Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 21
The Nagaland unit of the Janata Dal (United) said that the Government of India (GoI) and the NSCN (IM) should find middle ground to resolve the political dialogue between the two entities.
At a press conference in Dimapur today, Nagaland state JDU President, NSN Lotha said that both the negotiating parties should be in a position to make concessions to find a way out of the stalemate. “We don’t want there should be a confrontation. Wherever there is a will, there is always a way out,” Lotha said.
He termed that the GoI’s apparent rigid stand on the NSCN (IM) demand as “not justified,” while stating, “They (GoI) should also be in a position to find a way where atleast certain concession can be made, if they are really keen on solving the issue.” According to him, the GoI has “more opportunity to actually find a way out.”
At the same time, he said that the (NSCN (IM), who have taken a nonnegotiable stand on the matter of flag and constitution “should also be in a position to tone down their demand and find a middle path.”
“If they have the will, they have also the power to find a way out instead of delaying like this. GoI must honour their commitment. NSCN (IM), if they have committed to something must also honour their commitment,” he said.
On the two sides maintaining divergent positions on the status of the political dialogue, he queried, “Where is the evidence that it was concluded? Whenever a talk is concluded, there should be some resolution, some signatures from both sides. The Naga people are caught in between all these misgivings.”
The JDU, meanwhile, took pot-shots at the Nagaland government’s Core Committee on Naga Political Issue (CCoNPI), terming it “irrelevant” as “pointed out by various leaders of the UDA (United Democratic Alliance).”
In a media handout, it said the CCoNPI, while its intent was clear; was “bound to fail as its objective was vague in itself.” According to the state JDU, the CCoNPI’s position has been reduced to a mere messenger with “no principle stand of its own.”
While stating that the CCoNPI has not been as assertive as it was supposed to be as “the highest political body of the overground Nagas,” it said, “they should have taken a stand and accordingly endeavour to thrash out the differences between the negotiating groups.” It said that the CCoNPI has been “just mute listeners to lectures of both the Government of India and the various Naga Political Groups.”
Therefore, it held that the UDA be dissolved “in honest admittance of its irrelevance.”
It appealed “all over-ground Naga organisations” to exhibit tolerance, while pointing out that “frequent statements of Nagas against fellow Nagas or Naga organisations against Naga organisations is in no way bringing a healing touch to the conflicts.”
It added, “The Nagas as one blood is intrinsic and cannot be overlooked” notwithstanding “the different administrative units under which Nagas exist.”
While maintaining that it has no ulterior motive to malign any political party or social organisation, it reiterated that the GoI “must stand by its commitments made to the negotiating Naga National Organisations so as to ensure that the peace process is not delayed at any cost.”
