Breaking long silence, Naga Hoho calls for early Solution and calls spade a spade

Nirendra Dev *

After years of 'silence' on real issues, the apex Naga Hoho has now called spade a spade and asserted that for Nagas, the year 2025 is quite critical otherwise the community will be "swallowed by a system" that has never bothered for Naga people".

"The year 2025 is the year of Naga political solution. The year we make our stand. The year the Naga Political Groups unite together. The year Naga people must act, or be swallowed by a system that has never bothered for the Naga people," said a rather unusually strong statement from Naga Hoho president Sulanthung Lotha.

"The political talk is heading in the right direction until India strip everything from us," he says.

"Nagas, the time to rise is now, we cannot afford to continue living in the comfortable lie of lethargy, while the world watches our slow downfall. A peaceful, just, and honorable settlement is absolutely necessary, it’s been too long overdue. 2025 cannot be just another year of waiting and hoping. It must be the year of Naga political solution," he said.

"A political solution to Naga issue lasting more than seven decades cannot be postponed forever, and Naga political issues cannot be put off forever. The issue of political disagreements that exist between the India and Naga must reach a final resolution. The Naga people are closely monitoring the developments of the Naga Peace talk," the statement said.

For long, the Naga Hoho allegedly took stance in favour of one particular faction. Of course, from time to time various Naga Hoho office bearers have denied such charge.

Further the Naga Hoho questions that If all the Naga Political Groups were “really fighting for the betterment of Nagas” then they should come together with a common draft to usher the required solution for Nagas, be it small or big.

This is a big message and must have displeased some Naga friends of Manipur CM N Biren Singh and former CM Ibobi Singh. Monopoly of certain people over key issues are apparently.

The apex body also stated: "Unless Nagas’ voice out their desire for all entities to come together, the government of India will unlikely take steps in this regard. Naga tribal leaders are also ignoring certain aspects of unifying all sections". This is also being seen as a test case of calling spade a spade.

Over last six-seven years, various NGOs and key social organisations have shown a trend of losing their fighting zeal. Worse, a few organisations in Nagaland state allegedly even played second fiddle to the NDPP leadership thereby compromising on its power and responsibilities.

The Govt of India has apparently taken stock of the situations on ground zero especially in the context of what the Naga Hoho would like to say now. According to the Government of India, there is nothing much to discuss and debate as all contentious issues have been discussed.

"We Nagas have to be reasonable. We have to understand that our own whims and fancies cannot decide a government policy. The government has its own set of rules and regulations; some of them required to be amended in Parliament. Why then prolong a solution which is at our doorsteps?," asks the apex body.