Naga problem cannot be solved without people's consent: Jamir

Governor designate of Odisha and former Chief Minister of Nagaland Dr S C Jamir today said that no political settlement to the decades old Naga problem was possible 'without the people's knowledge and consent'.
Jamir said that after 60 years of political struggle, the Nagas were in a situation where they could neither go forward nor retract to a reasonably safe place.
"Those people who are supposed to be engaged in the political struggle for the Naga cause appear to be in the political wilderness without the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire to guide them," he quipped.

Stating that the Naga problem had becomne the 'buzzword' for every Naga, he said it was an admitted fact that the so called Naga issue was in 'a terrible mess'. It would continue to be so until the people were given opportunity to express their views and opinions on the kind of political arrangement that would be honourable.
"Without people's knowledge and consent, final political settlement will be a far cry," he said.
"Nagas have been talking about the Naga political problem for the last more than 60 years as if this is the only agenda for them," he said.

"This obsession had stonewalled other most important aspects of human development in the Naga society, such as economic development, social development, human resources development, cultural development and many other disciplines that are essential for the development of human society", Jamir said.
He was addressing a mammoth gathering of Congress workers during a felicitation programme organized by Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) in honour of his new assignment as Governor of Odisha at Congress Bhavan Kohima.