India Will Wake Up if the Naga Army Goes to China: NSCN (IM) Commander

Kohima, October 19, 2019:

Phungting Shimrang, the commander-in-chief, of the NSCN (IM) army, in a recent interview with The Week, stated that the Union of India only took notice of the NSCN (IM) after they had gone to China, and added that India could possibly "wake up" again if the Nagas go to China once more.

The Commander further stated that the two-decade long ceasefire is testimony to the fact that the Naga leadership is determined to solve these problems. "Sometimes, we feel that the Indian government is trying to humiliate us. Indian leaders don’t even know where Nagaland is. And they talk about Nagas?", he remarked.

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The NSCN (IM) leader further stated that the faction's beef is not with the public of India, but with the Indian Army and added that the NSCN (IM) is not afraid of the army, despite its size and stature.

Rubbishing reports of extortion being carried out in the NSCN (IM), he said that the NIA [National Investigation Agency] is telling lies.

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Denying that the 'Naga problem' is an internal issue, the NSCN (IM) Commander stated that it is difficult to term it as such as he does not consider himself to be an Indian. "I have never said I am part of India", he said.

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