‘No mandate for Naga Hoho’
A meeting between Union minister of state Jitendra Singh and leaders of Naga Hoho in New Delhi has created resentment at the grassroots level, as all the 14 tribal hohos of Nagaland have made it clear that “Naga Hoho does not represent the Nagas of Nagaland” and not a single tribe is affiliated to it.
A nine-member team of the Naga Hoho met Union minister of state for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh on Wednesday and apprised him about the slow progress of the peace negotiations between the NSCN-IM and the Central government’s representative.
In a statement, the media cell of the 14 tribal hohos of Nagaland at Kohima asserted, “The Naga Hoho does not have the mandate of Nagas of Nagaland.”
Expressing deep anguish over the ongoing campaign against the peace talks which is almost in its final stage with Prime Minister’s Office setting the deadline of September to conclude the Naga talks, the 14 tribal hohos clarified, “Any matter that involves or concerns the Nagas of Nagaland should be routed through the 14 tribes of Nagaland. Any decision taken by the Naga Hoho or any other organisation on our behalf will not be honoured.”
It is significant that 80 per cent of Nagas live in
Nagaland where the apex body of each tribal group has rejected the Naga Hoho which is alleged to have been claiming to be a supreme authority of Naga people in various political circle.
The statement also warned that the 14 tribal hohos would unitedly take a course of action against any individual or organisation if any kind of threat is meted to the tribal leaders.
Pointing out that date and time for next round of talks with negotiators of NSCN (I-M) and interlocutor R.N. Ravi is yet to be fixed, security sources said that Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently met Union home minister Amit Shah who categorically told the Nagaland Chief Minister to go back to the state and prepare for signing the peace-accord. Informing that the Chief Minister was also told about the September deadline to conclude the Naga peace process, sources said that Nagaland Chief Minister was trying to buy more time through political lobbying to delay the signing of the peaceaccord.
The 14 Naga tribal hohos and various other indigenous tribal groups have also written letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their desire for peace and asking an early conclusion of the ongoing peace process with the all the stakeholders including NSCN (I-M) and find a solution to the decadesold violent movement in Nagaland.