The Neokpao-led Working Committee, Naga National Political Group (WC, NNPG) said it could not stoop so low to the level of “counterfeiters desperately clinging to self-acclaimed positions” and attempting to mislead the Nagas at large with fabricated lies devoid of any truth or facts.
In a press release, WC, NNPG claimed that despite N. Kitovi Zhimomi’s impeachment from the post of ato kilonser of GPRN/NSCN (U) by an overwhelming 99% of the workers and consequent recall from the WC, NNPGs by his own organisation, WC leaders made sincere efforts for the last nine months to accommodate Kitovi with an honourable position.
The group said Kitovi’s “egomaniacal character” took precedence over reason, and he insisted on continuing as the convener without any self-esteem.
WC mentioned that Kitovi, as an elderly man, was expected to demonstrate grace and humility. But, quite contrarily, it accused him of starting to exhibit characters typical of an “eccentric, egoistic, greedy, and degenerate individual,” resorting to highly self-debasing rhetoric and attacking individuals with unfounded and malignant lies that completely negated his standing as a Naga leader.
In the course of its long association with Kitovi, the WC said it had witnessed many genuine patriots and Naga leaders having victimized by him through his habitual traits of blackmail and manipulation.
“Not only in the GPRN/NSCN, but his greed, corruption, and misuse of NNPG banner for his personal financial gains exceeded all ethical and moral limits during the last seven years of WC’s convenership,” the release stated, adding that his tenure as convener was replete with dubious financial deals and cheap blackmailing tactics, causing deep hurt and mistrust among WC leaders and affiliates.
The WC, NNPG however claimed it painfully and patiently endured all his contemptible and derogatory conducts solely keeping in mind the popular longing for an early solution.
The group also asked him to realise why Naga unification under his leadership failed miserably and only resulted in the increase of fratricidal killings, loss of many innocent lives and formation of so many factions.
Asserting that the Agreed Position (AP) or the Naga political solution did not belong to Kitovi, reminding him the AP was signed with support and endorsement of every Naga stakeholder, the release pointed out that the WC, NNPG, or any other Naga political group (NPG), only represented the political will of Naga people that should in no manner be misused to self-serve in the way Kitovi did.
The release further stated that Kitovi’s unrelenting ambition of self-assuming the hereditary chieftainship role over Naga issue had taken a heavy toll not only on himself but also the WC, NNPG, adding that he should have exercised sanity, allowed reason to prevail, and deterred himself from imposing his selfish ambition over and above the common Naga cause.
The WC, NNPG lamented that Kitovi was trying to find fault with its leaders’ commitment to defend the ancestral territories of Nagas across artificial boundaries, when he himself was a party to the AP that had outlined in detail the political arrangements for all Naga-inhabited areas, both in India and Myanmar-occupied Naga territories through Free Movement Regime (FMR).
The group stressed that NPGs embrace yearnings of the Nagas for inclusive solution and realise the futility of maintaining exclusivity/exclusive solution, calling for avoiding giving preference of one agreement over the other.
The WC, NNPG cited Kitovi’s selfish manipulation of the Naga issue solely to serve his own interest as the crux of present crisis, from which the WC was extricating itself, and hoped that Kitovi would display maturity and work towards rapprochement for the sake of the suffering Naga people.
Meanwhile, as per official records made available by WC/NNPG, WC stated that the three signatories to the Agreed Position —NPG/NNC ato kilonser and WC, NNPGs co-convener Shitoho Chophi, NNC/GDRN president and WC, NNPGs co-convener Kiumukam Yimkhiung, and UNPG/NNC (Parent Body) ato kilonser and WC, NNPGs co-convener Toshi Walling — who had recently extended support to the leadership of Kitovi as WC, NNPGs convener, were signatories in support of Kitovi’s termination as the convener on several occasions.
As per WC, NNPG record, it said that on May 3, 2024, Shitoho Chophi, Kiumukam Yimkhiung, and Toshi Walling, had supported the nomination of Kitovi as the chief adviser of WC, NNPG.
Further, it said that on September 19, 2024, titled “Restructuring of WC/NNPGs”, the meeting agreed upon six points. It said that the first point dwelled that Kitovi would not aspire for the post of convener, and that he should be confined to advisory in nature.
As per point six, it said that, to maintain stable leadership in representing WC, NNPGs, the house resolved to elect/select new nominal head of the WC at the earliest.
In this meeting, WC said Shitoho Chophi, Kiumukam Yimkhiung, and Toshi Walling, were also signatories to it. On May 25, 2024, WC said the three had also endorsed the decision of the WC to keep the position of convener in a state of “moratorium”, and also appoint Isak Sumi as co-convener to communicate with the central government, CSOs, NGOs and stakeholders and to notify official meeting, and P Tikhak as spokesperson to maintain consistency and unanimity of the WC, NNPGs on all issues.
Further, on July 31, 2024, the three had also endorsed the May 28 resolution to keep the post of convener, WC, NNPG in “moratorium” until further notice, while the official record of September 20, 2024 showed a resolution (point 2), which stated “Shall request N Kitovi Zhimomi to not oppose selection/election of the new convener in the near future as and when circumstances become favourable or in other if the need for new convener becomes inevitable.” Shitoho Chophi and Toshi Walling were signatories to this as well, WC stated.