ZUF clarifies decision to join NNPGs

Dimapur, Nov. 11 (EMN): Explaining the rationale behind its decision to join the group of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) engaged in talks with the government of India, the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) has maintained that the move was to help secure better future for Zeliangrong people living in Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. In a press release issued on Monday, the group stated that Zeliangrong people have been struggling for a single administrative and political system for a common homeland. “In the pretext of political conflict with India, Zeliangrong areas were being encroached and colonised by non-indigenous Zeliangrong tribes. Despite several protests, the government of India did not do the needful and the spate of killings and atrocities continued. “In the absence of state players, it was for us to protect our people from such terror activities. Peace talks and the protection from government of India was a license for NSCN (IM) to commit all atrocities and unleash reign of terror on Zeliangrongs. The intolerable situation had compelled the formation of a Youth Force to protect our people from enemies to further divide the Zelingrong people,” read the statement. It was in the backdrop that the October 31 deadline was announced by the government of India, which prompted the ZUF to support the NNPGs “after much consideration”, it stated. “The government of India has taken a stand on the principle of not accepting anymore tribal outfits in the process, and this led to the alliance with NSCN (Unification). Once the agreement is signed between the government of India and the negotiating parties, all armed outfits will be in the path of neutralisation and may cease to exist eventually. “The ZUF realising the fact that if it remained independent, and not be a party to the peace process, the Zeliangrong people will have no future scope for the younger generation thereafter. Therefore, the ZUF,  after careful analysis of the pros and cons and the course of eventualities, has joined the Naga National Political Groups in the peace talks as an integral part of GPRN/NSCN with the assurance that the political aspirations of Zeliangrong will be kept alive and to pursue through democratic political processes in post-solution scenario,” it stated. ‘No one should have any apprehension, fear or doubts about the aspiration for Zeliangrong state/homeland post-solution. 'The question of doubt does not arise at all since the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) is a people's mandated political organisation under the leadership of chairman, Raitu Chawang to pursue the aspiration of Zeliangrong people,’ it asserted.