DIMAPUR: The Global Naga Forum (GNF) has expressed “serious concern” over the proposed installation of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mountain Radar system in Pfutsero under the jurisdiction of the Chakhesang area in Nagaland state.
In a statement, the GNF said it acknowledges that this is not a weapon system but a surveillance installation intended to monitor airspace and strengthen India’s defence preparedness and therefore may not be immediately dangerous to the lives of the Naga people. “However, reducing this issue to a mere technical deployment would be a grave mistake”, the GNF also said.
It further said the implications are far-reaching and must be understood in their full political, social, and historical context. “Every such installation comes with consequences that go far beyond its technical description. Land around the site will inevitably become restricted,” the GNF also said, adding, “Military presence will increase, and infrastructure will follow, and most importantly, the area will be drawn into India’s strategic defense grid”. Once that happens, the land will no longer just be a village asset, the GNF added. “It becomes part of a larger military framework with implications that go far beyond what is being told to the people today”.
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The GNF then said this move is part of India’s larger strategy to strengthen its defense posture in response to China and Pakistan. “Nagaland is being positioned within that framework because of its geography. But the question before us is not about India’s security concerns alone. The real question is about the rights, the future, and the consent of the Naga people”, the GNF explained.
The GNF then said, “We are well aware that under Article 371A, land and its resources belong to the Nagas”. This is not a symbolic provision, it also said. “It is a constitutional safeguard rooted in our history and political reality. No authority, including the Ministry of Defense, has the right to take or use land in Nagaland without the knowledge, consent, and involvement of the rightful owners and the community”, the GNF added.
At the same time, the GNF said one cannot ignore how such processes unfold in reality. It said that the Centre rarely comes directly. “It moves through the state government, through agencies, and through intermediaries. There will be negotiations and pressure. There will be financial offers and compensation packages designed to make the arrangement appear beneficial and attractive”, the GNF also said.
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The GNF then said this is where the real danger lies for the Nagas. According to the GNF, it is not in the radar itself but in how decisions are made. “If individual landowners begin to sell or lease land driven by immediate financial gain without weighing the long term implications, it will have consequences that cannot be reversed” the GNF said. “What may appear today as an opportunity may become a burden for future generations. Land once committed to such a framework does not easily return to its original character or control”, it also stated.
The Global Naga Forum, therefore, made a direct and sincere appeal to the landowners of the Chakhesang community to exercise restraint and responsibility. It said this is not a matter that should be treated as a private transaction. “It concerns the collective future of the people. Decisions of this nature must arise from collective wisdom and not individual compulsion”, it further said.
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The GNF then said this issue cannot be left to individuals alone. It demanded that tribal apex bodies, village councils, and civil society organizations must step in with clarity and firmness. The GNF further demanded that there must be open discussion, full understanding, and a united position. “If necessary, there should be intervention to prevent any sale or leasing of land for such purposes unless it is thoroughly discussed and agreed upon by the community as a whole”, it added.
The GNF reiterated that it has consistently appealed to the state government of Nagaland, student bodies and “tribal hohos” to pursue the relocation of Assam Rifles camps from the heart of towns across all “Naga areas”. It added by saying, “Our position has always been that civilian spaces and urbanization must not be gradually overtaken by expanding military presence”. The present issue must be viewed in that same spirit and concern, the GNF asserted.
The GNF then said that the question before it is larger than a single project. “It is about safeguarding our land, our rights, and our collective future. The responsibility lies with all of us to act with foresight and unity”, it further added.