Dimapur, December 13 (MExN): The Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council and the Western Rengma Students’ Union Nagaland on December 12 wrote an open letter to the State Governor R N Ravi, in response to the statements made by him in the 58th Nagaland Statehood Day speech.
They expressed dissent at the Governor “glorifying the infamous 16 point agreement/resolution” in his speech and added that the creation of Nagaland state actually divided the Nagas by placing them under the mercy of different states within India while leaving a significant portion of Nagas in Burma as well.
They further added that the Nagas never acknowledged the ‘separation tactic’ of the Government of India (GoI) and said that the Naga national movement which still continues is a witness of the same.
They also opined that the Governor who is also the Interlocutor, is supposed to understand that the ongoing Naga political talk is about the Naga people and their inherent rights and “is not confined to a state or few tribes” as portrayed in his speech.
Taking strong exception to the Governor depicting the state of Nagaland as the ‘primary stakeholders’ of the Naga solution, they further pointed out that Naga people consists of more than 60 tribes “with a homeland measuring 1, 20,000 Sq Kms (inclusive of Naga homelands in Burma).” “You cannot confine the Naga political issue within a state of 16,000 Sq Km,” they asserted.
It reminded the Governor that, as an interlocutor for the Naga peace talk, he is ‘duty bound’ to usher in peace and understanding among different sections of the Naga people and find a peaceful, honourable and inclusive solution to the long pending Naga issue.
