Naga peace initiative will bear fruit soon, says Prof Jagdish Mukhi

KOHIMA: Nagaland Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi on Saturday, referring to the Naga peace talks with the Central Government, said that with the concern being shown by everyone, the long-cherished solution would soon become a reality and a new era of peace and prosperity would begin in the State.

Addressing the 11th session of the 13th Nagaland Assembly, the Governor, referring to the March 9 consultative meeting on the Naga peace process, said that the resolution adopted in the meeting called upon all the negotiating parties to arrive at a political solution that is honourable, inclusive, transparent and acceptable to the people.

"The meeting has resolved to appeal to all sections to make renewed efforts towards unity and understanding to work towards 'One Solution and One Agreement' to the issue," said Mukhi, who is the Governor of Assam and holding additional charge of Nagaland.

The Governor said that he was elated to address the august House, where the members had come together to form an Opposition-less Government, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Government, to pursue an early solution to the Naga political issue.

The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and other Naga outfits entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India in 1997 and since then have held more than 85 rounds of political negotiations.

Referring to the incident that occurred on December 6 last year at Oting (in the Mon district), in which 14 people were killed by the security forces, he said that the Government took every possible step to lessen the pain of the victims' families.

"Government provided prompt succour in the form of monetary compensation, a job in the State Government to the next of kin of all the deceased and the entire medical care needs of those injured was looked after by the district administration."

The Governor also said that the Government had approached the Central Government for taking up certain developmental projects in the affected areas, which besides assuring the traumatized populace, will also help in faster development of the area. Mukhi said that the Special Investigation Team investigating the matter has worked at a good pace and has completed its investigation and that the Army has also constituted a Court of Inquiry in the matter and it is also expected to complete its inquiry soon.

Stressing on the need to have duly elected bodies for governing towns and cities, he said that the issue of elections for the urban local bodies in the State has been resolved in the Consultative Meeting held on March 9, to conduct the elections as per the 74th Amendment Act of the Constitution.

The elections to the urban local were pending for many years due to certain differences of opinion as the Northeastern State enjoyed certain special status under the provision of Article 371A of the Constitution.

On the issue of the inter-State borders in Mokokchung with Assam, which became tense due to stand-offs between the police forces of Nagaland and Assam, the Governor said that the situation was defused in time by ensuring the simultaneous withdrawal of the police personnel of both the States, after reaching a joint agreement. Mukhi said he was delighted to note that the State Government is also taking steps to resolve the issues concerning oil and petroleum exploration.

"The Chief Minister of Assam has positively indicated for equally dividing the proceeds of petroleum and oil exploration and extraction between the two States in sectors A, B & C in the DAB (disputed area belt) area."

He expressed happiness that the House has constituted a select committee headed by the Chief Minister to examine and inter alia find ways for an amicable settlement of the inter-State border issue with Assam, and that the committee has taken positive steps towards this end. (IANS)

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