A delegation of leaders from Naga Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), who had gone to New Delhi and met Central leaders on September 1, 2016, said the Government of India has now agreed that the integration of Naga areas was a “legitimate right” of the Nagas.
In a joint press statement, Naga Hoho (NH) general secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu, Naga Students Federation (NSF) president Subenthung Kithan, Naga Mother’s Association (NMA) president Abei-U Meru and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) secretary general Neingulo Krome said that for the Government of India, the Naga issue now stood as the “top priority” although India was faced with many other such problems. The signatories said the Government of India was committed to settling the Naga problem at the earliest possible time.
The delegation met the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, who was deputed by the Prime Minister of India, to meet the Naga CSO Delegation on behalf of the Government of India on September 1, 2016. Prior to that, the delegation also met R.N.Ravi, the Interlocutor of the Government of India and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, KirenRijiju.
In all those meetings, the signatories said the above-mentioned dignitaries have in principle agreed that AFSPA has not been the best alternative to solving problems and that the Government of India will soon be holding its periodical review meeting, during which the demands of the Naga Civil Society Organization delegation for withdrawal of AFSPA will be discussed for consideration.
The delegation besides asking for the withdrawal of the Disturb Area Act (DDA) and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act also sought for early resolution of the Naga Political problem.
The delegation also called on the NSCN (I-M) Ato Kilonser, Th. Muivah, who was accompanied by many of his senior colleagues. The delegation apprised them of the discussion they had with the Government of India and also sought some updates and status of the political negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Naga CSOs have informed the Naga public that “our many differences have multiplied over the years, and which has all the potentials of going from bad to worse if the present trends of contradictions continues unchecked.”
Therefore, the Naga CSOs said the only way for the Nagas to be able to determine for “ourselves how to live our own way of life and also for the sake of future generations, and where draconian laws such as the AFSPA and others that are alien to our ways of life will become irrelevant,” was to secure an acceptable and amicable political settlement with the Government of India.