Naga revolutionary Khole Konyak gets a quiet farewell; interlocutor Ravi in attendance

Khole-Konyak Khole Konyak | via Twitter

The Naga insurgent movement may have split into many factions of Naga underground groups during the decades-long insurgency in the Northeast, but in difficult and testing times, the Naga solidarity is unparalleled. When it comes to the cause of the Naga people and the sentiment of Naga pride, all factions come together, and this in fact was the dream of one of its tallest leaders Gen (retired) Khole Konyak who passed away on Wednesday evening after suffering a stroke. He was 91.

Gen Konyak was the vice chairman (vice yaruiwo) of the Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) run by Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah faction), the largest insurgent group in the Northeast. Presently, Th. Muivah is the prime minister (Ato Kilonser) of the GPRN.

Incidentally, a day before his demise, the NSCN(IM) had decided to appoint Khole as chairman of the group. Muivah and Khole had been part of the Naga insurgent movement in 1950s and had left for China before the signing of the 1975 Shillong Accord. Muivah could not attend the prayer meet for the departed owing to ill health.

Today, the NSCN(IM) has a ceasefire pact with the government and the critical Indo-Naga peace talks are being shouldered by it. The NSCN has split into four groups—NSCN(IM), NSCN(K), NSCN(R) and NSCN(U). Khole moved from the Myanmar-based Khaplang group to the IM faction after Khaplang broke the ceasefire pact with the government.

Khole Konyak is the tallest Konyak leader who represented 35 per cent of the Naga population.

His mortal remains were brought to the Nagaland House in the national capital on Thursday evening where a small gathering of the top insurgent leaders joined hands with new generation of youth leaders to celebrate the spirit of the revolutionary leader and vow to carry on the struggle.

What was different about this prayer meet held in the heart of the national capital was that it brought under one roof the representatives of the Central government interlocutor R.N. Ravi, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, NSCN (IM) top brass V.S. Atem who is a senior member of the collective leadership of the outfit, and other leaders and cadres, demonstrating the respect Khole commanded from one and all.

Ravi has held several rounds of meetings with the outfit following the signing of the ambitious framework agreement in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising a lasting solution to the Naga insurgency. However , Khole could not see its fructification in his lifetime. The peace talks between Ravi and the Naga groups has not reached a conclusion which is currently causing a sense of unease in the Naga people.

Ravi stayed at the prayer meet, attended by at least a hundred, for a short while and did not make a speech. He exchanged some words with Atem and left in a hurry.

But CM Rio did not mince words as he said the Naga groups need to show solidarity today and any factionalism could damage the struggle. “We must sacrifice any factionalism at the altar of Nagais ,” he said.

In 1974, Khole was on his way to China along with other Naga insurgent leaders. Atem was in his 20s then. Atem recalled that he learnt from Khole that even a military officer can be humble and mix with the rank and file. Khole was a lieutenant colonel at that time in the Naga army.

In a statement, T.R. Zeliang, leader of opposition in Nagaland assembly, said as a Naga national worker, Khole Konyak was a tall leader who rendered his service in various capacities. "His dedication to the cause of Nagas and support for Indo-Naga peace talk as the only acceptable foundation for survival of the Naga people will be ever remembered.'' His demise is a great loss to the Nagas and the vacuum created by it will be difficult to fill, he added.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) called him the son of the soil. Kholi Konyak joined the Naga freedom movement in the early 1950s and dedicated his entire life in the service of the Naga nation, shouldering every responsibility given to him in humility and loyalty. He was the true son of the soil, said Chingwang Konyak, president of NDPP.

The quiet wreath laying ceremony in Nagaland House was attended by representatives from government, NSCN, Naga Students Union, Delhi Eastern Naga Studnets Union, and Naga Forum.

Meanwhile, the Nagaland Gaon Bura Federation (NGBF), a traditional and customary institution representing villages in Nagaland, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying as the BJP government prepares for the general elections, the people's anticipation of a political solution through a political dialogue with the Naga national political groups is very high.

“It is the talk in every Naga kitchen and hearth across the length and breadth of the land, of the television pronouncement to international audience on the cessation of hostility between the government and the Naga insurgent groups and the fresh impetus for peaceful coexistence...

The NGFB is constrained to submit its representation once again that the progress of negotiation seems to have slowed down without obvious major hitch.”

The NGFB said the ongoing political negotiation between the government interlocutor R.N. Ravi and Naga leaders have touched all important matters and, in principle, agreed to work out the details for peaceful co-existence considering contemporary political reality. It is reported that only symbolic issues require further clarity.

“Nagas have the bitter past experience and it would not be in the interest of the government to leave the issue unattended beyond your trusted leadership,” the forum said.