After Naga Hoho, UNC says no to Ravi's appointment as interlocutor
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, August 20 2014:
The reported appointment of retired Special Director of Intelligence Bureau RN Ravi as the interlocutor for the Indo-Naga peace talks has irked several Naga organisations including Naga Hoho and United Naga Council (UNC) .
On August 18, UNC had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appoint an interlocutor with acceptable credentials and disposition to ensure that lasting peace is brought about through an honourable and acceptable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue at the earliest possible time.
In its missive to the Prime Minister signed jointly by its president L Adani and general secretary Gaidon Kamei, UNC said that the media reportage on the appointment of RN Ravi as the next interlocutor has come as a damper to the spirit of the Naga people who have prayerfully upheld the Indo-Naga peace process all through the 17 long years of ceasefire.
"Going by the articles RN Ravi has written and placed in public domain, 'Chasing a chimeric peace' (The Hindu on November 15, 2012) and 'Nagaland--Descent into chaos' (The Hindu on February 23, 2014), it is clear that he holds in disrespect the Government of India's declared recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas and views the Naga situation only from the law and order perspective.
A person who is critical of the Government of India's cease fire with the Naga 'political groups', when the very purpose of signing a cease fire is to bring about a solution, will not facilitate solution but will become a part of the problem," the UNC missive to the Prime Minister stated.
It then appealed to the wisdom of the Government of India to appoint an interlocutor with acceptable credentials and disposition to ensure that lasting peace is brought about through an honourable and acceptable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue at the earliest possible time.
Earlier on August 11, Naga Hoho had expressed its displeasure over the appointment of RN Ravi, a retired Special Director of IB as the Centre's new Interlocutor for political negotiations with Naga underground groups.
The apex Naga civil body had stated, "While yearning for peace in our land, Naga Hoho is seething with multiple questions and tension over the appointment of RN Ravi, a retired Special Director of IB as the Centre's new Interlocutor for political negotiations with Naga underground groups" .
The Naga Hoho had said it feels that at this point of time Nagaland needs a neutral Interlocutor without any prejudices.
His recent article 'Nagaland: decent into chaos' which was capitulated in a section of Hindu paper on January 23, 2014 has clearly affirmed his bent of mind and his preset notions of different Naga underground groups.
Naga Hoho strongly feels that such a person will never strive to bring political settlement, rather sacrifice the hard earned ongoing peace process by using its mighty Indian forces which has always been advocated by different Indian Intelligences.
In this backdrop, the Naga Hoho fervently appeals to the Government of India and its leaders to seriously ponder on this matter and appoint another Interlocutor who does not possess military or IB background and care for the Naga people in particular and the people of North East in general.
The Naga Hoho then said that the Naga people have happily accepted the signing of cease-fire between the Government of India and different Naga underground groups and further appreciated the Government of India and its leaders for realizing the futility of the military way of solution.
The Government of India has also recognized the Indo-Naga political problem 'a political issue' and not 'law and order' problem, it added.
"Despite of various steps taken mutually by both Government of India and Naga political groups through political dialogue, Government of India has wasted the last seventeen years without bringing out any tangible solution to the protracted Indo-Naga political problem," the Naga Hoho.
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