The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), commonly known as NSCN (IM), has issued a warning to the Government of India, stating that it may withdraw from the 27-year-old ceasefire agreement if its demands for a separate “national flag and constitution” are not met. NSCN (IM) leaders have emphasized that the fulfillment of these demands is essential to maintaining peace in the region. Failure to meet these demands, they warned, could result in a resumption of armed struggle.
The NSCN (IM) and the Indian government have been engaged in peace talks since 1997, striving to address Naga aspirations within the framework of the Indian Constitution. However, the demand for a separate flag and constitution has remained a sticking point, with NSCN (IM) insisting on these as symbols of Naga sovereignty. The organization’s statement has raised concerns about the future of peace in Nagaland, bringing focus back to the unresolved issues of autonomy and identity that the Naga movement has long advocated.