A meeting convened by Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) at New Delhi on Friday expressed concern over lack of any significant progress in the Naga peace process since the signing of the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015.
In a resolution adopted in this regard, it also noted that there had been attempts to retract from the intended spirit of the peace process when attempts were made to dictate the peace process from the prism of law-and-order concern rather than as a process for resolution of Naga political issue.
Further, the meeting cautioned that this stagnation and reversal of peace process was detrimental to peace in Naga areas. And given the geo-strategic significance of the North-eastern region, the house felt that mishandling the peace process was unwarranted.
It urged the Prime Minister to personally ensure that the peace talks were successfully concluded as per the provisions of the Framework Agreement, stressing that it was appropriate that the peace process initiated by the highest political leadership of the negotiating party must be concluded accordingly at the prime ministerial level.
The meeting was organised to discuss the current state of Indo-Naga peace process in continuation of “Save the Peace” initiative and to commemorate 75th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, where individuals and organisations from Maharashtra, Madya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur and Nagaland participated.
The participants also included Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste, parliamentarians and ex-parliamentarians, legislators, lawyers, academics, human rights defenders and activists, political party representatives, media persons, women leaders, community leaders, students, etc.
Addressing the gathering, Kulaste said while he was not conversant with the details of the peace process, yet as a human being and a tribal he understood the value of peace and dignity. He invited the organisers to meet him along with documents so that he could convey their concern to the government.
Ex-parliamentarians DP Roy and Kirip Chaliha also attended the meeting and suggested that the Nagas should meet members of Parliament, especially belonging to the opposition, to make them aware of the current status of the peace process.
Representatives of several political parties, civil society groups, human rights bodies and leadership of tribal organisations from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat expressed solidarity with the cause of peace being advocated by NPMHR.
Speakers from Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh opined that the Framework Agreement had the potential to lay the foundation of lasting peace in Nagaland.
The meeting concluded the adoption of a resolution and vote of thanks. This was stated in a press release by NPMHR.
NPMHR meet express concern overlack of progress in Naga peace process
