GBs meet Zeliang to highlight political solution, Rongmei issue

Dimapur, August 21 (EMN): A three-member delegation of the Nagaland GB Federation on Monday called on Chief Minister TR Zeliang to raise a number of issues, including taking into confidence all stakeholders in resolving the Naga political issue.
The chief minister’s office issued a press release on Monday informing that the GBs raised, among others, the issue of recognition to the Rongmei tribe.
The delegation submitted copies of memoranda addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the centre’s interlocutor for the Naga peace talks RN Ravi. The representations appealed to the government of India to take on board all the stakeholders for the ‘final solution,’ the press release stated.
The NGBF’s General Secretary Shikuto Zalipu informed the chief minister that a 15-member delegation of GBs also met with RN Ravi, Th.Muivah and Khole separately at Delhi to urge them “for inclusiveness of all stakeholders.”
On the issue of recognition to the Rongmei tribe, Zalipu informed the chief minister that “they held talks with Nagaland Tribes Council on the issue earlier during which the council clarified that they were not opposed to recognition of those 1313 and their ancestors who settled in Nagaland before statehood in 1963.”
In this connection, the GBs urged the chief minister to “implement the cabinet order so that children of those early Rongmei settlers do not suffer.”
Further, the GBs raised the issue of construction of their office at the ‘Old DC’s office’ that was stated to have been pending at the secretariat ‘for long.’
The delegation also requested the chief minister to “issue a vehicle” for the federation.
“The chief minister has assured the delegation to look into the matter at the earliest and urged them to play a constructive role to voice fearlessly for the unity of all Nagas. He expressed the hope that centre would work out a formula for inclusiveness and that all stakeholders would be taken into account before signing of final frame-work agreement,” the press release added.