Sep 28, 2009

Naga: Congress Reiterates: ‘honorable solution’


Active ImageNillo Rengma, former Minister and Vice President of PCC, reiterates an 'honourable solution' to the Naga political problem; one that is "acceptable to all sections of people"

 

 

Below is an article published by: The Morung Express

The state unit of the Congress which is on a state-wide tour has called for unity to find a solution to the Naga political issue at the earliest, but at the same time reiterated that solution to the Naga political problem should not be less then honourable and acceptable to all sections of the Naga people.
“Solution should come out during this course of negotiation since Nagas have suffered enough,” former minister and Vice President of PCC, Nillo Rengma told Congress workers. He urged the centre not to delay the talks but expedite the Naga peace process with utmost sincerity and commitment. “Our stand is that solution to the Naga problem must be honourable and acceptable to all sections of people,” he added.

KV Pusa, president of NPCC also said solution to the Naga problem has been delayed even after more then 12 years of truce and over 60 rounds of talks. He urged Nagas to work for unity of the Naga people stating that even the 60 Naga legislators have decided to come together in regard to the Naga issue.  “We appeal to Nagas to unite in the larger interest of all sections of people”, Pusa said during his tour of five districts-Wokha, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Kiphire and Phek. He insisted on an honourable and acceptable solution to the problem vis-à-vis final settlement to the problem. “You all must work for unity. Tell people to unite” the NPCC president said.

Rengma asserted that his party was and will never ‘be against the protracted Naga political imbroglio’ and urged Naga militants not to misconstrue the Congress’ stand on the Naga issue. “Our stand is for honourable and acceptable solution. The Congress is not against any group,” he reiterated. “We should not construe that Congress is under the constitution of India and NPF is for sovereignty as both parties function under the constitution of India”. He said  the Congress stands for early solution to the problem.

The PCC vice president said negotiations are between the Naga militant groups and the union government and not with DAN government stating that if DAN government is prepared to pave the way for the alternative arrangement that Congress too is prepared.

He said the high rhetoric is nothing just to mislead the people as they alone cannot resolve Naga issue. He however categorically said Congress can pave the way for an alternative arrangement if only solution to the decades’ old Naga issue is honourable and acceptable to all groups.

“NPCC fully support Naga peace process. We are not opposing peace process”. He was responding to the statement from certain quarter which was sceptical about the role of Congress in Nagaland “There is no question that we are not supporting Naga peace process and DAN is supporting it” Rengma said.

Former MLA and member PCC, Salunthang Yanthan, said any type of solution to the Naga problem should not be piecemeal, but honourable and acceptable to all. Urging Naga groups to be honest in their approach towards the vexed problem Yanthan supported his colleague’s contention that final settlement to the issue could only be hammered out through united voice.

The Congress party’s tour of Nagaland and its statement on the Naga political issue assumes significance at a time when the union government had said that peace process would progress when all Naga groups are united and come for the talk.