Names RM Lotha as GPRN/NSCN (U) president in place of
Neokpak Konyak
Kitovi speaking during the reunion programme on Wednesday.
DIMAPUR — The
Kitovi-led group of GPRN/NSCN held a reunion programme on Wednesday at Council
Headquarters designated camp, Khehoyi.
Speaking on the occasion, N Kitovi Zhimomi described the
occasion as unprecedented in the Naga political movement—a reunion after 11
months of separation.
He clarified that their unity was not due to any pressure or
monetary influence but a voluntary and wholehearted decision.
According to him, the Naga army does not want any more
bloodshed, recognising that nothing meaningful has been achieved through
violence. He stated that it’s wrong for revolutionary leaders to control the
market or act as business tycoons, as it contradicts their role.
While highlighting the positive outcomes of the 16-point
Agreement, he stated that today, they are reaping the benefits of the
agreement, and it’s undeniable that without it, Nagaland would not have
progressed as it has.
“But for future generations, it is crucial for the Nagas to
make decisive decisions. They need to aim for something greater than the
16-point Agreement and work towards a new political arrangement,” he said.
His impeachment
On 21 April 2024, Kitovi was ‘impeached’. However, he
pointed out that a prime minister can never be impeached, as they can only be
voted out through a no-confidence motion.
While explaining the reason behind his impeachment, he
mentioned that it was the 2022 finance account statement, submitted during the
2023 budget session. According to him, the 2022 budget report revealed mismanagement
of funds, and he was strongly opposed to this financial mismanagement.
According to the findings, the revenue collectors failed to
submit the money, and after cross-checking the name list, they gave the revenue
collectors a deadline to submit the money before the 2024 budget session.
During the 2022 budget session, the GPRN/NSCN spent a
significant amount of money on arms and ammunition. In response, a joint
council meeting decided to review the status of these arms and ammunition,
leading to the formation of a high-level SIT team.
The SIT discovered that 68 arms and 11 lakh rounds of
ammunition were missing. Of the 68 missing arms, 46 were lost, and 22 were
taken by individuals defecting to other factions. Although the value of the 22
recovered arms was accounted for, the recovered amount was never submitted to
the government, he said.
Therefore, it was decided that before the April 2024-2025
budget session, the concerned individuals would be required to submit the
recovered amount to the government, and they also asked the revenue collector
to submit the missing INR 7 crore before the budget session.
According to him, on April 21, 2024, he was impeached in an
emergency meeting “as a way to escape the situation.” He added that his
impeachment was not the result of a decision by the National Assembly but
rather a coup.
After his impeachment, within 9 months, he said that the
Alezo-led group had decided to support the 1929 Simon Commission and the 1951
plebiscite, pledging to protect all Naga territories. However, their stance
contradicted the Agreed Position they had previously signed, he claimed.
With regard to the extension of ceasefire agreement, he
mentioned that the government of India had invited him for the extension of the
truce. He also lamented that the unification camp has created multiple
factions.
Therefore, he said, “From today this unification camp will
be officially known as the GPRN/NSCN designated camp.”
He also announced that “starting from today” Major (Rtd) RM
Lotha will be the president of GPRN/NSCN in place of Neokpao.
While interacting with media persons later, Kitovi claimed
that after he was impeached, most of the GPRN/NSCN Naga Army members came to
understand that removing him was unjust. As a result, more than 300 cadres have
switched over to his side since last year, he said.
When asked about the possibility of merging together the
Agreed Position and the Framework Agreement into a single common draft as
suggested by Nagaland GB Federation—which the NSCN-IM has refused to accept—he
responded that no one has the right to dictate the future of the younger
generation or hijack their destiny.
He stated that if the NSCN-IM do not want a solution, they
are free to go their own way. However, the people of Nagaland and the Naga
community desire peace, harmony, and progress.
“If they do not want peace, they should go where others
reject peace. But the people of Nagaland—especially with Nagaland being the
epicentre of the revolutionary movement—want peace. Everything has its limit,
and too much of anything is never good,” he said.
