will converge at a Common Ground to articulate and pursue a shared political vision on the basis of the Naga peoples’ historical and political rights. This vision is not merely inherited but is continually affirmed through our collective memory, struggle, and aspiration.

We declare that this convergence must be undertaken without preconditions, without the burden of rationalized narratives that fragment our unity. The path towards the future must be unobstructed, one that is a tangible horizon shaped by the courage to reconcile, the wisdom to listen, and the will to act. The CNCR stands as a platform of moral clarity and responsibility, where no group will undermine the oath taken today in the name of the Naga people before God.

This declaration is a covenant, not a mere procedural outcome. The peoples’ collective voice has decisively chosen to rise above fragmentation and division, embracing forgiveness and healing, to honor the sacrifices of past generations, and to walk together toward a future defined by dignity, justice, and peace. The unity expressed today is based on a firm conviction, forged in the fire of shared suffering and sustained by the hope of collective flourishing.

Therefore, on this day, Saturday, August 23, 2025, at Ungma Village, Nagaland, we, the representatives of the NPGs, Tribal Hohos, and the FNR, declare this statement as a binding affirmation of our shared commitment to the dignified wholeness of the Naga people. Let this be remembered as the day the Naga people chose convergence over fragmentation, vision over rhetoric, and future over fear. Therefore today we confess and declare that Nagas are one. God be our help!