Nagaland: Proscribed outfit NSCN-GPRN(Khango) regrets January 4 incident at ceasefire office

The proscribed outfit NSCN-GPRN (Khango) has expressed regret and apologised for the January 4 incident at the Thilixu village ceasefire office, where some Sumi community NGO leaders, village council members, and Western Sumi Youth Front were involved in a misunderstanding.

NSCN-GPRN (Khangno) said in a statement issued through its MIP that all misunderstandings were resolved that night before the village elders left the ceasefire office, but the issues were resurrected the next day.
The group stated that it was not attempting to justify its actions that night at the ceasefire office, which had inadvertently hurt the feelings of some NGO leaders, but rather to clarify the entire incident.

The issue, according to MIP, was the impeachment and disarmament of then-NSCN-GPRN (Khango) general secretary Isak Sumi for his lack of decorum and unpolished character. MIP claimed that throughout his career as general secretary of the NSCN/GPRN (Khango), Isak had only brought condemnation and defamation to the government through his arrogance, power intoxication, and ambition.

According to NSCN (Khango), Nagaland political groups (NPGs) requested the government in 2019 to give consent to the impeachment motion in order to remove Isak from the position of co-convener, NNPGs and nominate another official. MIP said he was reinstated as co-convener at Khango Konyak's request.
It claimed that Isak's only notable accomplishments were corruption, drug addiction, nepotism, favouritism, autocracy, enormity, and embezzlement of government funds to fund his lavish lifestyle and the acquisition of personal properties such as a palace in Toluvi village worth Rs 5 crore, vast farmland in Niuland, a brick kiln, and so on.

It claimed that the president and many senior employees had repeatedly chastised him for his misconduct and abuse of powers and functions, but his apathetic attitude persisted, leading to his impeachment.
Following his impeachment, Isak and his family were released unharmed under the supervision of then-kilo kilonser T Athrong Sangtam.

Later that night, the NSCN-GPRN (Khango) claimed that leaders of some Sumi organisations, including Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation (NGBF) general secretary Shikuto Zalipu, Thilixu village GB Tokishe, and Western Sumi Hoho president Shikaho Zhimomi, barged into the ceasefire office with the intention of justifying the impeachment decision or diffusing the situation, as stated by them.

Instead, the group accused them of confronting army personnel on duty and even attempting to snatch weapons from them during the scuffle, prompting retaliatory action from the army.
However, the group offered an unconditional apology for inadvertently hurting the feelings of the NGO leaders present that evening and the Sumi community in general. It also asked Sumi Hoho to reconsider its resolution from January 6.

As it sought an honourable resolution to the protracted Naga issue, the group urged all stakeholders to cooperate with the legitimate government.

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