DIMAPUR, March 29 - Stating that the priority of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government is to facilitate the peaceful resolution of the Naga political issue, Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Sh�rhozelie Liezietsu reiterated the government�s support to the �Framework Agreement� signed between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India. Towards this objective, Sh�rhozelie said, the government has been very proactive right from day one and will continue to do so. However, he stressed the need for inclusiveness among the Nagas.
Delivering his Budget speech in the Nagaland Assembly yesterday, he said, �With the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM in August 2015, and the active interest shown by the Government of India to take the Naga political issue forward to its logical and peaceful conclusion, let us all hope for a positive outcome in the near future.�
He said that the erstwhile Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the DAN government, formed soon after DAN-I was installed, was recently renamed �Political Affairs Mission� (PAM) with the view to give a new thrust and a mission approach to the peaceful resolution of the protracted Naga political issue.
�While admitting that our best efforts during these last 15 years are yet to yield the desired or expected final outcome, let me say that we should give no room for pessimism or despair to come in our way,� Liezietsu said. �They are going ahead and it is said that they are about to conclude the agreement,� Sh�rhozelie informed on the Framework Agreement after the Budget session. �We are yet to know what will be the type of agreement signed between these two groups. It will be too early for us to comment anything on that,� he added.
The Chief Minister, however, lamented that Nagas have �unfortunately gone backward�. Nagas had started the movement as one family �but in due course of time, we have split into many different groups and therefore it is necessary for all of us to come together,� he said.
Reiterating that the DAN government supported the peace process with special emphasis on �inclusiveness�, he, however, reminded that the government was not party to the negotiation and while the news is doing the rounds that the two negotiating parties were nearing a point to conclude the agreement, it is not known how they will take action.
On the recent news and rebuttals about a final settlement to the Naga issue that were being highlighted in the media, the Chief Minister said these could be a �tactical move�.
