The 91 year old veteran Th. Muivah, Chief Political Negotiator and General Secretary/Ato Kilonser, National Socialist Council of Nagalim/ Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim is all set to visit his birthplace, Somdal village on 22 October 2025, after a gap of more than 50 years. His only surviving sibling, Asui Muivah, the younger brother of Th. Muivah, eagerly awaits for his brother to come home.
Somdal is a village located west of Ukhrul, home to the people of Tangkhul Naga ethnic group and the birthplace of Th. Muivah, supremo of NSCN/GPRN. He was born on 23 March 1934 to Shangkathan Muivah and Luimala Muivah. His siblings are Late Longrungla Muivah, Late Shangreihan Muivah, Late James Muivah and their youngest Asui Muivah.
83 years old, Asui Muivah recollects his childhood memories with his elder brother Th. Muivah. When I was studying in Class B (Ukg), I was asked to join a sports event in Ukhrul by my teachers. My brother was already studying in Ukhrul. He must have been in his high school. He went on to study the Pre-University course at DM college. He received his Bachelor degree from Union Christian College, Barapani, Shillong and Master degree from Cotton College, Guwahati.
He must have been studying in DM college, I don’t remember the year but he gathered all the kids from my village and gave us training as if we were in the military. All the children were given “guns” made of wood and we were made to shout “Inquilab Zindabad” fervently.
In 1964, after praying with our parents, he told them that he was leaving home to join the Naga freedom movement. “Keep praying for me. I sacrifice my life for my people. Do not be anxious for me. I may not be able to come back. I will not be back when any of our family dies” was what my brother said when he left to join the Naga Freedom Movement.
He returned to Somdal only once in 1973 at the dedication ceremony of our village church. He did not show up in the gathering. He and his comrades halted in the jungle. My mother gave him a rooster for their meal but he refused saying that they could not cook in the jungle. Later on he told my parents that he was not coming back, that he would not be able to see them again. After that, he never returned. He never came back again. “He was not there when our parents died, not when our big sister died, not when our brothers Shangreihan or James died. He could not come home for any of them. Now, it is just the two of us alive among our siblings” narrated Asui Muivah.
Besides others, I have been telling him to come home. I told him that many people, churches, pastors are praying and fasting for him unceasingly. When the Khaplang incident happened, I was told that my brother and his wife had survived without proper food for a month. I went to Dimapur to meet him and his wife, I was shown his picture. I broke down on seeing his skeletal face. I could not bear it!
Today, on learning that he is coming home, we are all eagerly waiting for him. Whether it is the villagers or the church, young and old, we are equally excited for his homecoming. Not just my village but I believe all the Tangkhuls and the rest of the Nagas in Manipur are looking forward to his return.
Two years after he joined the Naga movement, my big brother suggested that I should also join the movement. I served for four years. While we were on the way to go to China with him, we learnt that there was an attack somewhere in Nagaland, so we returned back. We came to know that he and some other soldiers had already left for China. We prayed for them. I thought he was not going to come back alive knowing the situation. There was no food, enemies were everywhere. The Burmese were waiting. But, he went to China many times and always returned to our land. I am very grateful for that.
Whenever I visited him, he always told me to keep supporting and praying for our political struggle. Not to be disheartened. Today, to see him in leading the dialogue with India at the highest level, I am very grateful to him and I praise God for that.
I completely continue to support. I am not going to grieve if he passes away. My wife is not going to grief. Because he has already sacrificed his life for the cause of Naga nation and I am very satisfied with his commitment.
The family, the Somdal villagers, the Tangkhul community and the rest of the Nagas in Manipur are waiting for the historic homecoming of their Avakharar, the Ato Kilonser of NSCN/GPRN.
