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Says front is not for a single entity but for all Nagas
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 14
The long proposed Western Naga Youth Front (WNYF) was formally launched as a full-fledged organisation on March 14 at a programme held at the Senden Riju, Dimapur. The formal launch came amidst opposition from two prominent youth bodies— the Western Sumi Youth Front and Chakhroma Youth Organisation.
The WNYF will be led by Aga Rengma as President and Neisapa Soho as Vice President and Imtirong Amri as Assistant General Secretary. The post of the General Secretary was vacant but it was informed the vacancy will be filled soon.
The core of the WNYF consisted of 11 office bearers led by the President, besides three legal advisors and a 7-member advisory panel.
Speaking at the launch programme, Co-convenor Tia Longchar said that the formalisation of the WNYF came after 17 months as an “interim body." He said that the organisation was endorsed by 19 tribal and civil society groups to address extortion and taxation by the Naga Political Groups in the state’s commercial hub—Dimapur.
According to him, the formation of the WNYF was necessitated by a series of events, with the abduction and ransoming of two entrepreneurs by one of the NPGs in Diphupar, 4th Mile, on October 10, 2024 serving as the catalyst. “We know that there are more than 30 factions, 30 Naga political groups waiting for independence... but they are killing the dreams of the young people,” Longchar said.
He reiterated the October 2024 five-point charter of demands, which included the installation of high-resolution CCTV cameras across Dimapur and the immediate removal of designated camps of the NPGs from public areas.
According to Longchar, the WNYF intends to ensure ceasefire ground rules are implemented “in toto,” while serving as a bridge and providing a unified voice against the “menace” of extortion and abduction that hinders economic growth. “It is not about a single tribe, it is not about a single individual... but Nagas must come together and fight this menace,” he said.
He also cited the public rally held in Kohima on August 6, 2024, in response to a death threat against a contractor. During the rally, a resolution was adopted to form a state tribal youth organisation. He said that WNYF supports the resolutions passed during that rally, as well as the 2013 “One Government, One Tax” stance taken by the Naga Council Dimapur.
Aga Rengma, President-elect of the WNYF regarded the launch as the result of more than a year of effort to unite different tribal youth bodies under a single family. “We will try to maintain the unity and brotherhood that is supposed to be there as Nagas. We will try to make it a compact Naga family," he said.
“We are constantly in touch with other youth organisations and units which are not yet affiliated with us, but we are not giving up; the door is open,” he added. He said that leadership cannot achieve common aspirations alone and asked for the “continuous support” of the community to move toward a “more progressive, more peaceful future.”
WNYF door open
Replying to queries from the media regarding the opposition from the Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) and Chakhroma Youth Organisation (CPO), Rengma said the WNYF had sought consultations with various tribal units and parent bodies prior to the launch. He noted that while full unity has not yet been reached, the intention remains inclusive. Regarding the stance of the WSYF and CYO, Rengma stated that the organisation remains open to dialogue to resolve existing grievances.
“Whatever grievances that they have in the nomenclature or in the working system can all be decided and discussed,” he said. He added that the WNYF does not seek to bypass tribal apex bodies but intends to work in coordination with them to address common issues like extortion and public safety. Rengma reiterated that the door remains open for the organisations to join.
