DIMAPUR, OCT 26 (MExN): Following the one-day ‘perspective dialogue’ held on Wednesday in the backdrop of what it termed as the prevailing “precarious scenario of the Naga situation” and in an attempt to set things in order, the Naga Hoho has observed that the Indo-Naga peace process needs to be further strengthened.
“This can come about through a more comprehensive approach of progress dissemination and cohesive representation of various constituencies so that a concrete decision adopted also contributes towards facilitating a permanent solution through the mandate of our people”, stated Naga Hoho President I. Bendang Jamir and General Secretary Neingulo Krome in a press communiqué.
On reconciliation, the Naga Hoho admitted that there were difficulties in the healing process but appreciated and expressed support to the initiatives taken by the Nagaland Baptist Council of Churches (NBCC) in the process of building true peace.
“While fully aware of the difficulties the Nagas are put in today, the Naga Hoho expresses the need for an internal introspection and healing of acrimonious memories which war ravages upon in order to build a sustainable nation”, it stated.
“The Naga Hoho also takes into deepest consideration the dimension of social wounds and historical hurts accrued upon by treating a member(s) of the Naga family with most unbecoming threats. We strongly express our solidarity with all the Naga communities in expressing our fraternity with the affected members of the family”, it stated in an obvious reference to the ‘quit notice’ issued by the NSCN (K) to the Tangkhul community. The Naga Hoho appealed for better understanding amongst the Naga family through interactive dialogue and confidence building meetings periodically.
The Naga Hoho also called upon the Naga national leadership to “rationalize its self-alienating attitude by severing of relationship with any Naga civil society organizations” and reiterated its position that there was “no issue of lop-sided approach to our political future” and committed itself as a facilitating body for the enhancement of an early and honourable solution.
The Naga Hoho also expressed anguish and shame, with particular reference to the roles that the Naga IRB battalion has reportedly played in Chattisgarh.
“The Naga Hoho expresses its unqualified apologies to the affected people of Chhattisgarh and the Adivasis in particular, as we hang our heads in shame”, it stated while pointing out that these blatant violations of human rights on fellow struggling communities under any pretext or circumstances cannot be condoned in any way.
The Naga Hoho also viewed the deployment of Naga IRB in Chhattisgarh as amounting to ‘engaging one people against the other’ and termed this as a deliberate policy of the “powers that be” and alleging that it was aimed “to discredit the legitimacy of the on-going Political Negotiations in the face of the large majority of the Indian civil population”.
Mention may be made that the Naga Hoho organized a Dialogue on “A Perceptive dialogue on Naga state of affairs” at Kohima on the October 25. Participants drawn from various tribal organizations, mass-based social organizations and the Church and many concerned individuals freely shared their views on the current situation.
