Kohima, June 10 (MExN): The Naga Hoho on Thursday issued a statement concerning the proposed formation of Karbi Anglong Automous Territorial Council (KAATC).
Reacting to the purported news of an agreement to be signed between the Assam Government/Government of India (GoI) and the various ‘rebel groups’ of Karbi Anglong for the proposed KAATC, the Naga Hoho opined that the concerned parties involved in the talk must take several facts into consideration before inking the final pact.
The past mistake of ignoring land boundary issue among various communities in Karbi Anglong should not be repeated so as to avoid misunderstanding and dispute in the future, the Naga Hoho stated.
The Naga people living in the Naga Rengma Hills were kept in the dark when the State of Assam was created by the GoI, the Hoho claimed. Maintaining that inclusion of land and its inhabitants in the formation of state without their consent is injustice done; the Naga Hoho urged the GoI and the state of Assam to take into account all stakeholders before signing any agreement in the near future.
Further, the Naga Hoho asserted that the ongoing political talk between the GoI and the Naga people should be “respected with serious consideration.”
“The agreement, if any, reached between GoI and the state of Assam in regards to KAATC, should not in any way create misunderstanding or hamper the more than 20 years of Indo-Naga political talk,” it added.
Highlighting the shared boundary between Assam and Nagaland, the Naga Hoho emphasized the need to have cordial atmosphere and friendly relationship with each other. “We expect permanent peace will be ushered in with the conclusion of talk between the GoI and the Naga people,” the Hoho stated.
While acknowledging ‘any move’ for conflict transformation and building peace between various political groups and the governments, the Naga Hoho said that it should not be at the cost of ignoring the historical and political rights of the Nagas. In this regard, it opined that “Naga areas should not be included under the purview of the proposed creation of KAATC.”
The Naga Hoho urged GoI and Assam government to take the points stated into account. It further pointed out that taking “any hasty decision while dealing with the issue of proposed KAATC may bring more harm than benefit to the people in the region.”
