Rev. Wati calls for reimagining sovereignty at Patkai Lecture

Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, convenor of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), urged the Naga people to reimagine sovereignty beyond conventional political boundaries, while cautioning against romanticising statelessness.
He was delivering the Rev. Dr. Tuisem A. Shishak Annual Lecture at Patkai Christian College, Chumoükedima, on the theme “The Trail & Trajectory of Naga Nationalism: Mapping the Way Forward,” on March 21.
Dr. Aier acknowledged that internal conflicts, myth-making, and external forces had weakened the Naga political movement. However, he expressed optimism that the formation of the Council of Naga Cooperation and Relationship (CNCR) in 2025 signalled hope for convergence.
He likened the newly formed Council of Naga Cooperation and Relationship (CNCR) to a “Naga Machang,” symbolizing a common platform for dialogue and unity.
“The Machang is a metaphor for relational sovereignty, where dialogue, mutual respect, and shared memory converge to shape a common destiny,” he said, urging the Naga people to evolve a collective voice rooted in historical and political rights.
He cautioned that while trajectories of Naga nationalism point toward unity, the path remains fraught with challenges. “The CNCR is a promising step, but it must be sustained by genuine dialogue and a commitment to dignity,” he said. Calling for critical engagement with narratives that have shaped Naga nationalism, Dr. Aier stressed the need to reinterpret them in ways that foster unity and authenticity. He outlined three new approaches to sovereignty:
Firstly, hybrid sovereignties as seen in Greenland or Nunavut, where indigenous sovereignty coexists with state structures.
Secondly, plural recognition of cultural sovereignty, language, customary law, and collective identity beyond territorial independence and lastly, geopolitical realism, recognizing India’s consolidation as a sovereign state while safeguarding Naga distinctiveness through constitutional and political arrangements.
“These are not compromises of principle but creative rearticulations of sovereignty in a plural world,” he emphasized.
In the interactive session, Dr. Aier noted that youth disengagement stems from a deeper crisis of identity, acknowledging that the older generation had failed to present a unified vision. On sovereignty, he asserted it remains non-negotiable in principle, but must be balanced with realism through dialogue among differing perspectives.
The lecture also witnessed the presentation of the Annual Alumni Excellence Award to Alobo Naga (Class of 2004) for his achievements in music and entertainment. The award was conferred by Rev. Dr. T. A. Shishak, founder and principal emeritus of Patkai Christian College.