NHAVCF shutters down ends peacefully; reiterates demand for review of CFGR

A six-hour shutter down from 6 a.m. to 12 noon was observed Wednesday across 13 villages on Wednesday called by the National Highway Area Village Councils’ Forum (NHAVCF). The protest to express public discontent over alleged lapses in the implementation of the Ceasefire Ground Rules (CFGR).
NHAVCF comprises 13 villages– Sovima, Unity, Thilixu, Chekiye, Ikishe, 5th Mile Model, 7th Mile Model, Tenyiphe-I, Kirha, Sodzulhou, Kozabe, Diphupar B, and Diphupar– along the National Highway-29 corridor, and whose residents joined the protest.
Later the members of the forum also submitted a memorandum to Centre’s Representative to the Naga peace talks AK Mishra through DC Chümoukedima in which they expressed concern over the ambiguous enforcement of CFGR. They alleged that “grey areas” in the current framework were hindering effective governance and law enforcement.
The forum urged the Centre to urgently review and amend the existing ceasefire framework, particularly in the context of newly emerging underground factions and the limitations faced by local law enforcement agencies.
Speaking to Nagaland Post over telephone, NHAVCF convenor Sebastian Zumvü maintained that there were no volunteers or enforcers deployed to implement the shutters-down.
He reiterated that it was purely voluntary therefore, the Forum did not find the need to appoint or requisition even a single youth volunteer.
He also said no village was asked to mobilise manpower but left it to the conscience of the traders and the public adding the forum was happy with the overwhelming cooperation.
Zumvü also emphasized that the protest was not intended to disrupt normal life, but to symbolically express public resentment over the perceived loopholes in the ceasefire framework and ground rules (CFGR). He said the forum’s intent was not to antagonise the government or law enforcement agencies in any manner.
According to Zumvü, the support for the protest poured from beyond the immediate jurisdiction of the 13 villages such as the Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), traders from Suruhuto, Zunheboto, Aghunato, Naga Tribal Union Chümoukedima Town and Satakha.
When asked about the memorandum addressed to Mishra through the DC Chümoukedima , Zumvü stated that the since NHAVCF could not meet him, it settled for relaying their concerns through official channels.
On the response of law enforcement agencies , he clarified that there was no interference only a telephonic request from the commissioner of police to remove black flags placed along the highway. “The police later removed some flags, which we did not object to. We had made our point, and our purpose was served,” he added.
On the main grievances, he pointed out that the ceasefire framework had failed to evolve with time. “The current ceasefire template dates back to 1997 when it was first signed with groups like the NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (K). Today, the same template is applied to newly emerging factions. This is outdated and ineffective,” he remarked.
Zumvü further criticised the operational limitations faced by security forces contained in the CFGR, which had led to designated camps and monitoring cells turned into “safe havens” for known lawbreakers. “Despite the presence of armed individuals in civilian areas, state police and security forces are restricted from acting. That’s a serious law and order issue,” he maintained.
Asked about the forum’s expectations from the government, Zumvü said the objective was simply to convey the sentiments of the people. “We are a small forum, not a powerful organisation. Our goal was to prick the conscience of the Naga public. It is up to them now to take the matter forward,” he pointed out.
He said the forum did not plan to scale up the agitation or involve more groups at this point but only to send the message of a peaceful concern, not confrontation. “We are too humble for that. We’re not here to create fear or provoke unrest,” he concluded.
In solidarity with the protest, a representative from MCCI told this newspaper that black flags were hoisted in Mokokchung town as a symbolic protest to reflect the growing public frustration over the deteriorating law and order.