T Aliba Imti, the first President of the Naga National Council (NNC), and A. Z. Phizo, its most influential and internationally recognised President, dedicated their lives to one human rights cause: Naga people’s legitimate political aspiration for self-governance and control of their lands and resources for the good of all the Nagas throughout the ancestral homeland. Their vision was founded on the natural peoplehood of the Nagas with a shared political identity and a self-determined future. Today’s territorial and administrative boundaries that separate the Nagas and divide their homeland into several Indian states and across a fenced Indo-Myanmar border are a gross violation of Naga people’s fundamental human and Indigenous rights.
Given this historical reality, Nagas must realize that the inclusive Naga political movement cannot be claimed by the Nagas of any territory within the larger homeland alone, not even by the Nagas living in present-day Nagaland, whose creation in 1963 has given rise to divisions in the political consciousness of Nagas with distinctions like Nagas of Nagaland, Nagas of Manipur, Nagas of Arunachal Pradesh or Nagas of Burma (Myanmar). The physical and psychological dismemberment of Naga political identity by the powers-that-be, and their Naga surrogates, goes completely counter to the broader Naga political consciousness of Aliba Imti and A. Z. Phizo, who sought to uphold the collective peoplehood and aspirations of the Naga people as a whole.
The Naga Hoho was formed in the same spirit of representing the collective interests, unity and aspirations of the Naga people. It emerged at a particularly critical period in Naga history, when the Naga society was deeply divided and marred by fratricidal killings and internal conflict. Its formation was therefore driven by the urgent need to consolidate the Naga position, heal divisions, promote reconciliation and restore unity among the Naga people. Above all, the Naga Hoho was envisioned as a common platform through which the collective voice of the Naga people could be strengthened and the long-standing aspiration for an honourable and lasting Naga political solution could be pursued. However, over the years, differences and competing interests among the tribes and regions have weakened the institution and resulted in the withdrawal or dissociation of several constituent organisations, affecting the unity and collective purpose for which the Naga Hoho was established.
The tribes represented by the erstwhile Tuensang-Mon Public Organisation (TMPO), now represented by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), dissociated themselves from the Naga Hoho during its formative years, following differences that emerged among the Naga tribes. Subsequently, the Central Nagaland Tribes Council, comprising the Ao, Sumi and Lotha tribes, and the five Tenyimi tribes of Nagaland state have also, in recent years, remained outside the Naga Hoho for various reasons and circumstances. While these developments have shaped the present composition of the Naga Hoho, the specific reasons and factors behind the respective dissociations need not be revisited at this juncture, as the immediate priority is to look beyond past differences and work towards rebuilding a more inclusive and Representative Naga Hoho.
As a result, the Naga Hoho has, for some time, been functioning without the direct participation of all the Tribe Hohos from the present State of Nagaland. This has inevitably weakened its representative character and limited its ability to speak collectively on behalf of the Naga people.
The present political circumstances demand that we rise above these divisions. The incumbent leadership of the Naga Hoho has not been able to fulfill the expectations of the constituent tribes and the Naga people at large. Consequently, the Federal Assembly convened at Senapati on 31 July 2026 resolved to terminate the Executive Council and place the affairs of the Naga Hoho under the care of the Speaker. A five-member Search Committee has subsequently been constituted to facilitate the nomination/election of a new team of office-bearers within three months.
The Naga people today are passing through an unprecedented and challenging political situation marked by deep divisions. Different political agreements and arrangements have been entered into with different Naga groups, yet a lasting and inclusive political settlement remains elusive. In Nagaland, an Opposition-less Government has been formed with the stated objective of facilitating the Naga political solution. The various Naga political groups have been meeting and working together under the umbrella of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), demonstrating that political differences can be bridged in the larger interest of the Naga people with sincerity and commitment.
Ironically, at a time when the Naga political groups are making efforts to come together, the Tribe Hohos remain divided and unable to collectively strengthen and revitalize the Naga Hoho. This situation calls for our collective reflection and sincere effort to rise above our differences and restore the unity and collective spirit that the Naga people urgently need at this critical juncture.
The Naga political question concerns the entire Naga people, irrespective of present administrative boundaries. A durable and honourable political settlement cannot be achieved without a corresponding commitment to unity and collective understanding among all the Naga tribes and regions of the Naga homeland.Against this backdrop that the Search Committee, on behalf of the Naga Hoho, makes this earnest and fervent appeal to all Naga tribal Hohos/ Apex tribal organisations irrespective of State, region or administrative boundary to come together in the larger interest of the Naga people.
We appeal to all constituent and tribal organisations to rise above past differences, grievances and competing interests and participate in a process to restructure and revitalise the Naga Hoho as a truly representative apex platform of the Naga people. The restructured Naga Hoho must be inclusive, democratic, accountable and representative of all Naga tribes and regions.
At this critical juncture, we strongly feel that the Naga political solution must remain our foremost collective priority. We must recognize that if we fail to unite and collectively seek a peaceful and honourable solution, the future would be bleak with the possibility of renewed divisions, conflict and bloodshed. The time to unite, reconcile and pursue a political solution is now before circumstances become worse and force us to regret the opportunities we failed to seize.
The undersigned once again earnestly calls upon all Naga tribal Hohos and organisations to seize this opportunity to rebuild and revitalize the Naga Hoho on the principles of unity, inclusiveness, mutual respect and collective responsibility. The task before us transcends any individual, tribe, organization or region, and therefore requires a shared commitment to the larger interests of the Naga people. It is time to restore the Naga Hoho as a truly united and representative apex platform, capable of articulating the collective voice of the Naga people with clarity, dignity and purpose in the pursuit of an inclusive, honourable and lasting Indo-Naga political solution.
Issued by Naga Hoho Search Committee:
1. Chuba Ozukum, Former President, Naga Hoho – Convenor
2. Toniho Sheqi, Former Assembly Secretry, Naga Hoho – Member
3. Ng. Lorho – President, United Naga Council – Member
4. Ningthoudai Gonmei, President, Zeliangrong Baudi – Member
5. Wairok Hangsing, President, Maring Uparap Assembly - Member
