Kohima, August 19 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting its support to the demands for an early solution to the protracted Indo-Naga peace talks without replacing the incumbent Centre’s Interlocutor RN Ravi.
The representation released to the media by NTC President Toniho Yepthomi and General Secretary Nribemo Ngullie on August 19 stated that certain sections of people have been submitting representations and campaigning for removal of Ravi, “without assessing the reality of the progress already made.”
It said that the “significant achievement” is that “the expected solution is entering into a concluding stage,” based on the reported agreed points between the Centre’s representative Ravi and the Naga Political Groups on October 31, 2019.
“The changing of Interlocutor for Naga Peace process is not the answer at this juncture when the incumbent is diligently trying to work out a solution to the vexed Naga political issue,” it added.
The NTC claimed that “ulterior motives with vested interest” behind such “one sided pressure” to remove the incumbent Interlocutor were “solely to derail the peace process and that the issue is rolled back to square one in the name of political dialogue with uncertainty.”
It said that the Nagas now want real and durable peace in the land within a definite timeframe while adding that changes of Interlocutors would reverse the talk process back to ground zero.
“This is the reasons as to why the Naga Peace process is considerably delayed and drags on to 23 years now,” it contended.
It said that the incumbent Interlocutor, who is also the Governor of Nagaland, in his official capacity and experience “knows the positions much better than any other,” and has travelled the length and breadth of the region, met and interacted with several organizations/individuals, so as to bring peace in the region.
Expressing its support to the 14 Apex Naga Tribal Hohos of Nagaland (ANTHN), Lotha Hoho, (LH), Nagaland Gaon Buras Federation (NGBF), Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN), and the Sumi Kukami Hoho (SKH) in their endeavour for an early solution, the NTC viewed that the incumbent Interlocutor should not be replaced.
“The NTC urges upon the Government of India to respect the sentiments and listen to the cry of the people of the State represented by the stake holders,” it said.
