
Asenla Imchen
Princeton, USA
For too long, the Northeast has been a region broken by borders—both physical and imagined. While our communities are close-knit, our borders create walls between the Naga and the Mizo, the Khasi and the Bodo, the Manipuri and the Arunachali. Each group has its history, its heroes, and its unique struggles, but we’re forgetting something fundamental: we have one common enemy—the weight of oppression, the forced division, and the endless “special” policies that alienate us even from each other. It is time to break free from this. For those who are Naga, why should we need permits to visit Arunachal? And why should the people of Arunachal feel like foreigners in Assam? We are bound not only by geography but by shared pain and aspirations. We don’t just need unity; we need the freedom to move, to connect, and to grow as a united Northeast.
As we watch the deadlock in the Naga peace talks unfold, it’s a harsh reminder of a truth we can no longer afford to ignore. The central government benefits from a divided Northeast; it becomes easier to control, easier to suppress, and easier to overlook when we are at odds with each other. The demand for a Naga flag and constitution isn’t just about the Naga people—it’s about recognizing that each ethnic group here has a right to be seen, to be heard, and to be dignified. By denying the Naga flag, the message the government sends is one that affects every single Northeastern community: you don’t deserve recognition; you don’t deserve a say in your own land.
What we don’t realize is that the injustice faced by one tribe echoes in the silence of another. The struggle of the Nagas is deeply connected to the lives of the Mizo, the Garo, the Khasi, and every other community that has fought for autonomy and respect. We all share the scars of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), of militarized borders within our own lands, and of identities diluted by a government that wants us to see each other as rivals rather than allies. This systemic oppression will not stop with the Nagas, and it will not end with this deadlock—it will continue to fester in every corner of the Northeast until we stand united.
Now let us look at the ILP (Inner Line Permit) system which was initially meant to protect our lands and culture from outsiders, but now it divides us within our own borders. How can it be that we, as Northeastern people, need permits to visit each other? Why should a Naga require an ILP to enter Arunachal Pradesh or an Assamese person feel like an outsider in Mizoram? This artificial division is tearing apart our region- piece by piece. Instead there are so many illegals who have overstayed their ILP. A pan-Northeast ILP could however change that. It would recognize that while we are diverse, we are also interconnected. It would allow us to move freely within our own lands, fostering unity rather than alienation- alongside enforcing the concept of the ILP much more strongly.
A pan-Northeast ILP would not just protect us from external forces, but it would bind us together as one. The ILP must be a tool for cohesion rather than isolation, a statement that says, “We are one people, with one purpose.” Let us redefine the ILP to mean protection not from each other, but from policies that aim to fragment us. This is not merely a logistical issue; it is a fundamental right. The Northeast deserves the freedom to interact and grow without being shackled by paperwork and permits within our own homeland.
Now looking at the vision of Nagalim, a unified Naga homeland, it is powerful indeed, but in isolation, it is too vulnerable.
Without the shared strength of Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam, Nagalim would be economically and politically isolated. Our region’s survival depends on mutual support and collaboration. If we push for unity among Northeastern states, the dream of Nagalim can be realized not in isolation but as part of a larger, more powerful, and self-sustaining Northeast.
I would like you readers to take some time to imagine a Northeast where each state supports the other, where resources are shared, and where policies benefit all communities. A united Northeast would stand as a model for resilience, proving that strength lies not in division, but in solidarity. If Nagalim stands alone, it will be at the mercy of forces far beyond her control, but together, as a unified region with the other ethnic groups of Northeast, we Nagas would be able to stand strong against any external pressures.
We all know that India often touts its diversity, yet it applies the same rules to vastly different cultures, imposing one-size-fits-all policies on unique regions- trying to indianize the northeast by hook or crook: be it CAA, scraping the FMR, the gau yatra, or Uniform Civil Code. But the Northeast cannot be treated as a distant, monolithic land to be governed from afar, and for the people to be treated as mere objects to be exploited. We need a solution that acknowledges our distinctiveness and allows us to control our destiny. A “one country, two systems” model, similar to Hong Kong’s former arrangement, could be an answer. This system could grant the Northeast autonomy over cultural, social, and economic matters while remaining part of India.
A Hong Kong-like arrangement with our own passport and flag, would honor our unique identity, allowing us to thrive on our own terms without severing ties. It’s a compromise that respects both our distinct culture and our shared future within India. Such a model could grant us the freedom to shape our own policies, manage our resources, and create a future that aligns with our values rather than those imposed from afar.
Also before any Indian nationalist begins to clamp down on me with their fury: How dare I, a mere “small eyed girl” say this? Let me remind you all about northeasterns current,second-class status than the AFSPA, a law that dehumanizes us in our own land.
Under AFSPA, soldiers wield extraordinary power, and our people live in constant fear of becoming the next victim. The suffering caused by AFSPA is not abstract; it’s real, raw, and ever-present. Families have lost loved ones to its unchecked authority, and entire communities have been scarred by its brutality. If you consider us Indians- answer this question: What country’s army rapes the children of their own country?? Yes, the so called protectors are infamous for doing just that, in this enchanted land beyond the chicken neck.
Repealing AFSPA therefore is not just a demand for legal reform; it’s a plea for humanity. It’s a call for the government to recognize that we are human beings, deserving of the same rights as every other citizen. A united Northeast could bring enough strength to demand the repeal of AFSPA, to insist that our people be treated with dignity, and to remind the central government that we are not mere subjects to be ruled but people to be respected. Also to the nagas, we are not the only ones who suffered from AFSPA. Our neighbors in Mizoram were carpet bombed, our brothers in Assam were packed up and shot inhumanely in Kakopathar, just like how General Dyer once treated the Indians in Jallianwala Bagh. Now that I have mentioned this, I want to appeal to the conscience of the Indians who demand the Brits to apologize for that incident- have you forgotten your own backyard, on how the Indian army treated us? Are we not citizens deserving equal respect?
Stating all that, it’s time to recognize that the Naga issue is a microcosm of the broader Northeast struggle. When the Naga demands are dismissed, it is not just a slight to the Nagas but an insult to every tribe and community in the region. The deadlock in the Naga peace talks should not be viewed as a separate issue but as a rallying cry for unity. The fight for a Naga flag, for a Naga constitution, and for a homeland is not just the Naga people’s fight—it’s the fight of every Northeastern community that has ever yearned for autonomy, recognition, and respect.
If we allow ourselves to be divided by these issues, we allow the central government to continue its pattern of marginalization and oppression. But if we stand together, the Northeast can demand a future that is just, equitable, and respectful of our diverse identities. To all non Naga Northeastern's- Sisters: we must see the Naga issue as a shared struggle, a fight that unites rather than divides us.
The people of the Northeast have suffered long enough. We have watched as our resources have been exploited, our lands militarized, and our voices silenced. But we have also witnessed the power of unity, the strength that comes from standing together in the face of adversity. Now is the time to put aside our internal divisions, to recognize that our differences make us stronger, and to demand a future that respects our rights and honors our heritage.
So it's a humble appeal, from me, to rise as one, not as fragmented tribes but as a unified Northeast that speaks with one voice, one purpose, and one heart. Our struggles are shared, our pain is collective, and our future depends on the unity we build today. We are more than isolated communities; we are a people bound by resilience, courage, and the unyielding desire for justice.
Kuknalim!
The writer is a 3rd Year Mathematics and Computer Science student.