Kohima, Sept 24: The Nagaland Government and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on Friday hoped that the ongoing negotiations between the Centre and NSCN-IM will have a positive outcome for an early solution to the decades-old Naga political issue.
The NNPG have already agreed with the Centre on everything and are waiting for a positive outcome of the ongoing talks with the NSCN(IM), co-chairman of the ruling all-party United Democratic Allianc, Kuzholuzo Nienu said emerging from a meeting between the state government’s Core Committee on Naga Political Issue (CCoNPI) and the working committee of NNPGs.
The lone member of Lok Sabha from Nagaland Tokheho Yepthomi, who was present at the meeting, said that the NNPGs are ready to sign the final agreement and will be leaving for Delhi on Monday.
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“We have requested the NSCN-IM and NNPGs to come together and resolve the issue at the earliest possible time … The NSCN-IM and Centre have resumed talks and we are waiting to see how it will go,” he said.
In view of the situation the CCoNPI have requested NNPGs, comprising at least seven Naga factions, to have better understanding with NSCN-IM and make diplomatic approaches for a final solution to the Naga political issue.
“We are expecting a definite solution before Christmas,” Nienu said.
Co-convener of the Working Committee of NNPGs, Isak Sumi hoped that the talks between the GoI and NSCN-IM which resumed in Delhi on Tuesday will be fruitful and have positive bearing for an early solution.
He said that the NNPGs has already negotiated all the substantive issues with the Centre and during the interaction CCoNPI updated it about its meeting with Union Home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on September 12.
During the meeting discussions were held on how to move forward together in order to have an “inclusive solution at the earliest”.
Asked if the NNPGs will join hands with NSCN-IM for a final solution to the Naga issue, Sumi said “We have been insisting on an inclusive final solution and we do not see any apprehension or doubt in the coming together for it.
“It has always been the desire of the revolutionary negotiating parties to come together and reach a final solution,” he said.
Nagaland Government spokesperson and State minister Neiba Kronu said that the CCoNPI is trying to bring the NSCN(IM) and NNPGss together so that there is one solution to the Naga imbroglio.
In Friday’s meeting the CCoNPI appreciated the signing of the ‘September Joint Accordant’ by the NSCN-IM and the working committee of NNPGs, he added.
The NSCN-IM resumed negotiations with the Centre on September 20 in Delhi after an almost four months of hiatus. But there have been no disclosure on it from either side till date.
The talks resumed after the CCoNPI led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio met the NSCN-IM leaders on September 17 at Chumoukedima here and conveyed the Centre’s message to it to come forward for talks to resolve the Naga political issue.
The Centre has been holding parallel peace parleys with NSCN-IM and the NNPGs.
The talks with NSCN-IM started in 1997 following the signing of a ceasefire agreement and they inked the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015. But the persistent demand of NSCN-IM for a separate flag and constitution has left the final solution elusive.
The NNPGs had started separate negotiations in 2017 and signed the Agreed Position in November the same year. They have expressed their willingness to go ahead with the solution that is possible now and continue discussing the remaining issues after it. (PTI)
