The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) questioned the “commitment and seriousness” of the Government of India on the Indo-Naga peace talks.
“We are concerned by the insincerity of the Government of India in resolving the Indo-Naga political issue despite 23 years of negotiation as two entities,” ANSAM said on Thursday. “We cannot help but question the commitment and seriousness on the part of the leadership of the Government of India,” it added in a press release.
ANSAM then reaffirmed its “fullest” support to the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM to bring a “logical and honourable solution” to the Indo-Naga political issue. The Naga student’s body also expressed its appreciation to the Naga leaders for “steadfastly fighting for the cause of the people and the firm stand they have taken for the Nagas to live as a dignified people”.
ANSAM then said that it was because of the “realization” on the part of the Government of India that the “Naga issue is political in nature”, paved the way to negotiation. As such, ANSAM emphasized that 23 years of political talks demand a logical conclusion with due recognition of “Naga flag, constitution and integration” as the “inalienable rights of the Nagas, and any solution without ensuring these will be unacceptable to the Nagas”.
The press release of ANSAM then “strongly” condemned the “action” of various State agencies and forces such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Assam Rifles allegedly indulging in aggressive military campaign, military raids, arrests and witch-hunt against the Nagas, “whereby they are targeting innocent civilians and family members of the Naga national workers implicating them in false FIRs”. The ANSAM press statement said, “We see such actions as nothing but part of a deeper political conspiracy to criminalize the Indo-Naga political issue”. ANSAM said that the prevailing political issue between the Government of India and the Nagas should not be reduced to a law and order problem “but it should be dealt politically”.
The ANSAM press note then said that “such belligerent conducts” of the State agencies are contrary to the spirit of the ongoing Indo-Naga ceasefire and peace talks that “compel us to question the sincerity and political commitment of the Government of India as to whether it is for a negotiated settlement or for an imposed political solution”. ANSAM said that if the Government of India is committed to a peaceful settlement, “all ongoing military campaigns, raids, arrests and repressions must be put to stop with immediate effect”.
ANSAM then appealed to the Government of India to free all the “Naga political prisoners” unconditionally. It said legal charges slapped against the Naga leaders, human rights activists, and “national workers” must be withdrawn immediately to create a congenial environment for the “soft” landing of the Indo-Naga settlement.
“We finally call upon both the negotiating parties to abide by the terms of the Indo-Naga Framework Agreement in letter and spirit,” the ANSAM press statement added.
NNN
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