Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 7
The Central Executive Council (CEC) of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) today urged the PDA government to put on hold the Registration of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) exercise till a consensus is drawn from all stakeholders.
“The Government must seriously focus on implementation of ILP rather than inviting more problems in our society by mis-adventuring on RIIN,” said a resolution adopted at the meeting of the CEC held here today at NPF Central Office.
The CEC supported the decision of the NPF Legislature Wing in abstaining from the consultative meeting on RIIN convened by the government on July 17.
It further expressed concern at the callous attitude of the government in handling a sensitive issue like RIIN. It asked the government to maintain status quo as “propounding a new theory at this juncture would only bring more divisions amongst the Nagas as well as the various indigenous communities settled in the present state of Nagaland.”
The CEC further reiterated the NPF’s commitment to “work for unity and integrity of the people by integrating all contiguous Naga ancestral areas under one administrative roof and also to provide protection to all the ethnic groups who are indigenous inhabitants of all Naga ancestral areas.”
The CEC also expressed concern at the Government of India’s handling of the Jammu & Kashmir issue and said it was anguished to see that political leaders are under house arrest. This amounts to curtailing fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India, it stated.
Meanwhile, welcoming RN Ravi as the new Governor of Nagaland, the CEC hoped that his appointment will strengthen the ongoing peace process vis-a-vis political talk.
Calling upon all parties to expedite the political talks, the NPF urged all other groups who are yet to join the peace process to reconsider their decision.
Further, the CEC empowered the party President to constitute a Central Election Board for the election to the Central Office Bearers (COB) including Frontal Wings. It also endorsed the president to decide the venue and date of the General Convention.
‘Will continue to press for early solution’
Naga People’s Front (NPF) President, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu in a press conference stated that the NPF “will continue to press for an early honourable settlement to the protracted Naga political problem.
Stating that the NPF party was handed down “to us” by leaders with a purpose, he said “that purpose remains an obligation to us at all time and that purpose is to see that the Indo-Naga problem is solved amicably.”
Regarding the recent scrapping of special status from Jammu and Kashmir, the NPF President stated that the less we talk about the present development in the country the better for us.
“Some Naga leaders who are in power assured the Nagas that nothing would happen because they were there to protect the Nagas. I would say that this not the right time to express any imaginary fear or to assure a situation about the future. Nobody knows about the future and it is not possible to assess the matter at this juncture. Why not we remain wise and keep watch because it is not necessary that everybody should give comment on what is happening today and its impact that may follow,” he said.
Also addressing the meeting, NPF Legislature Wing leader TR Zeliang rubbished the PDA government’s commitment to implement the ILP to the whole of Nagaland state including Dimapur district, stating that instead of enforcing and working for implementation of ILP, the PDA Government is now diverting the public mindset with the Register of Indigenous Inhabitant of Nagaland (RIIN) issue.
Manipur PHED Minister, L Dikho asserted that the NPF is not just a political party and is very important for the Naga people.
He maintained that NPF Manipur State unit will strongly uphold the integrity and the principle of the party and assured to give its best for the next Manipur State Assembly election.
NPF Working President, Dr Huskha Yepthomi said that the party has encountered several hurdles, yet it has survived. He called upon the party workers to be confident and maintain unity among each other as the day will come for the party to shine again.
