DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 4 (MExN): The Core Committee of the Nagaland Tribal Hohos and the Civil Organizations (CCNTHCO) today hoped that the political parties who recently signed the pledges with regard to the coming elections and the Naga political issue would “prove their worth” by putting their pledge to action.
A press note from the CCNTHCO said that the parties had signed the pledge “on their own volition” to “pave way for solution first and for the purpose of which they committed not to issue party tickets.”
“What CCNTHCO is expected to shoulder, it has accomplished its assignments. The rest are therefore left to those who are supposed to implement the resolutions practically,” it said.
It reminded that every political party that came to rule India used to pass down the onus of solving the Naga political issue to the next government.
The Naga people, it lamented “missed an opportunity to have a better political status out of the 6 rounds of negotiation in 1960s and yet whatever had happened to us, it is the question of fate.”
“Today, the leadership of the country has political will to resolve the Naga issue for the fact that it signed agreement with NSCN(IM) known as ‘Framework’ on 3.8.2015 and also signed the Preamble for Negotiation with Working Committee of NNPGs on 17.11.2017. While the 7 NNPGs are in active negotiation with GOI and the simultaneous contacts with the rest few who are yet to come within the purview, there is definitely chance of getting the political issue resolved as all the parties are found determined to work out solutions,” it viewed.
For decades, the CCNTHCO said that the Nagas have been shackled with the “fetters of illusion, of anxiety and of division and confusion.” Naga society, it viewed, has been in “total haywire for a long, long time.”
“Our Naga society has been remaining in stagnation in respect of every positive aspect of life and we have not seen the progress of life for many years. We have grown tired of continuing with the status quo as we cannot afford to live in this mess any longer.”
It observed that the present generation leaders have this responsibility to arrange a better future for our children and posterity. “It is shameful on our part to remain helpless in the midst of confusion and uncertainties. We cannot shift the responsibility to any other people to bring change to Naga society. In this endeavor, there can be neither exemption nor excuse for anyone but it has to be a total involvement of every Naga,” it said.
A solution to the Naga issue, it stated has therefore become imperative for the Nagas today “as it can give answers to lot of our questions, it can mitigate our burdens and of all it is expected to bring sustainable peace to our land.”
To this end, it acknowledged that the GoI has agreed to jointly work out answers. “Indeed, this is the opportunity for the Nagas to avail that chance at this very moment.”
The CCNTHCO however pointed out that the “deep concern of the conscientious Nagas is that if we are to hinder the progress of the negotiations though not necessarily derailing it ourselves, the greater loss will be to us. The need of the hour is therefore how we can collectively and cohesively give the requisite impetus to the processes of negotiations and to urge for expeditious logical conclusions.”
It was with this ambition, the CCNTHCO said, “the Nagas from all walks of life mutually agreed to give priority chances to political solution than having election simultaneously with the processes of negotiations.”
“After a long spell, God in His wisdom brought the Nagas together in a spectacular manner to come to a consensus decision for ‘Solution before Election’. There is no ambiguity in this decision as one knows what can be the adverse ramifications the election will have on the people of Nagaland in view of the negotiations requiring synchronization of our people,” it claimed.
It further clarified on the slogan ‘Solution before Election’ by stating: “Anyone can misconstrue it to be anti-constitutional or anti-India stance. The Solution in the present context should never be misread. Solution, when arrived will be good for Nagas in particular and for GOI in general. We need this solution for peaceful coexistence and for durable peace which is why we implored upon our people to support the collective decisions adopted at different levels.”
It however conceded that the CCNTHCO is not the sole authority with powers to force anyone to refrain, be it a political party or an aspiring election candidate from participation in the fray. “After all, every Naga is part and parcel of the social and political mess and none can escape from it. It is therefore the bounden responsibility for every Naga to voluntarily contribute towards solution and none should hinder the processes for negotiation.”
It particularly put the onus on the Naga leaders and said that “sensible Nagas must never depend on someone else to clean the Naga dirty linen nor should anyone irresponsibly opt for posture of ‘holier than thou’ at the cost of the common man in this venture.”
