GNF slams NGBF for 'narrow vision' on Naga political issue

DIMAPUR — The Global Naga Forum (GNF) has criticised the Nagaland Gaonburah Federation (NGBF), stating that its political position is confined to the interests of Nagas within Nagaland and does not adequately represent the broader Naga political issue.

The GNF’s response comes in the wake of an April 16 statement issued by the NGBF, in which it criticised MLA Achumbemo Kikon over his remarks in the Assembly.

In a public statement issued on Monday, the GNF said the NGBF’s position reflects a “narrow vision” of Nagas living in “mutually exclusionary political entities in artificially separated territories,” which it linked to colonial-era divisions and their continuation in present political arrangements.

The forum maintained that the Naga political issue belongs to all Nagas living in their ancestral homelands across different states and in Myanmar, and cannot be confined to Nagaland alone.

Also read: Nagaland: NGBF slams MLA Achumbemo over ‘demeaning’ remarks on gaonburahs

While stating that the NGBF has the right to express its views, the GNF said it “cannot claim moral or historical authority to speak for the Naga people,” adding that gaonburahs function as part of the state administrative system. It also questioned the claim that gaonburahs are custodians of traditional Naga authority.

The GNF described the gaonburah institution as a legacy of British colonial rule, which was retained by postcolonial states as an administrative mechanism. It stated that such institutions need to be re-examined in the context of present realities and the aspirations of the Naga people.

The forum clarified that its position is not a rejection of individuals who have served as gaonburahs, but a call for reform of the institution.

The GNF further noted ambiguities in the roles and functions of gaonburahs in both rural and urban contexts, particularly in relation to Article 371A and the Nagaland Village and Area Council Act, 1978. It urged the state government to undertake a comprehensive review of the relevant legal provisions to ensure clarity and consistency.