Dimapur, October 21 : The CMO Nagaland has reacted to Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh’s statement in response to Chief Minister TR Zeliang’s speech at a function in Senapati district of Manipur on October 19. The Manipur Chief Minister’s statement was carried in local dailies on Friday.
The CMO, in a release, on Friday clarified that Zeliang had spoken about the need for the Nagas of Manipur to be united to protect their birth right over their land, customs, culture and tradition. At no point he mentioned about territorial integration or disintegration which Ibobi seems to have assumed the Nagaland Chief Minister had made, the CMO said.
It said Zeliang had expressed his opinion that the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 seems to be a Preamble, and not the final agreement, which is indicative of the intention of both the negotiating parties to settle the issue amicably without use of force or violence. “Mr Zeliang had also specifically stated that he believed the final agreement would be finalised after having wide-ranging consultations with the stake-holders,” the CMO said.
“However, Mr Ibobi seems to have more than jumped the gun and had gone ahead to perceive apparitions where there were none! He had shown once again how he has retained power all these years — he had already segregated the communities of Manipur, injected the politically-major Valley voters with venom, and on the eve of every election, unfailingly raise the issue of integrity of his State just to gain political mileage. Unfortunately, he had already emotionally disintegrated the State into pieces,” the CMO said.
According to the CMO, it does not take an Einstein to realise that Ibobi has made a habit of making wild speculations against the tribals of Manipur, especially Nagas, to ensure that the people of the Valley, comprising various communities and ethnic groups, are kept on tenterhooks before the elections and come together to vote for him.
“It would appear that his only political agenda for the people is to go against the Nagas and tribals just to fetch the votes of the varied communities of the Valley and hang on to power,” it added.
Stating that it defies logic as to why Ibobi is so vehement against Zeliang’s visit to Manipur, the CMO sought to know if Zeliang ever mentioned anything at any point of time about disintegration of the territory of Manipur.
Zeliang merely asked the Southern Nagas to stand united and fight for their birth right over traditional hokdings of land and customary systems, it clarified. “Is that anything which can be construed as Anti-Manipur?” it asked.
The CMO maintained that it should rather be construed as a positive suggestion to ensure justice in the land. “And it is much better than taking the lives of scores of tribals protesting against Bills which were infamously dubbed “anti-tribal Bills” by none other than the communities of his own State!” it stated
The CMO further said it is also beyond comprehension as to why Ibobi is so opposed to peaceful overtures by various political groups to stop armed conflict and negotiate for peaceful solution. “One would have thought that political leaders in the region would welcome ceasefires agreements between the GOI and any armed group in this part of the country, just as Ceasefire agreements with groups of ULFA and Bodos were welcomed by all in the past,” it stated. Any kind of cease fire with any armed group for a peaceful solution should be welcomed by every sensible person for peaceful co-existence in the region, the CMO stated.
It added that with the prevailing militants groups existing in the North East, no State in the region can progress as expected and desired.
Moreover, when the Centre has repeatedly stated that all stake-holders would be consulted before working out the final agreement while solving the Naga political issue, Ibobi should not assume that Nagaland Chief Minister would dictate the terms of the final agreement, the CMO said adding that it would be through mutual understanding to ensure lasting peace and harmony in the region.
It further said the Chief Minister of Nagaland is of the firm belief that good, neighbourly and cordial relations should, by all means, be maintained between different communities and States in the region for mutual growth and benefit.
