Nyemlang-led NSCN to use PAN for military set-up

Dimapur, Aug. 20 (EMN): Collective leadership of the Nyemlang Konyak-led NSCN/GPRN has decided to use the term ‘People’s Army of Nagaland’ (PAN) in reference to the military set-up in all official communiqué of the organisation.

To justify its claim, the organisation MIP in-charge Nikato Pilot Sumi, stated that NSCN/GPRN was formed in 1980-81 with Nagaland defence armed forces officially being called ‘People’s Army of Nagaland (PAN). It said the Article 1 of military R&R of NSCN/GPRN clearly stated that the military set-up was PAN.

“From the inception, the military cadres of NSCN/GPRN has been continually governed as per the rules and regulations of the People’s Army of Nagaland (PAN),” the statement read adding it was a misnomer and incorrect to officially use the term ‘Naga Army’.

“The colloquial usage ‘Naga army’ has somehow erroneously slipped into formal and official usage. The nonchalant and ubiquitous usage of the term ‘Naga army’ in common parlance has somehow reared into the fore and distorted the original and official term of the People’s Army of Nagaland (PAN), NSCN/GPRN,” it stated. The statement went on to state that the past leaders, after forming and naming Nagaland defense armed force as People’s Army of Nagaland (PAN), decided not to correct the improper usage of the name which stands without amendments till date for reasons best known to themselves.

It, therefore, stated that the collective leadership of NSCN/GPRN had decided to use People’s Army of Nagaland (PAN) in reference to the military set-up in all official communiqué of the NSCN/GPRN.