PM urged to settle Naga political issue, scrap AFSPA
Source: Chronicle News Service / Newmai News Network

Senapati, January 05 2022: United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women Union (NWU) and All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strive for amicable settlement of the Indo-Naga peace process and repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers ct (AFSPA), 1958 as confidence building measures.

In a joint memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister through the deputy commissioner of Senapati during the former's visit on January 4, UNC, NWU and ANSAM said, "Today, with a grave sense of urgency and apprehension in the manner in which the Indo-Naga political dialogue is being conducted, we request your personal attention and intervention to put the peace process back on the right track and resolve one of the longest political issues in the Indian sub-continent and the Southeast Asia" .

The joint rnemorandum also said, "When the historic Framework Agreement between the Government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) was signed at your official residence in New Delhi in 2015, it gave the Nagas a high hope and we believed that the Government of India under your able leadership was ushering in a paradigm shift and historic changes for the final settlement of the Indo-Naga issue" .

It then said, "The visionary speech that your goodself delivered during the signing ceremony is still cherished and it remains close to the hearts of the Naga people" .

Addressing the Prime Minister, the Naga bodies lamented that signing of the Framework Agreement since year back is in peril of being reduced to a mere document.

They also expressed their concern that the letter and spirit of historic Framework Agreement and "your vision" for a peaceful and honourable political settlement with the Nagas is not visible till today.

"This naturally gives the impression about the insincerity of the Government of India", the memorandum added.

The bodies also alleged that there are rampant raids, arrests, and seizures of public leaders, business-persons and members of "Naga National Organisation" by Indian army and state agencies and many are languishing in Indian jails with unfounded and false charges.

The memorandum then mentioned that the recent gunning down of 14 Konyak Naga civilians in Mon district on December 4 and 5, 2021 by the 21 Para Commandos of Indian Army and Assam Rifles is a proof of blatant provocation by the Indian security forces.

The three Naga bodies further said that "such insincerity" negates all forms of bilateral principles of peace process including ceasefire ground rules and "we will not be surprised if worse happens in future too as long as the AFSPA that allows the Army to commit what it did at the Oting-Tiru road is not removed" .

While stating that the Act was enacted to annihilate the Naga movement for their self-determination, kill, torture, rape, detain, burn down of villages, and all sort of unimaginable human rights atrocities, the memorandum mentioned that the world is yet to know any peace process and political dialogue that is more than 24 years yet unable to bring an honourable and acceptable settlement, even though the Government of India has recognised the unique history and situation of the Naga people.

The memorandum added, "We place our hope and confidence in your courage and decisive action and it will surely be under your able and dynamic leadership that Nagas and India will end the era of conflict and march on together to a new future of hope and possibilities" .

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