The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Saturday urged the Naga negotiating teams to come to a common platform to solve the Naga issue.
The Centre and two Naga groups – the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and the seven Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) – are holding separate parleys to find a solution to the issue.
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The talks are said to have concluded on October 31 last year but the final agreement is yet to be signed.
The federation greeted the Naga people on the ‘Naga Republic Day’, which falls on March 22.
On the occasion, it appealed to the Naga political groups to forge a unified front in the interest of those who will inherit the outcome of the political negotiation with the Centre.
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“The future of the Naga society cannot be subjected to the nefarious whims of those seeking to divide and fragment us but should focus on confidence-building measures to enhance brotherhood and camaraderie,” it said.
The federation also appealed to the leaders of all the Naga political groups to shed aside their ego, mistrust and everything that is preventing them from coming together as one entity.
“The time has come for both the negotiating teams to bring whatever has been agreed upon and mutually accepted in one table,” it said.
The federation also urged the negotiating teams to “carry out the deep-dive study, compare and contrast to deliberate the ones which will best serve the interest of the Naga people”.
It said these leaders should be ably assisted by a panel of Naga experts who have proven track record in the field of politics, administration, finance, education, and constitutional & developmental matters.
The assistance is needed to ensure and cater to the socio-economic imbalances in all Naga-inhabited areas, as a “non-inclusive policy” would only make the entire process shallow, it said.
The federation said it is deeply saddened to see the ever-widening divide in the Naga society today.
“We can ill-afford this during this critical juncture of our long political journey which has been sustained with blood, sweat and tears beyond borders by all the Nagas,” the NSF said.
It appreciated the leadership of the NSCN-IM, NNPGs and all other Naga political groups for their contributions towards furthering the Naga cause.
However, it said, the palpable differences in ideology and approach among the groups have been doing the Naga society more harm than good despite all that they have achieved in different negotiating tables.
It is the collective aspiration of the Naga youth and students’ community for both the negotiating groups to shed their differences and come on a common platform.
This is needed to find the best possible path and solution for the Nagas in the present political circumstances without losing the unique political history of the Nagas for lasting peace in the region, the NSF said.
It said unless this process is initiated and carried out in the true spirit of Naga unity and Naga public aspiration for permanent peace in all Naga inhabited areas, the solution to the Naga issue will elude the Nagas.
The guiding principle should uncompromisingly remain “one issue, one solution”.
“It is possible only if there is clear political clarity on post-accord arrangements and deep political understanding of the subject and not flimsy assumptions,” the NSF said.
The federation also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to show the political will to conclude the Naga political issue.
It said the Centre should now refrain from any ‘divide and rule’ policy and instead change its approach to facilitate the process for an early solution based on whatever has been agreed.
Any reversion of it would only delay the process, the federation said.
The federation added the Naga people bank on the sincerity of the Centre to bring forth a solution that is inclusive, honourable and acceptable as per the legitimate rights of the Nagas.