Nagalim Voice September-October 2025
Special Edition in honor of Th. Muivah, Chief Political Negotiator and General Secretary/Ato Kilonser, National Socialist Council of Nagalim/Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim, home visit to Somdal, his native village and Ukhrul and Senapati
TH. MUIVAH, THE SYMBOL OF NAGA RESILIENCE AND CHAMPION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND POLITICAL RIGHTS.
When Th. Muivah left home more than six decades ago, it was all about how he proves himself as an enduring leader and cultivate a reservoir of conviction, wisdom, courage and fortitude and to be ready to do those hard things- always with the mission and big picture of liberation of Nagalim from the occupation forces. Significantly, the political situation during his time was in need of a grounded role model with vision who is at least a few steps ahead of others.
Today, Th. Muivah visits his native village, Somdal despite his vision not fully realized. He brings home the hard-earned Framework Agreement (FA) of the 3rd August, 2015, that is yet to see the implementation because of the delaying tactics by the Government of India (GoI). He wants the Southern Nagalim to realize that FA is a high-profile political agreement that carried the sovereign identity of the Naga nation, Nagalim. This FA was not something given to the Nagas on ‘silver platter’. It was the result of sacrifice and dedication of thousands of Nagas who went down giving their ‘blood, tears and sweats’ defending the historical and political rights/identity of the Nagas.
Muivah has certainly proved himself that he belongs to the new breed of hardliners that defended the ideals of Naga freedom pioneers. He co-founded a vanguard party under the banner of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), a trailblazer and powerhouse for the Nagas who love defending the God given rights of the Nagas. Throughout his service for the Naga nation, he showed his class as a battle-hardened commander tempered like metal forged in fire, as he remained resolute and steadfast.
For the people of Somdal, a son whose name is synonymous with the Naga political ideals is coming home with the same resilient and courage. He carried a long story of struggle like a fairy tale for the love of Naga nation.
Muivah like many others joining the Naga national movement is a profound personal sacrifice by abandoning his home and family for the sake of Naga political cause. He prioritizes the Naga political movement’s goals over all personal ties. By leaving his home he shed his local or regional identity to embrace a larger Naga national cause. With this, his loyalty shifts from his family and immediate community to the broader cause of liberating the Naga from political raging storm. His firebrand leadership under the banner of NSCN earned the organization the sobriquet “The mother of Northeast insurgency movement”. No wonder, Naga political movement under his visionary leadership is marked by resilience, courage and uncompromising commitment to the Naga cause. He represents a symbol of bravery and courage where fear does not exist in his mind. He believes in leading from the front. Though he belongs to the civil set up, he participated in the battle fields several times and takes up the mantle of a ferocious commander and dared to charge to destroy any bunker of Burmese army.
Muivah used to say, “Naga people and soldiers are dying like the autumn leaves falling from the trees. What does it matter if Muivah dies”. The Naga leaders and commanders could not stop him from joining the battlefields.
In one occasion, Muivah was returning from Alee Command along with 150 Naga Army. They did not know that Burmese soldiers were waiting in a deadly ambush position. Muivah was in the formation of rail guard. Here God show up in His own way using Muivah as He made him restless, indicating something dangerous looming. At that instant he runs to the front row and shouted “Naga Army position”. As they all took up position, next moment hails of bullets from the Burmese Army started. Only three Naga Army fell to the bullets and the rest escaped.
Simply put, the word “FEAR” is not found in his vocabulary. Today he still carried the splinter bullets in his knees when he was hit by more than 20 splinter bullets.
Th. Muivah’s distinctive quality was recognized not long after he joined the Naga national movement during the heydays of Naga National Council (NNC) when Scato Swu, the then President, Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) selected Muivah to lead the Naga Alee Command to China.
When Muivah’s leadership for Alee Command to China was approved by the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN), he was initially hesitant to accept and protested that he would rather remain at home and defend the Naga Nation. But he was compelled to abide by the Government decision. But he came out with a strong warning that many people are about to surrender to the Government of India. He made a sharply worded request not to do such thing but to stand strong and fight to the last man standing. However, the then General Secretary of NNC Muivah’s warning was ignored and in 1975, the infamous ‘Shillong Accord’ was signed.
Significantly, the devastating development in Nagaland put immense pressure on Muivah as he had the premonition that something terrible is going to happen. Nevertheless, his trip to China along with Isak Chishi Swu is also considered as God’s providential plan. Had it not been the Alee Command under the leadership of Isak and Muivah in China, the Naga Nation could have been buried with the Shillong Accord.
Muivah’s premonition before he left for China was based for the following reasons:
- The failure of the First Indo-Naga Ceasefire (1964 to 1972) had weakened the Naga national movement for freedom.
- In Ao Region, General Makhan and General Saniba surrendered along with their cadres including civil staff. Very few remained with Imkongmeren, the Vice-President of NNC.
- In Lotha Region, the Federal Assembly Speaker Chumbemo Murry surrendered along with cadres before Wokha Deputy Commissioner. Few Naga loyalist from the region remained with Khodao Yanthan.
- The revolutionary government surrendered, mostly from the Sumi region. This really weakened the Naga freedom movement. There were only few left standing strong for the nation under the leadership of Isak Chishi Swu.
