DIMAPUR, MAY 24 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) today said that it is time for “everyone to realize the ground realities” on the Naga political issue.
A press release from NPF President Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu said that the party would continue to “appeal to the conscience of our national workers to understand the common interest of our people to solve this problem amicably which, we believe, will be in the interest of the whole country as well.”
Explaining the political stand of the NPF, Dr Shürhozelie said that the “only viable and the oldest regional political party for the Nagas in the North East, is firm on its same political stand since its inception 59 years ago.”
“Since the beginning of troubled days in the fifties, many people treated this problem as law and order problem and various methods to suppress the movement were tried by different agencies and the Naga people lived through it with untold miseries,” he stated.
The NPF President noted that when the 16-Point Memorandum was signed by the Government of India with the group which was playing the role of mediation, “leaving aside the main conflicting group for whom the agreement was proposed,” the 16-Point Memorandum “completely failed to stop the bloodshed but it brought more bloodshed to the land.”
During this time, he said that the NPF was formed to give a “new direction to the problem for its solution.” The party proclaimed that ‘the problem in Nagaland is not a law and order problem but it is a political problem and a human Problem and, therefore, it demands political and human approach for its solution.’
With this in mind, Dr Shürhozelie said that the “pioneers had chosen the Latin catch word ‘Fide non Armis’ (Faith, not Arms) as the motto of this party.” Today, we have seen that our leaders christened these very words as its motto with farsightedness and much wisdom, he noted. “We are proud to have inherited such a noble stand and, therefore, all of us must understand this commitment and strive to work ceaselessly till the goal is achieved, he added.
The NPF President said that times keep on changing but the Naga political problem will continue to remain the same till it is amicably solved with a political solution which is honourable, acceptable and inclusive.
“This political party does not and will not side with any particular group but maintain proper understanding with all conflicting groups by telling them the truth. Nagas have to blame ourselves for the mess we have come across thus far. It is high time for everyone to realize the ground realities,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the working committee of Naga People’s Front (NPF) also reiterated that the Naga political solution should be ‘honourable, acceptable and inclusive.’ The NPF working committee during its meeting held at the NPF Central Office, Kohima on May 24 resolved: “the Party is of the opinion that any solution that is to be arrived at out of the on-going political negotiation needs to be seriously examined before making a final shape, as past agreements and accords have not produced the desired result which ultimately led to more divisions amongst the Nagas rather than bringing the Nagas together.”
The meeting also resolved to revamp and re-strengthen the Party at all levels. Meanwhile, the meeting has invited all well-wishers of NPF to come forward and associate with the party activities “in order to take the Naga people forward as Nagas are going through a very critical phase of the Political movement.”
