Kohima, July 9: The much talked Naga peace process seems to be no more on the right track as the Union Government appears determined to corner the Naga groups.
The latest office memorandum issued by the Home Department, Government of Nagaland, has come as a surprise to people. The State Government has instructed all Administrative Heads and Heads of the Departments to obtain information in self-declaration form from Government employees regarding family members and relatives in “underground organizations” and submit to the Home Department, Political Branch latest by August 7.
After Governor RN Ravi’s letter to Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on law and order situation, the police and Assam Rifles have started busting militant hideouts and several cadres have been arrested with arms, ammunition, money and other incriminating documents.
Naga militant groups and civil society organizations have strongly reacted to the statement of Ravi, terming Naga militant groups as “armed gang”. The State Government has also rejected the Governor’s claim of deteriorating law and order situation.
“The Central Government is in a ceasefire agreement with the Naga national political groups for more than two decades and the talks are reported to have concluded in October 2019 and accordingly the people are expecting an early political solution. The State Government feels that terming the organizations as “armed gangs” may not be in the interest of the peace process and may not be congenial to the achievement of lasting peace which is the desire of both the GoI and the State government. The State Government is of the view that with the signing of the 2015 Framework agreement and the conclusion of the negotiations on 31st Oct 2019, the issue of sustenance of the political organizations should have been discussed and resolved,” the State Government said recently.
The opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Congress have supported Ravi’s letter.
The Naga Hoho has meanwhile written to the United Nations (UN) to look into the violations of human rights in Naga areas vis-a-vis Naga political problem by the Government of India.
“Amidst the global covid-19 pandemic, the Indian armed forces are indulging in most provocative, willful, premeditated and systematic operations against the National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Nagalim (NSCM-IM) and other Naga armed groups in the North East region of India and Myanmar with utter disregard to the Ceasefire Ground Rules being enforced. Several joint military operations by the security forces of India and Myanmar are going on in the North Western parts of Naga Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) bordering India in Sagaing Region of Myanmar,” the Hoho stated.
“Innocent Naga villagers are living in constant fear and trauma due to war like situations created by joint military operations and the covid-19 pandemic. Tension is growing due to deployment of large number of armed security personnel in many of the Naga villages in border districts of India and Myanmar,” it added. (Page News Service)
