The general secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) and a key negotiator in the peace process Thingaleng Muivah asked for the Naga peace talks to be shifted to a “third country”.
On Monday, the outfit group released the letter written by the Thingaleng Muivah to PM Narendra Modi on February 25.
NSCN-IM made the eight-page letter public to inform the Naga people of the lack of response from the centre. It was for the sake of accountability to the Naga people.
Muivah also stated, “If our stay in India is no more welcome, all necessary arrangements must be made for us to leave India and the political talks are resumed in a third country.”
The peace process negotiator wants talks to be conducted at the ‘Prime Ministerial” level and without preconditions. The latest talk on August which was held in New Delhi was a disaster and remained inconclusive. Both NSCN (IM) and the Centre are sticking to their respective agenda. The outfit group are steadfast in their demand for separate constitution and Naga national flag.
The letter to the Prime Minister also mentioned the backfired rounds of talks under various Prime Ministers of India. Many of the meets were held in other countries including the United States, France, Bangkok, Thailand and the Netherlands. The faction has held more than 100 rounds of peace talks with the Government within and outside the country.
The Isak-Muivah faction also lambasted governor of Nagaland RN Ravi and Ministry of Home Affairs in the letter.
The group claims that in 1997, it had agreed to start talks with the centre after New Delhi recognized Naga matters as political. Earlier, since 1994, NSCN (IM) has been unofficially in talks with the centre.
It was in 1975 when centre signed the Shillong Agreement with the moderate faction of Naga National Council (NNC). After a short period of peace, the group rejected the agreement and went underground. In January 1980, the group led by Isak Chisi Swu, