News Analysis India

Tag: Naga political problem

  • Centre asks Naga govt to convince NSCN-IM to sign final pact

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Centre is understood to have asked the Nagaland government to convince the leadership of the insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) to sign the final agreement for a solution to the protracted “Naga political problem”.

    A delegation of the Core Committee on Naga Political Issue, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday and urged him to expedite the solution to Naga issue but he put the ball in the court of the Naga leaders.

    “According to reports, Amit Shah is said to have asked the state leaders to convince NSCN-IM to sign the final agreement but I think that is not the way,” former Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu told this newspaper.

    The NSCN-IM has stuck to its guns on the “non-negotiable” demand of Naga flag and constitution. But the Centre has already rejected it.

    Liezietsu said all points, including the demand of Naga flag and constitution, were discussed when RN Ravi had served as the Nagaland governor.

    “The point is the Government of India cannot go for a piecemeal settlement but it signed two-three different agreements with different groups. I really don’t know how the Government of India will tackle the whole thing,” Liezietsu said.

    He further said that it is the “burden” of the Naga political leaders to bring together all factions first to form a common front. It will then be easy to have dialogues with Government of India, he added.

    The Centre held separate peace talks with the NSCN-IM and seven groups which came together under the banner of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs). The process of talks has already concluded.

    Unlike the NSCN-IM, the groups in the NNPGs are flexible. They say the contentious issues could be pursued post-settlement.

    Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM expressed concern over the manner in which the Centre is trying to resolve the Northeast’s oldest insurgency problem.

    “We are wary of the multi-pronged approach of the Government of India towards resolving the Naga political issue. Sincere approach by what has been agreed together in Framework Agreement will only bring about lasting peace,” W Saya, a senior leader of the group, told this newspaper.

    GUWAHATI: The Centre is understood to have asked the Nagaland government to convince the leadership of the insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) to sign the final agreement for a solution to the protracted “Naga political problem”.

    A delegation of the Core Committee on Naga Political Issue, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday and urged him to expedite the solution to Naga issue but he put the ball in the court of the Naga leaders.

    “According to reports, Amit Shah is said to have asked the state leaders to convince NSCN-IM to sign the final agreement but I think that is not the way,” former Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu told this newspaper.

    The NSCN-IM has stuck to its guns on the “non-negotiable” demand of Naga flag and constitution. But the Centre has already rejected it.

    Liezietsu said all points, including the demand of Naga flag and constitution, were discussed when RN Ravi had served as the Nagaland governor.

    “The point is the Government of India cannot go for a piecemeal settlement but it signed two-three different agreements with different groups. I really don’t know how the Government of India will tackle the whole thing,” Liezietsu said.

    He further said that it is the “burden” of the Naga political leaders to bring together all factions first to form a common front. It will then be easy to have dialogues with Government of India, he added.

    The Centre held separate peace talks with the NSCN-IM and seven groups which came together under the banner of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs). The process of talks has already concluded.

    Unlike the NSCN-IM, the groups in the NNPGs are flexible. They say the contentious issues could be pursued post-settlement.

    Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM expressed concern over the manner in which the Centre is trying to resolve the Northeast’s oldest insurgency problem.

    “We are wary of the multi-pronged approach of the Government of India towards resolving the Naga political issue. Sincere approach by what has been agreed together in Framework Agreement will only bring about lasting peace,” W Saya, a senior leader of the group, told this newspaper.

  • Work for ‘one solution, one agreement’ to resolve Naga issue: Neiphiu Rio-headed panel to negotiating groups

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: In a significant statement, a Nagaland government-appointed committee has batted for “one solution, one agreement” of the vexed “Naga political problem”.

    The Parliamentary Core Committee on Naga Political Issue, which met on Friday, adopted a five-point resolution. One solution, one agreement is one of the important takeaways.

    “The Core Committee…appeals to the Naga negotiating groups to come together…and create a common approach for One Solution and One Agreement,” a key point of the resolution reads.

    The Nagaland government has often spoken about an “honourable” solution. Its latest statement on one solution, which is reflective of the Centre’s position, puts the onus on the various Naga insurgent groups to reach an agreement for a single settlement.

    It was former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai who had made it clear that there should be only one solution to the protracted issue which transcends beyond Nagaland’s inter-state boundary.

    The committee stressed the resumption of the peace talks with a positive approach of mutual respect for each other by setting aside pre-conditions in the interest of peace and to usher in an atmosphere conducive to finding a solution to the problem.

    The Centre is separately holding the peace talks with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and eight other groups which came together a few years ago under the banner of “Naga National Political Groups” or NNPGs. The two entities have differences between them.

    The only outfit outside the purview of peace talks is the NSCN’s Yung Aung faction that has mostly Nagas from Myanmar.

    The Core Committee appealed to the groups to make serious efforts towards unity and reconciliation. It said the constant antagonism against each other is sending out the wrong message to the masses.

    “Taking the positive example set by the elected members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, who have risen above party affiliations to unite for the Naga political issue, the Naga political groups should make concerted efforts and listen to the voices of the people for unity and oneness,” another point of the resolution reads.

    While appreciating the role and contributions of churches, civil societies and NGOs towards facilitating peace and strengthening the peace process, the committee appealed to the civil societies and mass-based and tribal organizations to make renewed efforts towards creating a congenial atmosphere for early settlement of the issue.