EMN
Kohima, April 23
A member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has said that the Naga have become a people wearied by the unending Naga political issue and this impatience must be a foundation for the Naga underground groups to sincerely start seeking solution to solve the malady plaguing the community for more than half a century.
Member of the AICC, KV Pusa, said that the Naga people were now wearied by the protracted Naga political problem and asked Naga militant groups to come forward for dialogue with the union government to find a settlement.
Addressing the 71st annual conclave of the Viswema Youth Organisation in Kohima on Saturday, Pusa, a former minister and former Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee president, said that Naga people desire settlement of the Naga political problem. Therefore, he said, the militant groups must united unite and step forward for dialogue with the government.
‘Settlement should not continue to elude the people and that all-out effort should be made to find a settlement that would be acceptable to all sections of people. We must unite and find a solution to our political problem,’ the former minister said.
Also, Pusa said that the ‘coming together’ of all political parties in the state to form a ‘opposition-less government’ in government was to ‘facilitate the ongoing Naga peace process between the Union Government and the Naga militant groups.’ He asked the militants to unite and step forward for dialogue if they truly representing the people.
True people representatives listen to people
Pusa said any organisation that claims to represent the people would of course listen to the voice of the people. ‘Making rhetoric about solution to the Naga political issue without coming forward for dialogue would be simply misleading the people,’ he reminded.
Addressing the jam packed hall, the Congress leader said “defection and counter-defection” by undergrounds at this juncture would neither serve the purpose nor impress the Naga public. He asked underground leaders not to be oblivious with the very purpose of Naga nationalism. He said Naga nationalism started with one purpose but today there were many factions that are against the wishes of the people.
The AICC member said the Nagaland people, just as any people and culture would, also desire peace, development and progress. To achieving that, a settlement should come through concerted efforts, he said.
The AICC member has urged all sections of the people, especially the youth community, to unite and work for peace and progress of Nagaland.
Violence used only by vested interests
‘Peace and stability are preferred by vast majority of humankind in comparison to a few who want to spread violence, war and conflict. It is a common accepted understanding that violence and conflict are carried out by commanding vested interests whether they are local, regional, national or international,’ he said.
Further, Pusa said that the modern world was shrinking; it has become a highly-integrated and technologically augments, and precise. Passing through an environment of tension, violence, declining values, and injustices the world now places trust only in broad-mindedness and respect for Human Rights.
‘The gun culture has taken a prevailing position in most of the developing countries, intimidating the prospects of the youth who has a right to a peaceful and better life. There is a need to generate a culture of peace and conflict free environment,’ the Congress leader said.
The former Congress president said that a significant role in which the youth population can play in peace and conflict-resolution is for them to ‘be the change.’
‘There is an urgent need to relook the need for community leadership and taking opportunities offered to prioritize leadership development programs because being deficient in knowledge about basic decision-making encumbers progress and therefore results in conflicts,’ he added.
