State’s chief minister responds to charge by NPGs

Dimapur, August 27 : The chief minister of Nagaland has issued clarifications to a joint statement made by a number of Naga Political Groups (NPGs) in the local media recently. A press release from the chief minister’s office (CMO) called the statements against TR Zeliang “serious but unwarranted allegations,” which the CMO said ‘warranted’ clarifications. To the charge that Zeliang had been calling for support to the “framework agreement” without knowing its content, the rejoinder simply explained that “we have to trust the negotiators...” In the words of the CMO, “If anyone has any doubts, or wants to know the details, Mr RN Ravi is always there to clarify.” The CMO stated: “The chief minister had categorically stated on various occasions very clearly that the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, is not with him or the state government, but that we have to trust the negotiators and their statements that the best interests of the Naga people would be ensured while evolving a negotiated settlement.” “If anyone has any doubts, or wants to know the details, Mr RN Ravi is always there to clarify instead of speculating and interpreting as per one’s own understanding.” The CMO noted that “some people” had concerns that “there is nothing for the people of Nagaland in the present Framework Agreement, which would make it appear that they have seen the contents of the agreement.” Likewise, the CMOs stated, there are “some people” who are “asking how we can support without seeing the agreement.” The chief minister asserted that “therefore,” one “should not confuse our people with such ambiguous statements.” On the Government of India-NSCN (IM) talks, the CMO said that the Nagaland government was only ‘facilitating.’ “The talks on the Naga political issue between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) had started in 1997 and it is now almost 19 years. Ever since ceasefire agreements were signed between the government of India and the NSCN groups, successive governments of the state had taken the stand to facilitate the peace process, and the present government continues to abide by that declared stand,” the CMO stated. “However, it is unfortunate that some people are talking as if the peace talks started only during the tenure of the present chief minister which, in fact, has completed just a little over two years,” Zeliang stated. The press release explained that the chief minister was “well aware” that Naga people have been desiring permanent peace “and that it will come through inclusive solution and not in piecemeal.” This, the CMO explained, “Means that all the Nagas should be stakeholders, wherever they are, in the final solution.” The press release also stated TR Zeliang to be the chief minister of Nagaland and “not of the neighbouring states, but when it comes to the Naga issue, whether he remains the chief minister or not, he is determined to speak for all Nagas and will continue to do so till the issue is honourably resolved.” On the question of “inclusiveness,” the chief minister said he had “no two opinions on the question of inclusiveness.” He has ‘time and again requested the interlocutor to meet all the Naga political groups for dialogue to hammer out the differences and bring about a lasting solution once and for all,’ the press release stated. “At the March 9, 2016 Chumukedima consultative meeting, with an open mind and in all fairness, he had stated that if any group wanted to meet the Interlocutor, he was ready to facilitate such a meeting.” As for the ritualism during the “ceremony at the KVK Jalukie,” the CMO stated that it was organized by the ICAR, “which is a central government institute, and not by the state government, where a ceremonial lamp was lit and a coconut was broken to signify good luck and prosperity by the union minister.” The chief minister and the state government had no part in the arrangement of the inauguration, the CMO stated. “The inauguration of the veterinary college at Jalukie was witnessed by thousands of invitees and the invocation prayers were offered by the State Chaplain Rev Kuzeirang Thou. The foundation stone of the Farmers’ Training School was laid by the chief minister where Mr Mongzeu, pastor of Jalukie Town Baptist Church offered the invocation prayers. Therefore, attributing the chief minister of indulging in Hindu or Heraka rites are (sic) false and baseless,” the statement added.