Resolve Naga issue at the earliest: Nagaland Tribes Council to Centre

DIMAPUR: The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has drawn the Centre's attention to the prevailing situation in the state, saying the inordinate delay in finding a political solution to the Naga issue has added to the woes of the common man here.
"The general public of Nagaland have become victims of the unabated and multiple illegal taxations, all kinds of suppressive and anti-people activities of the selfish authorities and the armed elements alike under the ceasefires signed in the last 25 years.They have virtually destroyed everything both in the public and private sectors," the NTC said in a press statement issued by its media cell on Monday.
The educated youth and tens of thousands of school dropouts have been the worst sufferers.
The NTC said Nagaland, the second oldest state in northeast India, has gone backward by 25 years. The other nine years' younger states in the region have grown by leaps and bounds becoming model states in the country.
Asking why this stagnation and backwardness despite being funded lavishly by the Union government, it reasoned that the unscrupulous elements have transformed the state into their "private goldmines", particularly all through these 25 years of political negotiations.
"These elements, both state authorities and armed elements, have taken undue advantages of the gullible general public. Thus, Nagaland was made to be the safest haven for the exploiters in India," it said.
The NTC said the sole remedy for the existing ailment of Nagaland is the Naga political solution and expressed apprehension that any further delay would prove to be disastrous for the state.
The council said it is "perturbed" by the uncertainties of the political negotiations between the government of India and the two groups of the Naga political negotiators - NSCN (IM) and the working committee of seven Naga National Political Groups or NNPGs - despite the peace process being in its 25th year.