Nagaland House urges Centre to find solution to Naga insurgency

Kohima, Sep 20 (IANS) The Nagaland Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution urging the Centre "to make all out efforts to expeditiously bring about an honourable, acceptable and inclusive settlement" to the vexed Naga insurgency issue.

In its resolution, the lawmakers of the 60-member House urged upon the government to "appreciate the fact that the Indo-Naga political issue is more than seven decades old and the very negotiations are continuing for around 21 years, and therefore urge upon it to make all out efforts to expeditiously bring about an honourable, acceptable and inclusive settlement."

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is heading the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) government, noted that his government will play the role of active facilitator to the ongoing Naga peace process and the right of the Nagas to live as members of the same family under one administrative umbrella will never be given up.

"We have had a long period of struggle - more than 70 years, 21 years of negotiations since 1997 and 3 years since signing of the Framework Agreement - the expectations of the people are loud and clear. In spite of our political differences, it is our bounden duty as representatives of the people to come together and do our bit for facilitating early solution," Rio said.