- General Mowu was betrayed by his most trusted friend General Zuheto which resulted in capturing him to surrender the Alee Command numbering 350 cadres with full arms and ammunitions.
- General Kaito issue.
- General Thinoselie Keyho was captured and was in jail.
- In Southern Nagalim (Manipur), Village Voluntary Forces (VVF) was set up by the Government of India to coordinate with the Indian Security Forces for combined operation against the Southern Naga national workers. This led many to surrender unofficially in individual capacity.
Finally, Muivah left for China armed with the necessary plenipotentiary documents. During his stay in China, a communist country, he had an interesting interaction with Chairman Mao-Tse-Tung and Premier Zhou En Lai. Mao was trying to pull him to adopt communist ideology telling him this may help build a disciplined Naga Army. But Muivah stood his ground in defense of the living Almighty God, giving strong hints to Mao Tse Tung that they are ready to go back if he wants the Nagas to follow Communism. Mao was impressed with the stand of Muivah and allotted a plot of land for building a Church. When work was about to start to construct the Church, the sad news of the Shillong Accord undoes their plan and they were asked to go home to re-organize the Naga political movement.
Zhou En Lai, a revolutionary and Premier of the People’s Republic of China, was also impressed meeting Isak Chishi Swu and Muivah. The case of the Nagas was presented to him from the historical political perspective. He responded, “when the right time comes, we will be the first country to recognize your state because you (the Nagas) have every right to be free”.
Th. Muivah is a far-sighted leader who believes in propagating the Naga political issue across the world platforms in order to establish the historical and political legitimacy. This is to facilitate taking up the historical trajectory and the political tension created in Nagalim on account of unfair treatment of Naga political issue that has been hanging fire for too long.
After NSCN shifted its base from Eastern Nagalim, they were based in Bangladesh for a short period before taking a strategic shift to Bangkok, Thailand. From here they went for a whirlwind tour as they crisscrossed many countries in Europe propagating the Naga political cause. Finally, they were successful in presenting the geopolitical situation of the Nagas in the hands of occupation forces of India to the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization). Thus, Nagalim, represented by NSCN was granted bona fide membership of UNPO on January 23, 1993. According to UNPO, NSCN’s membership was based on the “historical truth” of the Naga people’s situation. This membership paves the way for them to enter UN human rights and indigenous forum as they made an impressive presentation of the plight of the human rights violation of the Naga nation under the suppressive Government of India, enforcing the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Henceforth, the world at large came to look at the Naga issue from the correct historical perspective and thereby making mockery of the vanity of India over her force occupation of Nagalim.
After NSCN gained membership of UNPO, there was not looking back for Chairman Isak Chishi and General Secretary, Th. Muivah. They visited many countries like Paris, (France), Geneva and Zurich, (Switzerland), Milan, (Italy), Vienna, (Austria), The Hague (Netherland), Cape Town, (South Africa), Kuala Lumpur, (Malaysia), Osaka, (Japan), Bangkok and Chiang Mai, (Thailand).
Having captured the political imagination of the Government of India, many of the Indo-Naga political talks were held in these cities leading to the declaration of Indo-Naga ceasefire in 1997 and followed by political dialogues.
During the over two decades of Indo Naga political talks, Muivah proved himself a hard nut to crack as he resolutely took the uncompromising stand not to play with the political identity and historical rights of the Nagas simply to please the Government of India. Ultimately, the Government of India came round to accept the reality of the history of the Nagas. This led to the historic signing of the “Joint Communiqué in Amsterdam”, July 11, 2002, wherein Government of India officially recognized the unique history of the Nagas and political situation. Based on this, the much-hyped Framework Agreement of the 3rd August, 2015, was signed, appended by Chairman Isak Chishi Swu and Chief Negotiator and General Secretary Th. Muivah and Government of India official representative RN Ravi.
The excitement of the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on record for establishing such a high profile understanding with NSCN leadership led by Chairman Isak Chishi Swu and General Secretary Th. Muivah and he made the world bear witness to the historic signing ceremony as it was live-telecast. This was a huge relief and pride for Muivah, the Chief Negotiator of the Indo-Naga political talks on behalf of the Nagas. It was because of his unyielding negotiation with the Government of India to accept the reality of the history of the Nagas that brought about the Framework Agreement of the 3rd August, 2015, for the final Naga political solution. The sovereign identity of the Naga nation is well protected here. This is no mean achievement.
The significant achievements of Chairman Isak Chishi Swu and General Secretary Th. Muivah stands out in the history of Naga political movement:
- Nagalim as represented by NSCN admitted as bona fide member of UNPO.
- Brought back Prime Ministerial level talks without any pre-conditions.
- Fought and won over the Government of India to officially recognise the uniqueness of Naga history and situation of the Nagas after fierce fighting over 50 years.
4.They Internationalized Naga political issue and created deep impact in many parts of the world. Naga International Support Centre (NISC) that came out in Amsterdam, Netherlands is one of them.
- UN (United Nations) recognised Nagas as an indigenous people and their rights to self-determination.
- Five times to represent at UN conference and many times at UN Indigenous Forum meeting.
- Signed the historic Framework Agreement that recognised the Naga sovereign right.
- Fought and won the term “two entities” as part of the Framework Agreement.