Naga women team bats for integration

DIMAPUR, Oct 6 : A Naga women team christened “Naga Women Peace Delegation” met leaders and officials in New Delhi and here on the Naga political issue, reports NNN. The team held discussions with the Government of India officials and Naga leaders and stressed on integration of contiguous Naga traditional homeland.
“Recognizing women as ‘creators of peace’, the Global Naga Forum (GNF) in its peace initiative, sponsored a seven member peace delegation of Naga women from different Naga areas to reach out to the Government of India in Delhi on the Naga peace process,” said a statement on Tuesday issued by the Naga Women Peace Delegation.
The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) leaders met both the top leaders of the NSCN (IM) and the NNPGs at Dimapur and listened to both groups and shared women’s concerns for an inclusive and early peaceful settlement.
The seven women peace delegates from the GNF --Abeiu Meru, president, Naga Mothers Association (NMA), Asha Wungnam, president, Naga Women Union in Manipur (NWU-M), Yutan Sanya represen- tative from Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, Miriam Rengma, former president Rengma Students Union Guwahati, representative from the Rengma Hills, Assam, Dr Neikesanuo Sorhie, former Convenor, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Ningreichon Tungshang, former Convenor, NPMHR , Delhi and Prof Rosemary Dzuvichu, Advisor, Naga Mothers’ Association who led the “Naga Women Peace Delegation”.
“The Naga Women Peace Delegation called on the Ato Kilonser Th Muivah and top leaders of the negotiating party and collective leadership in Delhi, to convey the concerns of Naga mothers and women and to bring an early and inclusive settlement to being peace to all Naga areas,” it said. The call for an early settlement and a yearning for inclusive peace in all Naga areas were shared by women from different regions, the team added.
According to the statement, the women peace delegation attended meetings held with top officials of the Government of India at Hotel Ashoka, and later with the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the Deputy National Security Advisor (Deputy NSA) Padsalgikar and discussed the long drawn out peace process and the need for an early inclusive settlement. The memorandum to the Prime Minister of India was submitted at the PMO Secretariat to the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. In the high level meetings, the core issues for a meaningful and peaceful relationship between India and the Nagas was discussed as mentioned,in the memorandum.
The press note then stressed on integration of contiguous Naga traditional homeland and respect for the rights and history of the Nagas be it in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal, Assam and Myanmar, which have been arbitrarily divided. “Respect and recognition of the Naga flag, which is a part of our identity and long history of struggle,” it asserted. It was conveyed that Indian history is replete with examples of flags being used by different States and therefore the demand for recognition of the Naga flag must be respected and ensured for peace, it further said. The press note also said a Naga Constitution which will be a living document that reflects our values and philosophy and protects our customs and traditions, our land and resources from any form of exploitations. The legal contentions on the Art 371 A vis-a-vis the oil and natural gas issues, of State and Central Govt, which has shown that further protection of our rights, land and resources is needed, the press note stated. “Concerns on man- made borders and boundaries that divide the Nagas and that the Peace Settlement should embrace the lineage and history and recognition of the rights of our Nagas beyond the international border of Myanmar. That the settlement must be inclusive of all Naga Political Groups to enable our children to live in an environment free from war and violence and live in dignity as a people,” it added.