Talks with Naga rebels 'back on track'

Kolkata, March 4 The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) has said their talks with the Centre is back on track, despite what they described as 'reckless statements' by Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi.

"The Indo-Naga political talk teams are back on the table and the talk is progressing. The historic Framework Agreement (FA) signed on the 3rd August, 2015 is being brought back to life in order to remove any misinterpretation and thereby hasten the signing of Naga solution agreement," the NSCN (I-M) said in a statement .

The statement was issued on the letterhead of the 'Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim' which the rebel group have used to administer areas under their control since 1980, when the Naga rebel movement split over the 1975 Shillong Accord.

Muivah and Issac Swu, both China-trained guerrillas, broke away from the Naga National Council after it signed the Shillong Accord and called it 'a betrayal of the Naga cause'.

But the two leaders who have led the NSCN since its formation in 1980 started negotiations with the Centre in 1997 and they signed the 'Framework Agreement' with the Modi government in 2015 to pave the way for a final settlement of India's longest-running ethnic insurgency.

The NSCN(I-M) statement debunked Governor R.N. Ravi's claims that that negotiations have concluded.

"Recently, unnecessary confusion was thrown into the air because of the reckless statement made by Mr. R.N. Ravi, the Governor of Nagaland in Nagaland Assembly that the Indo-Naga political talks has concluded.

"It is needless to say that in many points his statements and conclusions reflected his role as Nagaland Governor and not as Interlocutor. It is a matter of regret that his role as interlocutor is nothing less than disparaging and dismal.

The NSCN (I-M) statement said that the 'Indo-Naga political talks ... were at an advanced stage' and that has been confirmed by the Union government.

"No doubt, this is the ground reality of the Indo-Naga political talk and NSCN talk team is leaving no stone unturned to safeguard the political identity of the Naga people," the statement said.

It said that Ravi's statement have misled the Indian government, Parliament and 'entire Indian people' and that he should desist from such statements.

"In the matter of Naga political issue he (Ravi) should be cautious of every single word he uttered lest his credibility is damned. Significantly, it is to be noted that the Indo-Naga political talk is being handled by both the parties to take the Naga people and the GoI to the point that is honourable and acceptable. This is the official understanding and the only way to conclude the talk."

Last month, the NSCN leaders said the talks must be raised to Prime Minister's level and moved to a third country.

"In order to save the political dialogue, the talks should resumed at the PM level without pre-condition and outside India in a third country. And if our stay in India is no more welcome, all necessary arrangements must be made for us to leave India and the political talks be resumed in a third country," Muivah, who is also the "Ato Kioonser" (Prime Minister) of the Naga rebel government, said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He raised 'issues of serious concern' about the Home Ministry, the NIA and the Assam Rifles and it was shocking that some Indian officials were branding the NSCN as 'terrorists'.

The NSCN started negotiations with the Indian government in 1997.

The progress has slow and it hit a roadblock last year over the insistence of the rebel leaders that India should consider a separate flag and a separate Constitution for Nagaland.

( With inputs from IANS )