Kohima, August 22 (MExN): The Central Executive Council (CEC) meeting of the Rio-led Naga People’s Front (NPF) today welcomed the good progress and achievements made thus far in the Indo-Naga peace process. The NPF is content that the political dialogue has reached the final stage, it stated.
While appreciating that the negotiating parties understand the difficulties and limitations of both the entities, the NPF urged the negotiating parties to expedite the peace process with more zeal in order to bring about an amicable and honorable solution respecting the unique Naga history at the earliest, stated a resolution of the meeting which was released to the media by NPF Press and Information Cell.
The meeting held at temporary office of the party at Bayavü Hill, Kohima further maintained that for too long, the presidential decisions and actions of Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu was engulfed within the perimeter of four “deleterious” tenets – autocratic, dictatorial, undemocratic and unconstitutional. “While suspensions and expulsions of the party legislators became the order of the day, Dr. Shürhozelie abusively converted the NPF Party into a family fiefdom,” it alleged. Therefore, to save the party from further destructions, the more than 2/3rd absolute majority of NPF Legislature Party selected Neiphiu Rio as the interim president and consequently a “grace period” of 15 days was served to Dr. Shürhozelie to resign as the president, the resolution said.
With the expiry of the 15-day deadline to Dr. Shürhozelie on August 13, the NPF CEC unanimously agreed that Neiphiu Rio will no longer be the interim president but will become the full fledged president of NPF.
That CEC also fully endorsed the decision of the president to convene the NPF General Convention on September 20 in Dimapur and extended its support to the constitution of Search Committee for the selection of President and Central Office Bearers (COB).
“While the ongoing leadership dispute and the crisis in the party is unfortunate, the NPF CEC sincerely appeals the general public not to panic but to remain steadfast with the leadership of Neiphiu Rio, President NPF and TR Zeliang, Chief Minister as to ensure peace and tranquility,” it added. Meanwhile, the CEC expressed confidence that the leadership dispute will be settled soon by the ECI.
At the same time, the CEC extended its support to the leadership of Neiphiu Rio and TR Zeliang and further appealed to the party men and women to come and join the majority group and support the NPF led DAN government.
