Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is for using every moment of time for development. Talking to Organiser, he says that Nagas want peace and development. They want good life. Our youth are educated, they want to be world citizens and want all kinds of opportunities. Why should we waste our time in fighting among ourselves? Swati Deb spoke to him during the Hornbill Festival on various issues concerning Nagaland. Excerpts:
You are heading a NDPP-BJP government. What is happening on ground on development as well as peace talks?
Nagas want development and we are working for it. However, there is a strong clamour for peace. People are getting frustrated also. The talks are going on for 21 years. Nobody can say we are giving up hopes; that question does not arise. But peace is a prerequisite element for developments.
How things are moving for peace talks?
Talks started in 1997. The Centre has rightly pursued a determined approach to resolve the problem. The Centre wants unification of various Naga groups and rightly so. They say there would be ‘One Naga, One Problem and One Solution. Nagas are also in favour of ‘inclusiveness’.
Do you have a role to bring all groups come together?
The groups are coming together themselves also…six groups recently have come together. In short, I must say, Nagas want peace, they want development. They want good life. Our youth are educated, they want to be world citizens and want all kinds of opportunities. Why should we waste our time in quarrelling and fighting among ourselves?
Are job-oriented industries being brought into the state?
Unless we resolve the political issue, people (investors and business magnates) are afraid to come. That’s a bitter fact. Non-Nagas cannot own immovable properties. We are trying to address the issue by allowing business and entrepreneurship in partnership with local stakeholders. In fact, substantial progress was made on these lines during my previous tenure between 2003 and 2014. But the time gap, when I was in Delhi as MP, things got distracted. There was an atmosphere of mistrust between people and the state government. So development also suffered.
What is the way ahead?
We must revive the old spirit and lay emphasis on the policy of Peace for Development and Development of Peace. As unemployed ones, people should get ready to work hard. When you are unemployed, you should not look for a job, which is unavailable. You should work, you should take the job which is available. Our economy is essentially salary economy. It is depending on the government for everything. We have become a consumer society. It has reached a saturation point.
