Nagaland: Rio Reiterates Urgency of Resolving Naga Political Issue

KOHIMA: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday reiterated the urgency of resolving the Naga political issue and said that he had discussed the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently. Addressing the 62nd statehood day function here, he said that acting on decisions taken in the state cabinet meeting on November 16, a delegation led by him met Union Home Shah on November 21 in New Delhi for discussions.

Rio said that the Union Home Minister reiterated the urgency and discussed issues, including the recent press statements by the NSCN-I-M's Chief Political Negotiator, to note that while resolving the issue remains a top priority, the formation of new groups and their internal divisions pose significant challenges.

Addressing the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organization (ENPO) issue, the Chief Minister remarked that a draft Memorandum of Settlement was submitted on November 6 to the Ministry of Home Affairs, emphasizing shared economic progress for all citizens and marking the beginning of a new era of partnership and collective growth.

Since 2010, the ENPO has been demanding a separate "Frontier Nagaland Territory" or separate state comprising six Eastern Nagaland districts-Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang, inhabited by seven backward tribes-Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung.

Rio said that after nearly two decades, elections for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) were conducted recently, implementing 33 percent reservation for women, and consequently, 278 councillors were elected across 25 Urban Local Bodies, including 103 women councillors, constituting 37 percent of the total.

He stressed "Peace for Development and Development for Peace" and appealed to every citizen to strive together to take the state to greater heights. (IANS)

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