Kohima: The year 2013 was marked by continued efforts by both Nagaland government and civil society groups for a permanent settlement to the decades-old political conflict to enable peace and reconciliation among the Nagas.
The beginning of the year saw elections to the 60-member state Assembly with the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF)-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) registering a landslide victory and coming to power for a third consecutive term.
However, the Neiphiu Rio government faced financial crisis with the Centre cutting the state plan allocation after stating that all centrally-sponsored schemes would be executed through the Ministry of DoNER. Rio maintained that being a salaried economy, Nagaland would rather compromise on development projects but not stop the payment of salaries to government employees. Salaries for government staffers consumes almost 60 per cent of the budget allocation.
Continuing with efforts towards peace and reconciliation, the Forum for Naga Re-conciliation (FNR), along with other civil society groups and churches, tried its best to bring the various Naga underground factions closer.
The state government and political parties also supported the move. However, differences prevailed among the various groups and a war of words continued between them as they blamed each other for not being serious about peace and unity in the state.
Moreover, factional clashes between NSCN factions also saw an increase. Irked by unabated taxation by various underground groups and some government departments, a public movement was initiated by the Dimapur Naga Council under the banner of Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) in the first quarter. It received immense support from the people as well as various Naga civil society groups and the fight to stop illegal taxation is continuing.
ACAUT leaders also held rounds of talks with underground leaders and even submitted representations to the state government seeking a streamlining of the taxation pattern.
On the other hand, Congress, which won only eight seats in the February elections, organised bandhs in protest against alleged widespread corruption, nepotism and gross irregularities in the DAN government in March.
The state government had to face the ire of student bodies which demanded deployment of teachers at upgraded government schools.
Government teachers under SSA also agitated against non- payment of salaries.
The Nagaland Secretariat Service Association also launched a phased agitation against the delay by the government in issuing promotion orders citing differences in the rules of executive business between the state government and the governor.
The matter is yet to be resolved with NSSA temporarily suspending the agitation.
In a major initiative to reassert the rights of the Naga people, the state government held consultative meets with Naga tribal bodies, civil society and NGOs on upholding Article 371(A) and the special rights granted under the Constitution in July.
It also asked the Centre to implement the 16-point agreement in letter and spirit.
The state also felt the pinch during a salt crisis in November as rumours about the shortage of the essential ingredient led to consumers rushing to shops to buy it at prices which went as high as Rs 100 per kilogram.
However, the state government took immediate steps to normalise the situation.
At the beginning of the year, the state saw a record breaking ensemble of 368 electric guitarists playing ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’.
The year culminated with the coming together of all 17 major Naga tribes as part of the Hornbill Festival at Kisama Naga Heritage Village, from December 1 to 10.
The celebrations of 50 years of Nagaland statehood also commenced along with the Hornbill Festival with President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurating the event on December 1. (PTI)
