A six-member delegation of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) held a consultative meeting with the Working Committee (WC) of NNPGs for over three hours, led by its convener N Kitovi Zhimomi and six co-conveners, along with three other members of the committee on Tuesday.
The COCOMI has urged the NNPG leaders to take the opportunity of Naga peace talks to create a foundation and new hope for the future generations of both Manipuris and Nagas including other ethnic communities and neighbouring States who all had been and would be living together forever.
The committee in a press release said the delegation stressed that this was not the time to think and work only for one community only as the population of ethnic communities in our region is so small that the impact from the ever-increasing influx of migrant population could be the most challenging issue in near future.
COCOMI said everyone should realise the economic constraints they are facing, which could lead to the compromising of all rights and privileges.
COCOMI acknowledged the prowess of the Working Committee leaders in bringing the government to the negotiating table and the progress achieved through political negotiations.
The committee expressed solidarity with WC, NNPG and expressed hope that negotiations between Nagas and the government of India would conclude without delay.
It pointed out that all neighbouring States were anxiously expecting a positive Indo-Naga political agreement and wished WC, NNPG leadership, and the Nagas “a great path ahead to lead a new future of inclusive socio-economic and political identity of the region where the future generations of ours shall have a common platform to address it together”.
On the other hand, the WC delegation of NNPG assured COCOMI that the impending Indo-Naga political solution would be in the interests of both Nagas and Meiteis and other communities.
Stressing on inclusiveness and recalling his past experiences, the WC convener said exclusive ethnic identity in the region was not viable and emphasised on inclusiveness to achieve what we strive for.
Considering the anxiety and discontentment over the undisclosed content of 23 long years of peace process, COCOMI said the NNPG admitted that during the past few decades, tranquility and mutual respect among the Meiteis and Nagas faced rough weather owing to impractical ideology and discomforting political stance of a few, and we have to realise that before it’s too late and try to rebuild the trust between the communities for the sake of future generations to live and grow together.
Both sides also agreed that Naga-Metei brotherhood could not be dictated by haphazard and preposterous sentiments.
The review meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura.
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