Our Reporter
Dimapur, Oct. 31 (EMN): Reiterating that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government was formed to facilitate an early solution, UDA Chairman, T R Zeliang on Monday said Nagas must understand the role played by the elected members towards solving the Naga political issue as some people are apprehensive and doubt the intentions of the 60 elected members of the 13th house.
Zeliang said they do not claim credit or expect any personal gain for their contribution towards the Naga political issue, stating that if at present, inking of Peace Accord is executed when Neiphiu Rio is the chief minister of the state, it is not Rio who alone will be benefitted but the entire Nagas.
Therefore, demanding for proclamation of President’s Rule in Nagaland and urging MLAs to resign for early solution is illogical at this crucial juncture, he said.
Addressing a press conference at Sky Garden, 7th Mile in Chümoukedima, Zeliang stated that in 2015, it observed the positive impact of an “opposition-less government” and the weightage they had when they were all together and spoke in unison; and today they had come together in order to see that a lasting Peace Accord is signed before 2023 election.
Zeliang added that a positive development had taken place within the Naga political groups, when the September 14 Joint Accordant was signed between the WC-NNPGs and NSCN (IM) facilitated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
Stating that the FNR has done a commendable job and deserve appreciation from all sections, he also observed that the two groups have also ceased ‘paper war’ criticising each other, ‘which is a big leap towards a better future’.
Even when differences cropped up between the NSCN (IM) and interlocutor AK Mishra, the elected members led by Chief Minister Rio deliberated on the ways to solve this hiccup, he said. Now that the talks have once again resumed, he expressed hope that it will find a ‘landing ground’ with mutual understanding between the negotiating parties.
The talks between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) are positively progressing, he said, adding that they are expecting a solution sooner than later.
“So let’s hope that the Govt. of India will bring out the Common Draft so that before inking the Accord, it can be brought to the Naga leaders and all concerned to also see and acknowledge if it is acceptable to us,” he said.
Maintaining that the core committee was informed that some competency points were transitional towards final settlement, he said with such formulation in process, they can keep moving forward to reach the final agreement as stated by the prime minister.
He opined that this is the finest opportunity for both the parties to finally resolve the long protracted Naga political issue. If this opportunity is missed, he expressed doubt as to whether they will be able to maintain this momentum again in the coming years and also for any Indian leader to revisit this chapter with such vigor and concern to solve the issue.
During the press conference, Zeliang also refuted the allegations made by Senior Citizens' Association of Nagaland (SCAN) on Ntangki National Park, and its claim that he had ‘openly stated to give 100 acres to the NSCN (IM) for rehabilitation’.
He said during 2019 and 2020m when there were news doing rounds that Ntangki National Park would be used for rehabilitation of the NSCN (IM) cadres post solution, out of concern for the national property, he raised this question in a consultative meeting with the Collective leadership of NSCN (IM). They replied that there was no mention of Ntangki National Park in the negotiation and that such a proposal was never put up to the Govt. of India, he said.
A similar reply was also given by the Interlocutor, AK Mishra, he said, adding that even if such a demand is put forward, the government of India will never agree to it.
Zeliang stated that in the event of post solution, if such requirement of land comes up for establishment of Pan Naga Headquarters and there are no offer from other districts, they can establish Naga Hq in and around Asalu region in Assam which was the first Naga Hq located in the tri-junction of three states (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland), and in consultation with the landowners and Zeliangrong tribal leaders.
“This statement by them is done with malafide intention to tarnish my image for political reasons. Also how can anyone believe that TR Zeliang will part 100 acres of land for any groups in Ntangki National Park or elsewhere? This is just a ridiculous assumption to misguide and misinform the common people,” he said.
During the press conference, Zeliang also recollected some of the past events with regard to the role of the elected members and their sincerity towards facilitating the Naga political solution. He said there were two significant events which brought about new impetus to the Naga political issue -- the announcements made by two former Prime Ministers of India, PV Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Prior to 1993, the Naga issue was treated as ‘insurgency’ and ‘law and order problem’ but it was PV Narasimha Rao who came and declared in Dimapur on February 5, 1993, that Naga issue is a political issue.
This was followed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to Kohima in 2003 in October, who stated that the Naga political issue is ‘unique’ and that the talks would be based on the unique history of the Nagas.
Furthermore, he said that the Ceasefire Agreement between NSCN (IM) and Government of India was signed on July 25, 1997 when Nagaland was under the Congress rule with SC Jamir as the chief minister, which led to the start of peace talks between the NSCN (IM) and the govt. of India.
However, no concrete steps could be taken in the years following the signing of the ceasefire agreement. Also, there was no active role played by the elected members at this point of time but with the change of guard in 2003, Neiphiu Rio became the chief minister of the state, and a Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) on Naga political issue was formed with the then Speaker Kiyanielie as the Convenor in 2004.
Several attempts were made through this forum to facilitate the peace process and to come to a logical conclusion. In the month of August 2012, the JLF comprising all the 60 members, met the then PM of India, Manmohan Singh, the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Chairperson UPA, Sonia Gandhi and various other central leaders in Delhi and apprised them for early solution to Naga political problem. Unfortunately, the then UPA government could not make much headway and thus failed to secure any tangible outcome despite genuine attempts made by the elected members of the NLA as facilitators, he stated.
In 2014, when Zeliang was the chief minister of Nagaland with an all-party government and the NDA coalition came to power in the Centre, they carried forward the Legislators Forum (LF) on naga political issue and invited the Prime Minister Modi to visit Nagaland and interact with the stakeholders and also to be part of the Hornbill festival.
On November 30, 2014, during PM Modi’s overnight stay at Police Guest House Chümoukedima, all the apex tribal leaders, civil society organisations and student leaders met and deliberated on the Naga political issue and impressed upon the PM the seriousness and aspiration of the Nagas for an early solution.
A delegation comprising 18 elected members of NLA under the aegis of Legislators’ Forum (LF), met the Prime Minister on July 16, 2015 followed by meeting with the Union Home Minister and MoS (Home) on July 17, and in this meeting the Prime Minister had boldly stated that if Nagas were ready to accept 80% of their demands and keep the door open for the remaining 20% to be taken up post solution, he is prepared to sign the peace accord any time. Modi also said that if they want 100% at a time, it may take even 100 years.
Thereafter, within 18 days, with his political will power the Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 between the NSCN (IM) and Centre; the PM also acknowledged the role played by the elected members and civil societies on the issue of Indo-Naga peace process, he stated.
As committed by all elected members for ‘inclusive solution’, Zeliang met the then Interlocutor RN Ravi in his office chamber in Delhi and apprised him of the concern shared by the then six WC-NNPG (now seven) and requested him to invite WC-NNPG for official talks.
Zeliang met Muivah and the Collective Leadership and requested them not to stand in the way if RN Ravi invites the WC-NNPG for talks. Initially, the proposal was met with stiff opposition but the Collective Leadership obliged on the condition that the talks should be within the parameters of Framework Agreement.
This condition was committed to Muivah by RN Ravi and that was the starting point of all the Naga groups being invited and parallel talks started across the table and subsequently, the Agreed Position was signed on November 17, 2017 between Govt. of India and WC-NNPG.
However at this point of time, the NSCN(K), which was basically stationed in Myanmar, abrogated the ceasefire agreement as such he had also personally written twice to SS Khaplang, during 2017 and early 2018, urging them to come back, sign the ceasefire agreement and join the negotiation. However Khaplang wrote back and said that he acknowledged the good gesture of the CM but his group could not come back to sign the ceasefire agreement since the government of India was not sincere in their approach to resolve the Indo-Naga issue.