Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra enters Nagaland

Guwahati: The Naga Hoho, an apex tribal body of the Nagas, has urged the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue of non-implementation of Naga Framework Agreement in the parliament while expressing deep concern over the delay in finding a solution to ongoing Naga peace-process.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who entered Nagaland on Monday evening was welcomed by a delegation of the Naga Hoho led by its President HK Zhimomi who apprised and submitted a memorandum on the non-implementation of the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement signed between the NSCN-IM and Government of India.

After his meeting with Mr Gandhi at Khuzama village, Mr Zhimomi said that the delegation apprised the leader about the ongoing peace process which the government of India had committed but implementation of the said commitment is still pending. “We told Rahul Gandhi to raise this matter in the parliament about the ongoing peace talk and non-implementation of the framework agreement. So we told him that the Government of India is not sincere on Naga political solution,” said Mr Zhimomi.

He pointed out that many Christmases have gone by and the multiple assurances by the peace interlocutor and Government of India have failed to see the light of the day.

He said that the Congress leader has assured the delegation that the matter will be raised in the parliament.

Pointing out that the peace process was initiated by the Congress government he said that the delegation also reminded him that it was under Congress regime that recognized the uniqueness of the Nagas however, it is yet to be implemented on the ground.

Referring as to how several Peace Agreements and Accords from the 9-Point Agreement, the 16-Point Agreement to the infamous Shillong Accord of 1975 have not yielded the desired result for peace, the Naga Hoho in its memorandum to Mr Gandhi said,“ The modus operandi of the Government of India has been to use ‘delaying tactics’ as its strategy with no sincerity and political will. It has resorted to ‘divide and rule’ policy to split the rank and files of the leaders of the Naga political groups by constructing and implanting divisive narratives so as to exploit it for manufacturing consent to force its most deceptive piecemeal packages as solutions to the Nagas’ aspiration for self- determination. Now that it has not worked thus far, the GOI seems to be thinking of reverting back to solutions through Military operations by exploiting the situations to its advantage.“

Fearing that the situation in Naga areas is likely to deteriorate and descend into complete chaos and bloody conflicts once again if not resolved in time, the Naga Hoho in its memorandum to Congress leader said, “We implore upon you and your party leadership to kindly facilitate with the government of the day and settle the Naga political issue by honoring the hard-earned agreement of the Framework Agreement of the 3rd August, 2015 for an honorable and acceptable political solution.”

It further said, “We write this letter to express our grave concern over the Peace Process between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India and to request you and your party leadership to facilitate an honorable Indo-Naga Political settlement.”

The Naga Hoho also pointed out, “The ongoing peace talk was initiated during the Congress government under the Prime Ministership of Late PV Narasimha Rao when he met the NSCN -IM collective leadership in Paris, France. The NSCN-IM entered into a formal Ceasefire Agreement with the Government of India on the August 1, 1997 for political talks as two entities based on the following three conditions---without pre- conditions; second at the Prime Minister’s level and third talks will be held in a third country.

During the Congress Government, talks were held outside India in various countries, New York, Osaka, Netherlands, Bangkok, Chiangmai, Zurich, Geneva, Vienna and Millan. However, on the invitation of the Government of India with a commitment to expedite the talks, the NSCN-IM was invited to Delhi.