KOHIMA, June 17 (IANS): The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) on Thursday said that the Pan Naga Hoho (PNH) does not warrant wild speculation as it is still in the incubation stage.
A section of media recently reported that the proposed post of ‘Chairman’ of the PNH would be more powerful than perhaps even the President of India who can suspend a death sentence awarded by a court.
The NSCN-IM reacting to the report said that the media of late has a cross section of people and groups fussing about the power of the Chairman of the PNH. “The irony is that PNH is a topic that does not warrant wild speculation as it is still in incubation stage and one need not go for a panic reaction. Such a subject of critical importance that concerns the Nagas is something that wouldn’t be processed in a damning hurry,” the Naga group said in a statement.
It said that when the PNH, as conceived by the Central government and mutually discussed and accepted by NSCN taking into consideration the necessity to have such an umbrella set up for the larger unity and welfare of the Nagas living in different regions, passed through the critical stage of political scrutiny, it would naturally come out in the open.
However, PNH does not undermine any democratic political institution as perceived by others, the dominant Naga outfit clarified.
The NSCN-IM statement said: “Such widely diffused views are unfounded. The irony of the situation is apparent to everyone. Things are moving too slow. However, the PNH when concretised will take into account the political aspirations and identity of the Naga people to safeguard Naga people’s historical and political rights. Till then the less fuss made about it the better.”
The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman and former chief minister TR Zeliang last week urged the Centre as well as Naga groups to not back out from what has been committed, in writing and otherwise, during the last 25 years.
The election to the 60-member Nagaland assembly is expected to be held within 8 to 9 months from now and all the political parties and the state government are keen to resolve the issue before the polls.
The NSCN-IM’s repeated insistence on a separate Naga flag and Constitution has become a big hurdle to resolving the Naga issue. After signing a formal ceasefire agreement with the NSCN-IM and other Naga groups in 1997, the Central government has held more than 85 rounds of negotiations with them.
