NSCN-IM Leader Th. Muivah Hoists Naga Flag at Camp Hebron

CAMP HEBRON, AUGUST 14, 2026 — Thuingaleng Muivah, the Ato Kilonser (Prime Minister) of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), unfurled the Naga flag at the council headquarters at Camp Hebron today to mark Naga Independence Day.

The annual event commemorates the historic declaration made 79 years ago on August 14, 1947.

Historical Significance: 14 August 1947

• The Declaration: Under the leadership of figures like T. Sakhrie and A.Z. Phizo, the Naga National Council (NNC) dispatched telegrams to the United Nations and Indian leaders declaring that Naga territories were independent.

• Symbolic Assertion: The Naga national flag was hoisted in Kohima.

• Timing: The declaration was made on August 14 -- one day prior to the end of British colonial rule over India -- to assert sovereignty before power was transferred.

NSCN-IM and Thuingaleng Muivah

• Formation: Following the 1975 Shillong Accord, leaders including Thuingaleng Muivah, Isak Chisi Swu, and S.S. Khaplang rejected the agreement and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1980.

• 1988 Split: The organisation later split into two factions: NSCN-IM (led by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah) and NSCN-K (led by S.S. Khaplang).

• Role & Concept: The NSCN-IM has spearheaded negotiations for Naga political rights and the idea of Nagalim (a unified territory covering Naga-inhabited regions across Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Myanmar). As Ato Kilonser, Muivah has remained the principal political negotiator.

Peace Dialogue & Key Sticking Points

• 1997 Ceasefire & 2015 Framework Agreement: The Government of India and the NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire in 1997, culminating in the signing of the historic Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• Current Status: While the agreement acknowledged the "unique history and culture" of the Nagas, negotiations remain ongoing regarding key demands, including formal recognition of a separate Naga national flag and a distinct Naga constitution (Yehzabo).