Kohima: The Naga Hoho has reiterated that the Government of India (GoI) “should make an honest, determined and concerted effort to bring about a permanent solution to the Indo-Naga issue that is acceptable, inclusive and sustainable to all the stakeholders.”
Further to create conducive atmosphere of mutual trust between the negotiating parties, it iterated its demand that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958, must be scrapped, terming it “intrinsically draconian and Machiavellian in spirit.”
These demands were among five resolutions “resolutely affirmed” by the Naga Hoho during its first Federal Assembly for the tenure 2024-2028 held at AIDA Conference Hall, Don Bosco Hr. Secondary School, Dimapur on August 1.
It also reaffirmed an earlier stance opposing the removal of Free Movement Regime (FMR) in the Indo-Myanmar borderland, stating that any endeavour to abolish the ‘Free Naga Regime’ is antithetical to the interests of the Nagas and obstructs the historical and cultural ties that transcend human-made national and international borders.
On the issue of illegal immigrants in Indigenous peoples’ areas in the North East, the Assembly concurred that the ethnic conflicts sprouting up in the region, most recently in Manipur, can be attributed to the “irresponsible, complacent and short-sighted policies of the Government in the States as well as in New Delhi.”
The Naga Hoho Assembly also appealed all section of Naga people, irrespective of State-imposed political boundaries, to be steadfast and united in the common struggle towards achieving a Naga Nationhood.
Meanwhile, the Assembly noted peace talks between the Nagas and the Government of India (GOI) has been ongoing for 27 years and the present Ceasefire agreement was first signed between the GOI and the NSCN (IM) on July25, 1997.
Subsequently, the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 and the Agreed Position of November 17, 2017, were signed.
However, it regretted that every Accord signed by the GOI with the Nagas, even prior to the present Accords in question has been inconclusive due to the lack of “integrity and political will of the GOI.”
“The Accords has failed to progress beyond mere appeasement on paper to actual implementation in letter and spirit,” it added. Thus, the Naga reiterated the call for an honest, determined and concerted effort to bring about a permanent solution to the Indo-Naga issue.
On AFSPA related issue, the Assembly cited any “inhuman atrocities” such as “Operation Bluebird” (Oinam 1987); ‘Mokokchung and Akuluto in the bleak winter of 1994-95’; Kohima 1995, and most recently in Oting in 2021.
In this context, the Naga Hoho endorsed the recent effort of the Nagaland Government to seek justice for the victims of Oting by the Indian Armed Forces.
It also called for broad constitutional reforms to permanently repeal the ‘Draconian AFSPA’ which has no place in a democratic set-up.
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