DIMAPUR, Aug 13 - Odisha Governor SC Jamir has termed the Naga peace accord signed on August 3 as a progressive development and showing of �political pragmatism� on the part of NSCN-IM.
Stating that it is time to move forward, Jamir said when all other States are marching ahead, there is no reason why Nagaland and its people should continue to suffer. He said the Naga Peace Accord had stirred the political consciousness of the people of Nagaland.
Jamir said by coming down from its avowed position of holding talks in a third country, the NSCN-IM exhibited �political pragmatism� indicating that it has made concessions.
However, Jamir said the �crux of the matter� is that all these are �like talking about the fish without seeing the river� as they are only about preamble of the Accord, with the real contents hidden under the sleeves.
The veteran Naga politician said for more than 20 years, the chorus of the people of Nagaland was against bloodshed, giving peace a chance and for an honourable political settlement acceptable to all sections.
Jamir said peace had eluded Nagas, practically for more than seven decades since India�s Independence in 1947 and therefore, any move towards lasting peace is perceived with optimism. He reminded that the relentless struggle by the Naga people had resulted in three �conventions�. He said when the 16-Point Agreement was signed with the Government of India, all tribes gave their consent and Nagas got Nagaland in 1963 as the 16th State of the Indian Union. Article 371-A in the agreement was a �unique feature of the Constitution of India recognising Nagaland,� he stated.
Jamir also mentioned that the Government of India had been steadfast in maintaining that �sovereignty for Nagaland is non-negotiable�. While sovereignty was non-negotiable, the other issue of �integration� always required consensus among all bordering States, he said.
He quoted a statement of the Union MoS for Home who had assured that the interests of neighbouring States would not be hampered. Jamir said it only indicated one thing that the contentious issue would neither jeopardise the peace process nor come in its way for settlement of the Naga issue.
He said the settlement would be finalised under the parameters of the Indian Constitution and added that it is nearly impossible for the Interlocutor to �go beyond the Constitution of the land� while working out an agreement with any underground group.
Jamir said the �other stark reality� was that people of Nagaland, for whom the Accord was worked out for, were in complete darkness about its contents. He said the exclusion of sovereignty and integration from the Peace Accord were the major achievements and it also indicated that political realism has dawned on the NSCN-IM.
He reiterated that when the contents of the Peace Accord were to be worked out, all stakeholders such as the people, all major factions and the State Government should be taken on board.
