DIMAPUR JULY 23 (MExN): “Dialogue and not disengagement is a an answer to the burgeoning distrust among the people living along the Assam-Nagaland boundary,” observed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who pledged with Naga Hoho for peaceful coexistence of the people of the two neighbouring states notwithstanding the long standing unresolved boundary disputes.
Meeting a delegation of Naga Hoho, the apex body of all tribal communities of Nagaland on Friday evening in the city, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal endorsed the idea of having constant interaction among the people of the two states living along the boundary for their peaceful coexistence, a press statement issued from the Chief Ministers’ Office, Janasanyog, Assam stated.
Sonowal also emphasised on a proper platform where outstanding issues confronting both the states can be discussed in a congenial atmosphere and found a way out for their solution.
Asserting the need for frequent sporting and cultural exchanges between people of the two states, Sonowal called for a “collective will” for normalising the situation prevailing along the border areas of Assam and Nagaland. He also urged the people living in both sides of the of Assam-Nagaland border to maintain peace and harmony and thwart all nefarious designs of the anti-social elements who have been trying to blow the small incidents to a large inter-state confrontations.
The six member Naga Hoho delegation was led by President of Hoho P. Chuba Ozukum. The convenors of the civil society initiative senior journalists Samudra Gupta Kashyap and Mrinal Talukdar were also present at the meeting.
The Naga Hoho invited Sonowal to Nagaland, which he had accepted in principle. It may be mentioned that the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Axom Sahitya Sabha also took keen interests in the process with AASU actively associating itself with cultural and sporting activities in border areas while Sabha has activated its oldest branch in Kohima.
The Naga Hoho President P. Chuba Ozukum also called for peaceful coexistence and increased civil society interactions to ease out the differences and misunderstanding, the press statement added.
