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Morung Express News
Chümoukedima | June 11
The Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) may have split into two but the now parted former comrades are supposedly in agreement when it comes to resolving the Indo-Naga political issue.
The Government of India’s (GoI) representative to the political talks, AK Mishra met separately with representatives of the two WC, NNPGs at the Nagaland Police Complex, Chümoukedima, on June 11, in what was believed to be a routine meeting.
While Mishra preferred to remain elusive as ever, the two sides of the WC, NNPGs said they are all for one solution.
“Regardless of the undesirable split in the Working Committee, the consolation is that we all are for a solution. Let the NNPG affair remain as an NNPG affair and it will not impact the solution that is being pursued…” said Col (retired) Isak Sumi, Co-convenor of the (WC, NNPGs), headed by General (retired) MB Neokpao Konyak, at a press conference after the meeting with Mishra. According to him, both sides converge as far as arriving at a solution is concerned.
In the press conference were Sumi’s Co-convenor, P Tikhak, Ato Kilonser of the NSCN (Reformation); Wangtin Naga, President of the NSCN (Reformation); and C Singson, Member of the Collective Leadership, GPRN/NSCN (Neokpao-Alezo).
The NSCN (Reformation) President, Wangtin Naga held that to the people, there is only one WC, NNPGs and there will be only one agreement. He added that the Agreed Position “neither belongs to Neokpao, nor to Kitovi. There will be no two agreements.”
C Singson termed the split as a creation of “our own people” and the anticipated solution delayed as a result of “our differences.” According to him, the GoI alone cannot be blamed. While stating that the proverbial ‘ball’ is in the court of the Naga leaders, he said, “All Nagas must come together if we are really serious for a solution.”
P Tikhak maintained that they are not claiming ownership over the Agreed Position. “We have come here as Naga leaders to discuss on the Naga political issue and for the Naga solution,” he said.
He further said that it is not about pitting the Agreed Position against the Framework Agreement. He said, “We don’t want to place Agreed Position above the Framework Agreement; neither do we want to place the Framework Agreement above the Agreed Position. It is a Naga political issue, and we are all for an early resolution, that's what we said.”
Meanwhile, Isak Sumi said that the Nagas have every right to question the credibility of the various Naga Political Groups also as well as its leaders. While apologising to the Naga people “for all the wrongs that have been done,” he reiterated that the basic issue is arriving at a solution at the earliest.
However, he termed the Naga issue as a very complicated story involving overlapping interests, not only of the various multiple groups but also of other states, and the Government of India.
For forging a truly comprehensive solution, he said that “meticulous, in-depth consultations” are on among the Naga Political Groups, civil society organisations and all other stakeholders.
