The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has announced that it would be upsizing its office at Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima until an honourable and suitable arrangement was arrived at vis-à-vis the Naga Club building ownership issue. This follows a resolution adopted in this regard at the federation’s Emergency Federal Assembly held on December 14, 2023 pursuant to the December 9, 2023 letter from the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and Kohima Village Council (KVC) reaffirming their June 28, 2023 as “irreversible, deemed just and unbiased” and insisted that NSF office at Naga Club building should be vacated on or before December 31, 2023.
NSF president Medovi Rhi and general secretary Chumben Khuvung in a press release acknowledged the public appeal and the mediating role of APO and KVC on the issue post the vandalisation of NSF office at Naga Club building during the wee hours of May 27, 2023 by unspecified number of miscreants, which was later claimed by members of present Naga Club.
NSF declared that the APO would remain the custodian of the Naga Club building until an honourable closure to the imbroglio, inclusive of all Nagas, was brought about.
In the spirit of unity and with a steadfast commitment to the collective well-being of Naga people, they said they looked forward to a harmonious resolution of the club building ownership issue that preserved the historical significance of the building and fostered a shared sense of heritage and identity across Naga homeland.
NSF observed that the present Naga heritage site at Kohima which housed the Naga Club building had for years stood as a symbol of Naga people’s resilience with a legacy bearing witness to countless turns in history, including the Naga plebiscite on May 16, 1951.
Noting that the odyssey of the people had been marked with several challenges, costly sacrifices and difficult decisions along the way, they mentioned that it was during one of these most turbulent years that the NSF came to dutifully occupy and preserve the symbol of Naga heritage, which stood majestically despite its age, following the legacy of leaders like late Vizolie Sorhie among other conscious keepers of that time.
NSF claimed that when Sorhie became the NSF president in 1983, he and his team were approached by Naga Club office bearers and Naga Elders’ Conference to reclaim the club building, which was then occupied by the Forest department.
However, as the department still refused to hand over the building to Naga Club despite several attempts, they said Sorhie, NSF finance secretary Mechimvu Ritse, NSF Action Committee member Neingulo Krome and All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) president Kewezu G Kenye went and broke open the lock and occupied the building in April 1983. Thereafter, Neivor Rutsa volunteered his vehicle (NLT-309) to assist in shifting NSF office to the building.
As agreed upon, NSF claimed that there was “mutual understanding” that the Building would always belong to Naga Club and NSF would be the guardian and custodian according to the demands of the situations.
After the occupation of the Naga Club building by the NSF, they said the state government had issued eviction orders thrice, though the federation continued to stand its ground.
Since then and for the last 40 years, they maintained that the Naga Club building had housed the office of NSF, keeping alive the legacy of the heritage building and its noble symbol to hold the emerging Naga family together across the Naga homeland at all times.