Dimapur Dec 23 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) in its memorandum to the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh in Delhi on December 15 has reaffirmed its stand for the conviction that any honorable solution to the Naga Peace Process must begin with the unification of the Naga areas first.
The UNC in a memorandum to the PM which was submitted on December 15 by a delegation of UNC which included Manipur-based tribal Naga Hohos and the All Naga Students’ association Manipur (ANSAM), stated that the Naga people derived the affirmation from the premise of the unique history and situation of the Nagas and for this matter, any solution which excluded Naga unification would not be meaningful, honorable or lasting. The Council also expressed concern that even after eight long years of ‘patient expectation’ no solution appeared to have emerged till date. “Eight years, we strongly feel, is more than adequate time to hammer out a solution howsoever complex the issue might be” the UNC in its memorandum stated.
Further maintaining that it was not forthcoming of what it said was disappointment of the collective leadership with the progress of the peace process and the statement that they (the NSCN-IM) would walk away from the negotiations, the UNC urged the Prime Minister to expedite the ongoing peace talks. “We urge upon you to kindly expedite the ongoing peace talks that appears to have stalled and erase the feeling in the hearts of the Naga people that the Government of India had not been sincere in their efforts to bring final solution to the Naga people” the memorandum stated.
Reminding the PMO of the several initiatives of non-cooperation taken by Nagas to put pressure upon the Government of Manipur and the Meities, “whose dictates and uncompromising attitude towards the Rights of the Nagas have dominated response of Manipur Government ”, the UNC made it clear that unification should be given priority over solution.
The Council impressed upon the PM’s office the ‘ardent desire and wishes’ of the Naga people of Manipur for the unification of Naga areas under one administrative roof. For this matter, it asked the Government of India to demonstrate its political will to resolve the Indo-Naga issue by carrying forward the peace process to an acceptable and settlement at the earliest.
