NPF president Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu said Nagas would welcome any agreement signed by both the seven NNPGs and NSCN (I-M) but was apprehensive that even the final settlement could contain some unresolved issues.
Speaking to Nagaland Post at his official residence here on Tuesday evening, the NPF president Nagas’ desire for a settlement carried a deep meaning, while pointing out the people’s wishes had been put forth by civil society groups, tribal hohos and other stakeholders, all of whom are emphasising on successful conclusion of the talks.
Referring to the statement of NPF Legislature Party leader TR Zeliang on inclusion of separate Naga flag and constitution, Liezietsu remarked that it was a frank expression made to governor RN Ravi, while also stating that the NSCN (I-M) stand on the two issues should not break up the entire peace process.
The struggle and efforts of so many years should not end over these two points and there should be “room for concession”, he stressed.
Therefore, he said the statement for inclusion of Naga flag and constitution should not be misconstrued.
The NPF president opined that if the parties could not come to an agreement over the two issues, then a middle way should be explored for further talks. However, if the negotiating parties were obstinate and no common meeting point was reached, then there could not be any agreement and the people did not want this, he added.
He said Zeliang and his colleagues were in New Delhi to meet all the groups, including Central leaders, to convey that Nagas wanted peace.
However, if there where issues that stood on the way of successful conclusion of the peace process, there was nothing wrong in meeting NSCN (I-M), NNPGs and the Central leaders.
Liezietsu informed this correspondent that though Zeliang had made an open appeal to chief minister Neiphiu Rio to call a Joint Legislature Forum (JLF) meeting, the latter failed to respond.
To queries on why the issues of separate flag and constitution came up when the talks were about to be concluded, he said NPF was not aware of this.
He clarified that it was not NSCN (I-M) or the seven NNPGs but Naga people who had wanted the three-month deadline not to be used as ultimatum. Therefore, he said Government of India (GoI) should extend the timeframe for concluding the negotiations and bring all the negotiators under one umbrella.
NPF reacts to report
DIMAPUR, OCT 30 (NPN): NPF Legislature Party (NPFLP) has clarified to a report on October 29- “opposition NPF divided”, by asserting that there was no difference of opinion within the legislature party with the NPF legislature party leader, T.R. Zeliang.
NPF Legislature Party spokesperson, Imkong Imchen said the members also endorse the stand of the NPF Party vis-à-vis the “Indo-Naga Peace process” and desire an early settlement of the Naga political issue.
NPFLP reiterated that the elected members, as facilitators, cannot issue ultimatum on the two negotiating parties and comment on what to and not to accept in the final agreement.
Imchen said any differences among negotiating parties should be hammered out among them so as to come to a logical conclusion for an inclusive and honourable solution which will bring about permanent peace.
He also clarified that the NPF delegation led by its leader T.R. Zeliang called on Nagaland Governor on October 5 to urge him to work out a formula for the current contentious issues of Flag and Constitution and did not reiterate demands of Integration and Sovereignty.
Imchen said there was no question of NPF, both from the organisational wing or the Legislature wing, in putting conditions for the final solution.
Imchen was reacting to the statement made by one NPF legislator, who disclosed that there were several party MLAs who were not on the same page with the NPF legislature party leader T.R. Zeliang and a few others, in insisting that the Naga flag and constitution should be included in any agreement for solution.
It may be however noted, that on October 5, the NPF legislature party after meeting the Governor issued a statement saying: “The Party extended its full cooperation in hammering out an early solution even as the Opposition Leader, Zeliang reiterated the stand of the NPF Party to include the Naga Flag and Constitution in the final agreement. No piece meal agreement should be accepted by GoI”.
He also wondered as to who was the NPF legislator who had stated that to media.
Imchen claimed that NPFLP had only reiterated the NPF’s Central Executive Council (CEC) resolution adopted on June 12, 2019 in respect of Naga symbolic issues.
The NPFLP spokesperson also hit out at the ruling NDPP led PDA government’s response to its “constructive criticism put across for the wellbeing of the Nagas.”
Imchen said T.R.Zeliang in a letter to the NLA Speaker on October 22, appealed to convene a meeting of the Joint Legislators Forum (JLF) on Naga Political Issue. However, Imchen expressed surprise that the PDA, went on to “play double standard politics on this issue” and called for a PDA coordination meeting on October 28.
He said the PDA instead endorsed the August 7, 2019 JLF resolution and by doing so they once again shied away from the core issues and portrayed to the world the weak kneed leadership.
Imchen pointed out that the PDA in its May 24, 2019 communique had said: “We appreciate the Government of India for recognizing the unique history of the Nagas and we appeal for a political solution that honours the legitimate political rights of the Naga people and ensures the Political Symbols for which the Naga movement has struggled”.
Since then, he said the NDPP or PDA remained silent on these contentious issues and rather managed to make contradictory statements to the above point, “which shows their hidden agenda and little concern for the Nagas in general.”
Imchen said the NDPP led PDA was only worried about their position in a post-solution scenario, “which is typical of the leadership of NDPP which is always for self-aggrandizement at the expense of the common Naga people.”
“This is manifest by the reiteration of what the Union Home Minister had said when they sought clarification on the status of the elected members,” he said.
Rather than having concern for the “Indo-Naga political issue” which was staring at a deadlock, Imchen alleged that the chief minister was only worried about the chair and the power that comes along with it. “So drunk in power that the ruling bench care little of the future of the Nagas and are completely blind to the pertinent issues at hand,” Imchen said.