Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 28
The NPF today said the time has come for the Nagas to examine and identify the forces that keep the Nagas apart. The party also challenged the underground leaders to decide things in wisdom rather than be guided by “elements which are not friendly to the cherished goal” if they indeed are making sacrifices for the future of the Naga people.
“Once the goal is achieved, they (underground leaders) are the leaders who are to become rulers and decision-makers for Nagaland. It is the genuine desire of the people of Nagaland to see that day when the present underground leaders should come and occupy the chairs that be in power today”, NPF’s president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu said. He was delivering the presidential speech at the meeting of the central executive meeting of the NPF held in Kohima this afternoon.
“We are prepared to make sacrifices for them in as much as they are said to have been making sacrifices for the people”, he said. The NPF president reminded that the first interest of the Nagas is for a better future and that the second is for the underground leaders to put their thoughts into practice. Dr. Shurhozelie appealed to all the political parties to treat the Naga political problem as a common problem.
Referring to the assurances of the Congress made on the floor of the House during the recent budget session, he said the Congress legislators had spoken “very kind words in expressing their concern for solution of the Naga problem.” However, he lamented as unfortunate that several days later the Congress started criticizing the DAN Government alleging that under DAN the Naga political problem had become murkier than ever.
The NPF president appealed to the Congress legislators to prevail upon their party leaders ‘to understand what they expressed on the floor of the Assembly.’ He also reiterated the party’s stand to fully support the ongoing peace process and that in the event of a political solution, the party or the government would not stand in the way but pave way for any alternative arrangement to come in and stay – any day and any time. Further, he termed as a historic achievement the recognition of the unique history of the Naga political struggle by India. He said this was made possible by the concerted efforts of the civil society, the church and concerned Naga leaders.
