Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 7
As the tenure of the NDA government at the Centre nears completion, there is no progress on negotiations for a peace accord with Naga armed groups, with talks stuck for almost a year due to an “intransigent position taken” by the Naga side on ‘symbolic’ issues, such as a separate flag, The Indian Express reported on January 7.
Citing its own report on April 26, 2018, it noted that ‘substantive’ issues had been resolved between the two sides and a draft agreement was ‘almost ready’ by then.
“But a change in Naga position has led to apprehensions that any gains made since 2014 will be lost with a change in political dispensation at the Centre,” it added.
Quoting sources, the report said that logjam is largely due to issue over “symbols” which the Nagas argue, “are integral to the identity of the Nagas, and that Naga identity would not be safe without them.”
However, it is politically “unviable for the Centre to accept demands such as a separate Naga flag, even though, sources said, it has agreed to guarantee protection of the Naga identity,” it added. “But if these changes can be brought later through a democratic political process, the Centre would have no objection, sources explained.”
The Centre’s interlocutor and Deputy National Security Advisor, R N Ravi, however, did not confirm the same.
“I would not like to comment on it as we are engaged with the peace process,” The Indian Express report said quoting RN Ravi.
Ravi has been closely associated with negotiations with Naga groups for decades, first in various capacities as an Intelligence Bureau officer and later as the Centre’s interlocutor in July 2014. He signed the framework agreement with the NSCN-IM in August 2015.
According to the report, the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), comprising representatives of six influential Naga political groups and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM), had met interlocutors of the Central government last month, and another meeting is scheduled in Delhi this month.
“But neither side is hopeful of a breakthrough, in light of the political narrative being articulated in Nagaland,” it added.
