Nagaland govt urges Centre to appoint political or ministerial-level interlocutor for Naga peace talks

Kohima, Aug 3 (IANS) The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Nagaland Government has urged the Centre to elevate the Naga peace talks to the highest political level by appointing an interlocutor of political or ministerial rank with the confidence and mandate of the government, officials said on Wednesday.

A spokesman of the Nagaland government said that the PAC headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio resolved that the peace talks be resumed at the political level in order to expedite the negotiation process.

The crucial meeting of the PAC was held on Monday under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chief Ministers T.R Zeliang and Yanthungo Patton, other Ministers, Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, advisors to the Chief Minister and other ministers, and MLAs.

He said that the PAC also reiterated the resolutions adopted during the Consultative Meeting held on September 12, 2024, in Kohima, with the participation of all stakeholders, including Tribal Hohos, representatives of civil societies, mass-based organisations, church bodies, NGOs, gazetted officers, unions, student bodies, and political parties.

The PAC appreciated the negotiating parties, including the government of India and the Naga Political Groups, of the ongoing Naga Political dialogue for continuing to uphold the principles of the ceasefire agreements and ensuring that there is no breakdown of the talks despite facing several challenges and hurdles in the past two decades, the spokesman said.

The high power committee also appealed to all sections of Naga society to make further efforts towards strengthening unity and oneness in order to bring all stakeholders of the peace process under a spirit of understanding.

The PAC meeting agreed that all participants of the meeting would make renewed efforts for unity of Naga society.

It also resolved to appeal to all Naga political groups and national workers to refrain from any further factionalism, the formation of breakaway groups, or the creation of new organisations, the spokesman added.

A.K. Mishra, Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Northeast affairs so far held a series of talks with various Naga groups including the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM).

Former Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi was the interlocutor in Naga peace talks before he took charge as Tamil Nadu Governor in September 2021.

The Union government has been holding political negotiations with the NSCN-IM and other Naga groups since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 1997, and also inked the vital Framework Agreement in 2015.

The government also entered into parallel negotiations with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), an amalgamation of at least seven Naga factions, in 2017.

They signed the Agreed Position in November 2017 and the NSCN-IM has remained firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas as well as integration of Naga-inhabited areas spread over four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, besides Myanmar.

These demands were discarded by the government on a number of occasions.

--IANS

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