Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Feb. 3 (EMN): The government of India’s interlocutor to the Naga peace talks RN Ravi has on Sat. appealed to the Naga people to maintain peace and harmony in the state.
In a letter to the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organizations (CCNTHCO), Ravi stated to be being aware about the prevailing situation in Nagaland over the forthcoming state assembly elections.
“I am sensitive and respectful to the Nagas popular sentiment for an early solution. The negotiating parties are trying their best and have made significant progress in the last three years. I would like to assure the Naga people that the ongoing Peace Process has not and shall not be affected by this election,” the interlocutor stated in the letter.
Terming the present times as a ‘crucial juncture,’ Ravi urged the people to maintain peace and harmony.
CCNTHCO throws ball into people’s court
The CCNTHCO, which held a meeting with various tribe organizations at Hotel Japfü in Kohima on Sat., has made a general appeal to all the political parties in the state and candidates to respect the aspiration of the Naga people. The committee also announced the house’s decision that it will not, in the interest of the people, use force to go into the way of any individual’s conscious decision to exercise one’s choice whether or not to engage in the election process.
“We will only appeal them to respect the popular wish of the people. We will continue to pursue with this and we hope good sense will prevail, and there will not be any untoward incident because of this popular demand of the people,” said Theja Therie, convener of the CCNTHCO.
Therie said that the NLA was a house of the people and their elected members who have mandate. When the organisation resolved to press for deferment of elections in the interest of an early political solution, all the political parties who are in the house took the decision together. He reminded that the committee, comprising tribe hohos and civil society organisations, took the initiative to spearhead the call of “solution before election” after the NLA passed a resolution on it on Dec. 15 previously.
The committee is appalled as to how a part of the present house could go against their own resolution. “How can a government or a ruling political party go back from the resolution without reviewing the resolution in the house? All the organizations came forward because we felt that the political decision taken in the assembly is in the interest of the people. And when the people came out in support of their resolution, how can they go back?” Therie questioned.
“The CCNTHCO would like to place on record that it was the BJP which violated the letter & spirit of the 29 January Declaration, creating not only chaos and confusion in the State but putting in serious jeopardy the ongoing talks between the GoI and the negotiation groups. It is for the Naga people to judge who cast the first stone against Naga aspirations despite the outward expression of sympathy for Naga solution,” a press release issued by the CCNTHCO later in the evening stated.
Therie maintained that it was ‘very unfortunate’ that the BJP had taken their own stand after giving their declaration, then suspending their authorised representative and later announcing to contest in the election. “It is their choice but this consensus that has arrived between the political parties is very unfortunate and they will be remembered in history for what they have done,” he stated.
“What is election, if we forego one, to give something good to our people, for which we have been struggling for the last 70-80 years? We are not election or we are not against the constitutional process. Election will come sooner or later, we are only asking for deferment,” Therie said.
Therie said that the decision now lies with the people, and not with the government of India or the ECI, as the election process will go on, 'But it is up to us whether to opt out or to participate. So our appeal continues with the political parties to respect and to maintain the commitment which they made,' he added. He went on to emphasize that the declaration which the political parties made was not to the CCNTHCO but to the people in general, which include themselves.
Meanwhile, the committee also expressed the understanding that if the interlocutor or the negotiating parties can give a timeframe, the elections can be deferred without any difficulty. However, it opined that in the absence of a timeframe, it was difficult for the government of India to forgo the election.
Acknowledging the interlocutor’s letter to the committee, Therie had said even though it was just an appeal, the CCNTHCO considered it to be ‘very valuable’ as Ravi is the key person who will negotiate till the negotiations come to a logical conclusion. The committee was hopeful that he would stand by his commitment that the Naga people have something that is acceptable, honourable and the people will have the right to determine their own future.
“We believe that with this kind of commitment, definitely the negotiation will not go indefinitely. But at the moment the choice is with the political parties and the individual candidates. We hope that they will make a wise decision,” Therie said.
Pointing out that the CCNTHCO was like a house with the tribal bodies being the pillars, he asserted if they (tribe bodies) withdrew from the committee, the committee would collapse but if they stood together then the committee can stand firm.
The onus lies with the tribe organisations, he stated, and added this was one of the main issues that was discussed at the meeting on Sat. According to the committee, almost 80% of the tribal hohos attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, the CCNTHCO “representing concerned citizens desirous for peace in the land,” has appealed to all the Naga churches to pray for an early Naga political solution on Sunday, Feb. 4.
