GUWAHATI
A Nagaland government delegation led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is camping in Delhi for resolving the “Naga political issue” ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
The delegation, comprising 15 MLAs, including Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton and former Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other Central Ministers besides leaders of various political parties.
“People in Nagaland are demanding a solution to the issue. That is why we are playing the role of a facilitator. The issue has remained unresolved for a long time. We wish for it to be resolved as soon as possible,” Mr. Rio said.
Nagas in general want an inclusive settlement between the Centre and two blocs of extremist groups. The National Socialist Council of Nagalim, or the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN comprises one bloc, while the other is a conglomerate of at least seven outfits called the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).
The NSCN (I-M), which declared a ceasefire in 1997, signed the Framework Agreement with the Centre in August 2015. The Centre signed another agreement called the Agreed Position with the NNPGs two years later.
Talks hit a roadblock
While the process with the NNPGs is virtually over, the talks with the NSCN (I-M) hit a roadblock over the group’s insistence on a separate Naga flag and Naga constitution.
Mr. Rio said the State government cannot be immune to the status of the peace process although it was not a party to it. “As an elected government, we have to do all that we can to facilitate a people’s issue,” he stated.
Three of Nagaland’s northeastern neighbours – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur – are wary of a settlement with the NSCN (I-M) that could challenge their territorial integrity. One of the outfit’s major demands was bringing all Naga-inhabited areas of the region under one administrative umbrella.
