Solution before election: NPAC calls for 6-hour statewide bandh

Nagaland People’s Action Committee (NPAC) has called a statewide bandh on January 14 to express resentment against the government of India’s inability to find a solution to the Indo-Naga political issue.

This was informed by the Convener of NPAC, Theja Therie, during an interaction with the media at Hotel Saramati in Dimapur, after a meeting attended by different civil society organisations and tribal hohos on Thursday.

However, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) was not present at the meeting as they are in Guwahati, he said, adding that they have appealed to them to be part of the bandh on January 14.

The statewide bandh will be effective from 6 am to 12 noon.

Therie said members of NPAC would protest at the airport and national highway by holding banners, during the arrival of the officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, to convey to the team that ‘at the moment, the state is not ready for election but for a solution’; and consequently appeal to the GoI to respect the sentiments of the people, Therie said.

He further stated that the committee has submitted representations to the government of India with “loud and clear” demands on several occasions, but it has not received any response.

‘How much we have suffered, 80-90 years of struggle, 26 years of negotiation, is this not enough?’ he asked.

Therie said if the negotiation cannot yield any result, ‘why not call off the talk’, adding that this “nonsense talk” cannot burden the people any more.

He said the people want to decide and live their own lives, but under the shadow of negotiations and the peace process, ‘they cannot tolerate and continue this life any longer’.

Regarding the arrival of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in Nagaland on January 14, Therie stated that the CEC will fulfill his constitutional obligations and they have nothing against it. However, he emphasised that if democracy is for the people, by the people and of the people, the 14 Naga tribes of Nagaland have taken a decisive resolution that they want a solution before the election.

He also mentioned that the same views have been expressed by Nagaland Tribes Council, Nagaland GB’s Federation and Central Nagaland Tribes Council.

‘If India, a democartic nation, wants the Naga people to participate in the election, then the government of India must create a conducive atmosphere, bring peace, work out the ground situation so that they would come forward and vote for the choice of their leadership in their respective constituency,’ he added.

Therie also appealed to the government of Nagaland to support them, as the core-committee of Nagaland has made it ‘loud and clear that they will vigorously pursue solution’.

‘It is time for the people to act on the expressions and resolutions, which they have adopted,’ he added.

Respond to NPAC’s clarion call, WC-NNPG urges Nagas

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Thursday, WC-NNPG said the proposed statewide bandh is “another surging wave of Naga people’s resentment” against GoI’s delay in delivering the political solution to the people.

“Once more, the real stakeholders of the Indo-Naga solution, the Naga people, irrespective of tribe, political colour, party affiliation or profession, have decided to shut down Nagaland state to remind the GoI political leadership to fulfill its commitment to the Naga people. It is also a mighty slap on the state government for its positive words on air and treacherous actions on the ground,” read the statement.

It said that negotiations between GoI and Naga negotiators had concluded and on this basis, the people want an honourable and acceptable political solution.

‘WC-NNPG believes all Nagas, both in villages and towns, in Nagaland state and beyond, have a responsibility to respond to the call of NPAC for a shutdown. January 14 is the day to reclaim the moral right, spiritual right, democratic right, social right, political right, historical right through collective conscience. These few hours will be a firm democratic nudge to GoI, to allow voice of sanity prevail over imposters’ whispers and heed to the demand for political solution and not elections,’ it said.

It went on to add that ‘anti-Naga solution elements’ may oppose the shutdown or remain unresponsive to the clarion call but “Nagas must ignore those in political slumber or pretending to be asleep”.