Nagaland's former lawmakers demand Centre to finalize common draft for Naga solution

The Ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) has urged the Centre to come out with a common draft of the two documents signed with Naga political groups.

The appeal of the Ex-PAN was made as one of the three resolutions adopted during its general body meeting held on March 14 in Dimapur, stated a release issued by its secretary Merentoshi R Jamir here Tuesday.

He said during the GBM, the members discussed and deliberated on various issues pertaining to the state including unresolved Naga Political issue, Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing and construction of over 350 km long Foothill road from Tizit in Mon district to Khel in Peren district.

On Naga political issue, the Ex-PAN stated that more than seven decades of struggle and a decade-long peace negotiation is enough and now the people of Nagaland want to develop and progress like any other states without hindrances.

Asserting that the Act East Policy of the Centre can fructify if there is permanent peace in the land, the Ex-PAN urged the Centre to make public the competencies of the Framework Agreement signed with NSCN-IM at the earliest.

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It also appealed to the Centre to come out with a common draft of the two documents signed, the Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 and the Agreed Position with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) on November 17, 2017.

“It is beyond high time for the Centre and the negotiating parties to solve the Naga political issue at the earliest,” they said.

On FMR and border fencing, the Ex-PAN said, “The desire of Nagas to live under one umbrella is legitimate.” It said that the decision of the Centre to scrap the FMR and impose construction of border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border was “against the will of the people and is wrong.” It urged the Centre to immediately reinstate the FMR to its earlier status and stop the construction of border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border in the state.

Dwelling on the Foothill Road construction, the Ex-PAN stressed on the urgency and importance to have in place a road that connects the foothills of Nagaland from Tizit in Mon district to Khelma in Peren district.

It has been a much-cherished dream of all the people of Nagaland so as to enable free movement without having to cross neighbouring Assam state, it said.