Kohima: Nagaland passed yet another year striving for permanent peace which remained elusive due to differences over rebel groups among various civil society organisations including Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Joint Legislatures Forum (JLF) of all 60 Members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA).
During the year, FNR, a body comprising churches, members of civil society and tribal organisations, convened several rounds of meetings of the all rebel groups of the state, which was also attended by the top leaderships of the outfits. However, reconciliation could not be brought to Nagaland.
A meeting of such reconciliation was held on February 29, attended by NSCN-IM leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah, GPRN/NSCN leaders Khole and Kitovi and Federal Government of Nagaland/Naga National Council leaders Zhopra Vero and S. Singnya, without NSCN (Khaplang) leader, but failed to bring any reconciliation among the groups in the state.
As per decision of the JLF meet on July 19 led by Assembly Speaker Keyanilie Peseyie and the 60 Member-strong of NLA, cutting across party lines, it was decided to meet the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister on August 8 to press for a solution or an interim arrangement to the Naga political issue before the State Assembly elections and also offered their resignation in the event of a settlement. Another 20 member JLF team led by Mr Peseyie revisited the national capital on October 15 and met the Union Home Minister, besides political leaders including NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Opposition leaders Sharad Yadav and Sushma Swaraj, Centre’s interlocutor R S Pandey and NSCN-IM leaders Swu and Muivah in New Delhi, but made little headway.
The Nagaland Planning Minister told the National Development Council on December 28 that without solution of the Naga political issue, the state’s development continued to be hampered. On the other hand, unabated inter-factional feuding between NSCN (Khaplang) and GPRN/NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) during the year, claimed over hundred cadres of both the factions till date. However, S S Khaplang has declared a month-long truce from December 20 for the festive season in the state.
Ceasefire Monitoring Group Chairman Maj Gen (retd) N George was compelled to visit Zunheboto district on November 19 to assess ground realities following frequent factional clashes. On September 1, communal clashes flared up at Dimapur after the death of a suspected criminal in the custody of Kohima Village Youth Organisation, for which Army had to hold a flag march the next day.
On the political front, the blame game between the ruling NPF led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) persisted throughout the year. The DAN Government also rejected the Women Reservation Act for civic elections in the state. However, the Joint Action Committee for Women Reservation is fighting the case in the Supreme Court.
Many VIPs visited the state led by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who visited Nagaland on May 1 on the occasion of Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth on May 1 and laid a wreath at the Kohima War Cemetery for the British soldiers who laid down their lives in World War II. On May 14, European Ambassadors to India from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Germany visited Nagaland and met the Governor, Chief Ministers and NGOs. Then Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee visited Nagaland on July 6 to 7 and was able to get support of the NPF party.
On the education front, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal laid the foundation stone of Nagaland NIT at Dimapur on October 13. BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari visited the state on December 14. The 5th General Conference of the North East Students’ Organisation was held at Kohima on November 28. A conference of the North East Science and Technology was also held in Kohima on November 19.
Among the biggest events in the state was the week-long Nagaland Hornbill Festival beginning December 1 at the Naga Heritage Village Kisama, near Kohima. The three-day long North East Agri Expo was held at Dimapur from November 15, to to highlight various methods of farming technologies in a series of conferences, attended by the officials of Union Agriculture Ministry officials.
The ASEAN Motor Rally arrived at Kohima on December 15. Nagaland media lost one of their senior colleagues, Nagaland Post reporter Daiho Mao on September 16. The Station Director of Kohima All India Radio Mrs N Nakhro also passed away on June 20.
National ace archer from Nagaland Chekrovulo Swuro became the 2nd Naga Olympian of the state as she was selected for London Olympic, after T Ao, who led the Indian Football Team in 1948 London Olympic. Major (Dr) Neikhrietuonuo Linyu conquered Mt Everest on May 25.
Nagaland Baptist Church Council call for Clean Election Campaign was observed throughout the state on Nov 3 and process of awareness was continuing. As many as six earthquakes hit the state, three of which with epicentre in Phek district of the state. (UNI)