CHANGLANG, Oct 5: The Tirap, Changlang and Longding Peoples Forum (TCLPeF) has appealed to the central and the state governments and the Naga political groups to “resolve violence and resolve the Indo-Naga issue at the earliest.”
The appeal came following a meeting chaired by TCLPeF general secretary Hanglyam Sumiyan here on Friday.
The meeting was attended by several senior public leaders, former minister Komoli Mossang, retired government officers, leaders of tribal communities, and student leaders from Tirap, Changlang and Longding (TCL) districts, besides representatives of the Nocte, Wanchoo, Tangsa and Tutsa tribes of all three districts.
The student leaders sought early solution to the issue, “and urged the negotiating team (of the Centre) to resolve the issue as early as possible,” the TCLPeF, which described itself as the apex body of all Naga tribes and sub-tribes of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, stated in a press release on Saturday.
The forum’s president, N Changmi, urged everyone to opt for “oneness, shedding all linguistic, religious and political differences.”
“It is the Naga-ness which is our strength, our shield, and has the power and potential to bring all our people together and work together,” he said.
Among others, Mossang, retired statistics deputy director Kamtu Mamai, ex-ZPM NK Longchang, Wanchoo Council chairman Sompha Wangsa and Changlang District Students’ Union president Salman Mungrey addressed the meeting.
They urged the people of the TCL region to protect, promote and preserve their rich culture, custom and tradition, and to help the coming generation stand united.
Expressing concern that the lives of the commoners in the three districts are overshadowed by threat and uncertainty
due to the “fighting between the Indian Army and insurgent groups,” the forum said the people of the TCL region “cannot hand over to our next generation the same period of turmoil, disturbances, mistrust and disunity.”
“We have been deprived and neglected for long. Peace, too, has evaded our land,” the forum said, and requested the negotiating team, the central government, and the Naga political groups to “resolve the Indo-Naga issue permanently and bring lasting peace in the region.”
