Kohima, Dec 23 (PTI): The demand for a unified Naga political set up gaining momentum amidst hopes of an early settlement of the vexed Naga conflict and unearthing of major irregularities in appointments in public service commission and school education department were major high points in Nagaland during the year gone by.
The year 2005 began on an optimistic note when the Naga peace process got a major boost with the arrival of top NSCN (I-M) leaders in Delhi and holding of discussions with Indian leaders to find a mutually accepted solution to the protracted Naga political problem.
The NSCN (I-M) leaders were also engaged in consultative meetings with representatives of various Naga groups during their stay in Nagaland and declared no solution could be found without integrating Naga-inhabited areas of the region in a single administrative unit.
Following the declaration, various Naga NGOs and churches spearheaded the campaign for Naga integration and rallies were organized in Naga-inhabited areas across Nagaland and Manipur. Both ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) and opposition Congress expressed solidarity with the Naga integration rally organized by apex tribal council Naga Hoho at Kohima.
At the end of the year, the peace process appeared little uncertain when NSCN (I-M) threatened to back out from peace process if the conflict is not resolved within the current spell of the cease-fire which expires in January. But representatives of Government of India and the underground outfit held negotiations in Bangkok and decided to hold another round of talks next month.
