Imkong L. Imchen, MLA while initiating the Discussion on Matters of Urgent Public Importance pertaining to the "Naga Political Issue" on the third day of 11th Session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly stated that the Naga Political Issue occupies the top most priority for discussion in the House on matters of urgent Public Importance. He said that the continuous delay in coming towards a negotiated settlement has resulted in frustration among the Naga people and that the people of Nagaland are slowly losing faith in the ongoing Naga Peace Process. Imchen said that it has now been 25 years since the Political Talks started and yet, there is no sign of progress coming out of the 25 year long Negotiations and therefore if the continuance of Election system in the State is making any negative hindrance in the on-going Political Negotiation, the Government of India may even invoke Article 356 of the Constitution of India after the completion of the present tenure in 2023 so as to eliminate any negative hindrance coming from the Elected Representatives. He concluded saying that he was not against Democracy or for that matter against Parliamentary Democracy but against the present prevailing Naga Society which is full of violence, intimidation, extortion, threats etc and therefore still reiterated that invoking of the Article 356 of the Constitution of India may be the rightful answer to the cries of the Naga people.
Advisor for Technical Education and Elections, Medo Yhokha said the Naga political movement is a genuine movement which the Naga people has been fighting without wavering for the last many decades. He said the stalemate on the issue of agreement should not prolong anymore without settlement since the younger generation of our society will go through another similar situation of what we have been facing today. Tribal or faction dominance over the issue should not be allowed to sabotage the peace process, Yhokha added.
Advisor, Science and Technology, IT and NRE, Mmhonlumo Kikon joining the discussion on matters of Urgent Public Importance pertaining to the Naga Political Issue, acknowledged the august House for initiating the discussion in a proper manner. Kikon pointed out that the Naga people are yearning for early Political Solution for so long, especially the youths with big dreams and expectations to move ahead.
He also pointed out that the Parliamentary Core Committee constituted by the house, irrespective of party affiliation, is to play as a stakeholder and people's representative and the elected members are working tirelessly as facilitators for early Political settlement which is transparent and honourable to the Naga people. Kikon called upon the members of the Legislative Assembly to be role models in bringing justice to the people, relating to any matter. He also urged the elected members to be realistic in assessing their works towards the common goal as a facilitator.
Advisor, Sericulture, Excise and Minority Affairs, Zhaleo Rio voiced disappointment that after much discussions, debates, consultations with Naga People Organizations and with the Assembly passing many resolutions urging the negotiating parties to come together to work for the good of the people and inspite of talks being concluded on 31st October 2019 things are still not clear. He stated that the 60 legislators as elected members represents the voice of the Nagas and has the mandate to speak and facilitate for a peaceful settlement. He also questioned that if the national workers are working for Nagas, what is stopping them from coming together.
Participating in the discussion pertaining to Naga Political Issue, MLA H. Chuba Chang said that our collective duty today is to carry out what needs to be done, rather than criticising the blunders made in the past. The Nagas are in the dark regarding their future, and so the desire today is to declare the solution to the Naga Political Issue. He questioned the prospects of the future generation, and the legacy that will be left behind, if the decision for a peaceful and amicable solution is not taken now, and called on the Naga People to come out and voice their desire unitedly.
Yitachu MLA said that State was suffering from justice deficiency and that this was the sole root cause for so many groups and factions and disunity among the people. He further said that in time our society will disintegrate because of lack of justice in our society and therefore time has come to restore justice to every corner of the state and to every individual citizen of the state. He said that the role of the Legislators as Facilitators cannot be undermined and to say that the Legislators have no role in the Naga Political talks is completely out of context. He further stressed on the point that the Naga Peace Process cannot go on for years and years but rather time has come to finally settle the issue for good and that now is the right time to take some definite steps towards that end and utilize the coming together of the 60 legislators as one as an opportunity to convince the Government of India to take up the issue seriously and come to an amicable settlement at the earliest.
Minister for Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, Imna Along, while speaking during the discussion on Matters of Urgent Public Importance pertaining to the "Naga Political Issue" said that the main issue was that if the Naga Political Talks have been completed then why is the settlement not coming. He said that today our people are afraid to speak the truth and that the civil societies are divided because of the need to please one or the other group in order to avoid confrontations. He stressed on the need to make compromises at the negotiating table and come to a common ground for the sake of the people and that the Government of India also being under the Constitution of India can never agree to anything that is beyond the purview of the Constitution. Imna Along also said that 60 elected members of the Assembly represent the aims and aspirations of all the people of Nagaland as a whole and that their role as facilitators is ever so important. Imna Along in conclusion said that the vexing Naga Political Issue should come to an understanding and culminate so that our people can live in peace and prosperity and witness good governance and also allow the people to grow together with the nations of the world.
Recalling the hardships that our society has endured, MLA, E.E. Pangteang stated since the Naga Peace Talk is in its final stage, it is for the NGOs, Civil Societies, political parties, negotiating parties to unite and take it forward, work on it, so as to arrive at a peaceful solution to the decades old peace talk.
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio pointed out that the Naga Political Issue is discussed in every session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly as it remains the top agenda of the State Government, and also because the representatives of the people need to express the feelings and desires of the people. He stated that 3 (three) resolutions on the Naga Political Issue have been passed in the August House during the Thirteenth Nagaland Legislative Assembly, and 17 (seventeen) resolutions on the Naga Political Issue have been passed in the August House since 1964.
Rio stated that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 was imposed in the State of Nagaland even before statehood, and besides the atrocities caused by the insurgency counter movement in the past, the recent unfortunate incident at Oting village in Mon district led to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly passing a resolution on repealing of AFSPA in Nagaland, but if solution is not arrived at, and insurgency activities continues, the future of the younger generation remains at stake.
The Framework Agreement between the Government of India and NSCN-IM was signed on 3rd August 2015, and the Agreed Position was signed between the Government of India and the NNPGs on 17th November 2017, and to reach an amicable solution acceptable to both sides, the talk was concluded on 31st October 2019. On March (5-7) 2009, a Naga Consultative Meet was held at Kohima, and in a first of its kind, this meet was participated by all sections of the society, and adopted six point resolutions, including six points recommendation. In 2009, a Joint Legislature Forum was organised to unite, to move and to resolve the objectives of this resolutions. In 2018, a Joint Legislators Forum was reconstituted and adopted the urging the Central Government to conclude the Naga Political Solution and to work out a solution which is inclusive.
Rio stated that because settlement could not be made, the 60 elected legislators had come together for early realization of a solution, and for that on 9th March 2022, a consultative meeting with all stakeholders was held. He lamented that our society have been too selfish, self-centred and there is trust deficit that is why there is no common platform, but said that church is one platform where the people can come together and called on the church leaders and civil societies to give a clarion call and make their voice loud and clear, and that settlement should be taken. Rio appealed to the negotiating parties to come together and make a settlement, and he declared that if settlement cannot come, then there should be fresh mandate by the people on how to pursue the Naga Political Issue. With the Government of India recognising it as a political issue and the Former Prime Minister, Vajpayee declaring it as unique, and that being the basis of negotiation, he stated that the elected members, Naga leaders, churches and even youth needs to be included. Neiphiu Rio reiterated for the Naga Political Issue to be pursued through non-violence.
(Nongozo, Mhonlumi, V. Khekiye, Nouneseno, Morotsung)
