Imchen calls for ‘more patience’ on Naga political issue

Our Correspondent
Khar (Mokokchung), March 14 (EMN): Opposition legislator Imkong Imchen has appealed to the Naga people to have ‘more patience’ on the issue of resolution to the complex Naga political issue.

The member of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (MLA) was addressing a community programme, the 9th Longjakrep Semchir Kichu Telongjem Mungdang, on Saturday at Khar village of Mokokchung, stated an update that was received here. 

Imchen appealed to the Naga underground leaders who are presently engaged in political negotiation with the government of India to come to a unified political platform and to work out a consolidated political agenda to the government of India instead of fighting among themselves and approaching the Indian government with ‘divergent stands and approach.’

He said the Constitution of India is one of the most resilient and flexible constitutions in the world today and has the capacity to accommodate various opinions and agendas.

“And at the same time, the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated his sincere commitment to bring about a logical conclusion to the Naga issue,” he said adding that consequent upon which he appointed R N Ravi as the Government of India Interlocutor to conduct the political talks.

Further, he said that the ‘framework agreement’ was agreed upon with the NSCN-IM leadership in 2015, and subsequently with the ‘Naga national political groups’ (NNPG) in 2017. However, the MLA lamented that till today there could not be a consolidated or unified political platform among the Nagas to bring about a common resolution.

The division and disunity among the Nagas will be a very costly affair, he cautioned. He added that various Naga social organisations and individuals are urging the negotiating groups for an early resolution of the complex Naga political issue.

The MLA also expressed regret that most of these organisations are intentionally or otherwise not mindful of a ‘consolidated political agenda to be presented to the government of India.’ He said Modi is ‘eagerly looking’ for a unified Naga agenda so as to conclude the talks logically.

“I believe and understand that the commitment of our prime minister still stands firm,” he asserted.

In this regard Imkong L Imchen pointedly emphasised that RN Ravi, who is also the governor of Nagaland, should not view the Naga issue as a law and order issue because the Naga issue was not and is not a law and order issue but a definite and distinctive political issue requiring a political resolution.

Further, he said there are 60 elected people’s representatives (MLAs) in the state who also constitute a political forum called the Joint Legislatures Forum (JLF) to ‘facilitate unity’ among the Naga underground groups.

Imchen admitted the JLF had not yet officially deliberated upon the “agreed position entered between the seven NNPGs and the interlocutor RN Ravi” which was entered on October 17 2019. The JLF is rather looking for unity among the different Naga underground factions, he said.

He said demanding for an early solution is appreciable. ‘However, if the so-called early resolution does not bring about any greater status for the Naga people we should be rather surrendering our rights and opportunities thereby our posterity will blame us.’

In this connection, he cautioned to the Naga people that ‘we cannot afford to oversight the opportunities offered by the incumbent Prime Minister Modi, but should rather take advantage on his commitment for a greater political status and opportunities so that history will also do justice to us.’    

Various other speakers from different villages also gave presentations about the lineage of the community’s generations.