Chizokho Vero
August 19
KOHIMA (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today asserted that the DAN Government was sincere and committed to the Naga peace process.
Informing this in the State Assembly on the second day of the monsoon session, Rio said his Government was very serious on the issue and no member should question the sincerity of the DAN government on this front.
“Members from DAN have met different factions and we are doing our best to bring all the faction together”, Rio said. He also reminded the Assembly session that the DAN government had carried a vision statement under the Common Minimum Program to secure a negotiated settlement of Indo-Naga political problem acceptable to the people.
In a conciliatory gesture, the Chief Minister also accepted members’ suggestion that the Speaker should call a meeting of all MLAs and Naga MPs to discuss all issues pertaining to the Naga peace process and then take up with the Government of India to help find a lasting solution to the vexed Naga political problem.
Earlier, former Finance Minister Kewekhape Therie suggested that the government should hold a meeting of all members of the assembly and Naga MPs with the Speaker’s initiative to discuss important issues like ceasefire implementation, reconciliation among groups and the role of neighboring States in the Naga peace process.
He pointed out that the Consultative Committee for Peace (CCP) had entrusted this task to the Naga Hoho, but having failed to do so, the elected members can make initiatives to make the peace process more meaningful.
Replying to a query by Therie, Home Minister Thenucho said that there was no stalemate in the ongoing talk. Thenucho said the DAN government declared a policy of equi-closeness and it was duty bound to talk with the different groups to stop fighting among each other. The Home Minister also informed that a group of ministers had 12 rounds of discussions with NSCN (IM) leaders during February to May 2005. The talks he said were inconclusive and it was not in public interest to disclose the outcome of discussions at this stage.
Therie said that the policy of equi-closeness be implemented in letter and spirit.
He suggested that a scheme be developed which will be acceptable to the people and possible to present to the Centre. Opposition leader I. Imkong also questioned the achievement of the DAN government on the Naga peace process.
