Naga integration our inalienable rights : UNC ‘Not demanding anyone's land’

Newmai News Network
SENAPATI, Sep 27 : The United Naga Council (UNC) has said that resolution of the Naga political issue will bring permanent peace in the region. “Therefore, we appeal to our neighbouring communities and others to help and contribute in resolving the issue instead of creating hurdles”, said the UNC in a statement on Sunday.
The UNC statement came, without naming anyone, amidst virulent reports, oppositions and jibes regarding the issue coming out from various quarters all these times.
The UNC said Naga integration, Naga flag and Naga Constitution are some of the inalienable rights of the Naga people. “We are not demanding anyone’s land. We are not here to disturb someone’s rights. We are only talking about our rights,” the UNC added.
The UNC added that settlement of the Naga political issue will also bring about peace in the South East Asian region.
The UNC reiterated that the Framework Agreement signed in 2015 gave the Nagas a high hope. The UNC also said that the Framework Agreement had ushered in a new paradigm shift and historic changes towards a logical roadmap for the final settlement of the Indo-Naga issue.
The UNC statement further said that the Naga political struggle for self-determination has been going on for a long time now. “In between, countless armed conflicts had taken place with both the conflicting parties having suffered heavy losses,” the statement said, adding, “A large number of people including innocent civilians have lost their lives”.
The UNC statement also said that in order to settle the political issue, “Indo-Naga ceasefire” came into effect on August 1, 1997, and since then, and after so many political negotiations, the historic Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015”.
The UNC added that it is imperative for all to support and help in whatever way they can to bring the Indo-Naga political talk to its logical conclusion at the earliest based on the unique history and situation of the Nagas, and more immediately to prevent further escalation of unwanted situations.
“Such a situation will end the era of conflict and march on together to a new future of hope and possibilities," the UNC statement further added.
Nagaland Cong pins hope on Sep end pact : Nagaland Congress hoped that the September-end solution to the Naga political issue is not another false alarm considering that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been saying a number of times that the issue has been resolved.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) chief K Therie said he presented his views as a stakeholder and also of the Naga political groups on the expected Nagaland political resolution to the high-powered committee of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Therie in a statement on Saturday said senior Congress leaders AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik, KC Venugopal and Surjewala, who gave him a patient hearing, assured to support the views of the stakeholders of the Naga issue.
Senior citizens’ plea: The Rengma Senior Citizens’ Forum (RSCF) on Saturday said any political settlement between the Centre and the Nagas must include the Naga National flag and Constitution (Yehzabo) for the accord to be considered honourable and acceptable.
It also resolved to stand for an inclusive solution covering all the Naga-inhabited areas.
The forum held a meeting on the Indo-Naga political issue at Tseminyu today, forum president Kethang Kath and general secretary Gwanyelo Keppen said in a release.
The senior citizens made a strong plea to the Government of India to bring a settlement to the Naga issue based on the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, and the Agreed Position of November, 17, 2017.
The Centre signed the Framework Agreement with the NSCN (I-M) on August 3, 2015 and the Agreed Position with the Naga National Political Groups on November, 17, 2017 in an effort to hammer out a final solution to the decades-old Naga issue.
The forum also urged all stakeholders to speak in unison so as to usher in one Naga accord, based on “our unique political history and identity”. It said one single accord is necessary for permanent peace and security in “our land.”
According to the forum, a Naga accord secured at this juncture would be the result of collective sacrifices of all the Naga tribes irrespective of artificial boundaries.
It said efforts to compartmentalize the Naga issue should be avoided at all costs.
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