DIMAPUR, AUGUST 16 (MExN): The NSCN (IM) continued its barrage of words against the Government of India’s Interlocutor for the Indo-Naga political talks. RN Ravi, who is also the Governor of Nagaland, was accused by the NSCN (IM) of manipulating the Framework Agreement (FA) of August 3, 2015.
A clearly annoyed NSCN (IM) had on August 11 issued a press statement terming the Interlocutor a “liability,” while calling for his replacement as Interlocutor. He was further charged of unilaterally removing a word from the FA, which the NSCN (IM) claimed alters the essence of the original agreement between the two negotiating entities.
The Interlocutor is yet to respond to the allegation.
On August 16, the NSCN (IM) issued another press statement titled “Where is Mr RN Ravi’s response?”
The statement said that it is not only about setting the record straight to bring the talks in the correct perspective but also about “restoring the credibility of the Government of India (GoI) that was badly damaged in the hands of its representative.”
Reiterating its stand on Interlocutor’s alleged manipulation of the FA, it said that the NSCN (IM) took the pain to expose Ravi’s “misdoings” for public scrutiny. It also reproduced copies of what it stated as the “manipulated/Modified” and “Original” copies of the FA.
The NSCN (IM)’s stand has been on the talks covering all Naga areas; however, it held that the Interlocutor reduced it to the state of Nagaland only. “This is not only a mockery of the Framework Agreement co-authored by him representing the Prime Minister of India but insult to the Nagas as a whole,” it said.
Contrary to Interlocutor’s “One issue, one solution” stand, it added that the latter has signed another agreement with the NNPGs, while belittling the FA as “simply the recognition of Naga past history and nothing beyond that.”
As stated in the August 11 statement, the NSCN (IM) reiterated its charge against Ravi— that of the latter presenting a “twisted interpretation” of the FA in his briefing to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
It further accused him and Nagaland’s former Chief Minister- SC Jamir of working together to hold the NNPGs in their grip and misleading the GoI. It added that successive Prime Ministers and the Chief of the Indian Army have declared the Naga problem as a “political issue,” but Ravi has equated it a law and order problem.
It also recalled Interlocutor’s published articles on the Naga issue dating to 2012 and 2014 and his meeting with the Naga civil societies in October 2019. It accused Ravi of categorising the Naga society into “primary” and “secondary” stakeholders in the October 18, 2019 meeting.
On the current status of the talks, it said that “since Ravi created imbroglio in the talk process,” the PM mandated a team of Intelligence Bureau officials to continue the talks and serve “as a Fast Track Channel for communication and clear the pending points in the competency.”
It added, “Once everything is clear the agreement will be at political level of the Prime Minister.”
Talks and CF mechanism
According to the NSCN (IM), as far as the talks and Ceasefire were concerned, there is an “officially agreed mechanism between the GoI and NSCN (IM). It said that one involves mutual agreement to hold talks at the level of the PM or Group of Ministers or an Interlocutor carrying the mandate of the PM.
With regard to the Ceasefire Ground Rules, it said that the Review Committee is headed by Special Secretary, Internal Security of the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI. “This committee can amend or change the agreed ground rules. The GoI is usually represented by Special Secretary, DGMO, DGMI, IB, Chief Secretary of Nagaland or Home Secretary, IGAR and NSCN team led by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) VS Atem.”
As far as the Ceasefire Monitoring Group was concerned, it said that is headed by a Chairman appointed by the GoI. It added that the NSCN (IM) appoints its Convenor and whenever there is CF violation from either side, the Chairman intervenes and acts as per the ground rules.
It maintained, “The ground rules are made because Indian constitution and its laws are not applicable to NSCN. Therefore, the agreed ground rules are outside the purview of the Indian constitution.”
However, it claimed that Ravi has “dismantled the officially set up mechanism.” This, it said, is a “serious matter as it constitutes a part of the Indo-Naga ceasefire that was set up in order to streamline the smooth functioning of ceasefire ground rules from both the parties.”
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