Mokokchung, July 11 (MTNews): The Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPGs) on Monday said that “the Framework Agreement (FA) was signed without the knowledge of Nagaland state government, Naga tribes, the apex civil societies or the Church”, and that Naga people want an immediate political solution that “fulfils Naga aspiration in Nagaland state, for Nagas in Manipur, Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagas in Assam, through practical structure and approach.”
Saying that a handful of men do not own the soul and spirit of Nagaland, WC-NNPGs in a press statement said that this is where the GoI was “forced to sign the Agreed Position with genuine stakeholders on 17th Nov. 2017.” The WC-NNPGs stated that it has “negotiated with the GoI precisely as per Naga people’s desire,” and with “full backing and confidence of the Naga tribes and relevant apex CSOs.”
The Agreed Position signed on November 17, 2017, it said, set the parameters for negotiations and the Status Paper is now in public domain. “This would mean immediate end to extortion industry. The drama of NSCN (IM) leaders, therefore, must end because the patience of the Naga people has reached its limit,” it stated.
The Naga people, it stated, “have rejected gun culture which led to open threats, embezzlement of public wealth through immoral means, while brilliantly selling the idea of Naga solution without bringing any practical solution to the Naga people.”
Further, the WC-NNPGs claimed that the Framework Agreement has no reference to “sovereignty, greater Nagalim, out of the box solution, supra state, integration, Pan Naga Hoho (PNH), flag and constitution.”
Rather, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian nation with a Tangkhul shawl on his shoulder on the evening of signing the Framework Agreement and welcomed NSCN IM leaders into “National Mainstream,” it said.
It further said that “Naga revolutionary pioneers agreed and coined, “Nagaland for Christ” during the NNC years. WC-NNPGs and its affiliates have pledged to this principle, to each other, to be transparent, inclusive, partnering the Naga apex tribal bodies, hereditary institutions and other civil societies to uphold this very slogan in words and deeds, now and in future.”
Meanwhile, in a clarification, the group stated that its convenor N Kitovi Zhimomi and other members had never travelled to Tirap, Changlang and Longding (TCL) Naga areas of Arunachal Pradesh in the last couple of years, so “the Assam Rifles escorting his convoy is someone’s figment of imagination.”
It said that Tirap, Changlang Longding People’s Forum; Tirap Changlang, Longding Students’ Federation; and Tirap Changlang Longding Women’s Association met WC-NNPGs at Oking on June 4 and “cleared all doubts and misgivings fed to them by imposters.” “On their own volition TCL leaders endorsed Agreed Position and Status Paper as positive, honourable and acceptable,” it added.
It further stated that P Tikhak, Ato Kilonser of NSCN (Reformation) “is a true patriot, able administrator, a visionary leader and a philanthropist.” “Public of Tirap-Changlang and Longding and also within NSCN (Reformation) knows he is the real son of the soil,” it added. The WC-NNPGs said that he “helped introduce many innovative ideas to improve the lives of the local people. In the last more than two decades of his association in the Naga political movement, he had never indulged in activities that would hurt the sentiments of the people.” It said that “the question of having some of his close or far relatives within CSO in the TCL does not arise.”
It further said that NSCN-IM leadership must “accept the truth” and that they have used the Naga political talk as a licence to extort the Nagaland state government and common people alike for three decades. “Inhabitants across the Naga homeland have closely observed their activities over decades and have come to a conclusion that the story of Honorable, Inclusive and Acceptable Solution will remain just a story for them for self aggrandizement,” it added.