The official line is solution to the long pending Naga problem should be inclusive. The agony of Nagas is well known; and their concerns are real. Nothing should be done on grounds of ethnicity and tribalism.
The Government of India is firm that such a tendency would only breed further conflicts.
NNPG leadership under N Kitovi Zhimomi has communicated to the PMO that the "very success" of Naga peace pact would have a direct link to the Prime Minister's Act East Policy.
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| NNPG leader Kitovi and blogger: Feb 2021 |
New Delhi: Putting the 24-years old Naga peace process on a faster track, eight militant groups including National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM faction) and an umbrella body of seven groups Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) would now sit across the table along with all 60 elected state legislators.
This announcement was made by former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly,
T R Zeliang after the newly set up Core Committee for peace met top NSCN (IM) leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Q Tuccou at Dimapur in Nagaland.
Among others, Chief Minister Neiphio Rio also attended.
“Now our expectation is Naga groups will sit across the table along with the 60 elected members. This will help us to reach a common ground with the government of India,” Zeliang later said.
The meeting was a very “smooth sailing”, said Zeliang, the co-chairman of the panel, adding “they understood our point, we also understood their contention”.
The meeting of Naga groups and 60 MLAs will put things on track “to arrive at some sort of conclusion”, he emphasised.
The Naga peace process and parleys between the central government and NSCN (IM) first commenced in August 1997 and since then multiple rounds of negotiations have been held at Zurich, Bangkok, Singapore and New Delhi.
Violence and arson have been the story of the people of the state for the last seven decades and now there is a strong clamour for peace and a final solution to the Naga insurgency problem.
A substantial progress was made in talks till October 2019 but the parleys hit a roadblock when
NSCN (IM) insisted on a separate Flag and Constitution for Nagas.
Both the demands have been rejected by the Narendra Modi government.
The NNPG – a conglomeration of seven militant groups – however says they are not insisting on any such demands and want an early solution to the problem and bring an end to violence.
Chief Minister Rio and other panel members including Zeliang also held a separate meeting with NNPG leaders including the convenor N Kitovi Zhimomi on Tuesday.
Kitovi said: "As and when the Government of India invites for signing the peace document we will sit across because there will be only agreement and one solution".
There are other issues also related to the history of rebellion in Nagaland. In fact, in January this year, Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, a former Intelligence officer peace Interlocutor, had lashed out at the extortion culture.
He had said – "The menace of rampant extortion, under the guise of illegal taxation by anti-social elements, has not been fully curbed despite best efforts by the police and security forces".
The NSCN (IM) also has a strong presence in the neighbouring state of Manipur which also goes to the assembly polls in March 2022. Nagaland Chief Minister Rio, who runs a coalition government with BJP, had recently said that the Naga political movement went through several phases since 1929.
“If the present generation cannot secure any form of solution under the Indian Constitution, then the upcoming generations would be left to seek a solution," he had said.
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| Chief Minister Rio |
ends
All eyes on meeting with 60 legislators
The Nagaland legislators have earlier passed resolution that they would step aside to facilitate solution to the long pending imbroglio.
Fresh hopes for peace have been rekindled in the state of Nagaland, one of three Christian-majority states in northeastern India, with armed militant groups deciding to fast-track the peace process.
The decision was reached at a meeting between Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, legislators from all parties and leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) faction held in state capital Dimapur on July 21.
Veteran rebel leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Q. Tuccou were part of the 15-member NSCN-IM delegation.
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| Blogger in Nagaland |
T.R. Zeliang, a former chief minister and co-convenor of the panel for peace process, said: “Now our expectation is Naga militant groups will sit across the table along with the 60 elected members. This will help us to arrive at common ground with the government of India.”
The Naga insurgency issue predates India’s independence in 1947 and essentially rests on the demand for Naga independence.
As in other parts of the northeast, the Indian army was tasked with containing the Naga insurgency movement in the late 1950s.
Nagaland was declared a state only in 1963 and ever since has been consumed by the violence between security forces and militants.
The Naga peace process between the government and NSCN-IM commenced in August 1997 and since then multiple rounds of negotiations have taken place in Zurich, Bangkok, Singapore and New Delhi.
Substantial progress was made by October 2019 but the peace initiative hit a roadblock when NSCN-IM leader Muivah raised the bogey of a separate flag and constitution for Nagas. Both demands were rejected by the Narendra Modi government.
The Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), an umbrella organization of seven militant groups, now says it will not be insisting on any such demand and wants an early solution.
“As and when the government of India invites us for signing the peace document, we will sit across because there will be only agreement and one solution,” NNPG leader N. Kitovi Zhimomi said.
The road ahead may not be smooth, though.
In January, Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi, a former intelligence officer handpicked by PM Modi, issued a strong statement lambasting the extortion culture in the state.
“The menace of rampant extortion, under the guise of illegal taxation by anti-social elements, has not been fully curbed despite best efforts by the police and security forces,” he said.
In fact, the NSCN-IM, claiming to be a native group, had been demanding the right to collect "taxes" from citizens. But the Indian government rejected it saying there could be no permission for extortion.
Congress veteran and former chief minister S.C. Jamir recently called on the NSCN-IM to give up its demands, including those for a separate flag and constitution.
“My personal opinion is that the separate flag and constitution are the attributes of a sovereign nation,” he said.
The 89-year-old Jamir is the last surviving signatory of the first Naga peace accord inked in 1960 that resulted in the creation of the separate state of Nagaland.
(UCAN report)
The NSCN (IM) also has a strong presence in the neighbouring state of Manipur which also goes to the assembly polls in March 2022.
Nagaland Chief Minister Rio, who runs a coalition government with BJP, had recently said that the Naga political movement went through several phases since 1929.
“If the present generation cannot secure any form of solution under the Indian Constitution, then the upcoming generations would be left to seek a solution," he had said.
NNPG leadership under N Kitovi has communicated to the PMO that the "very success" of Naga peace pact would have a direct link to the Prime Minister's Act East Policy.
The official line solution should be inclusive. The agony of Nagas is well known; and their concerns are real.
Nothing should be done on grounds of ethnicity and tribalism.
The Government of India is firm that such a tendency would only breed further conflicts.
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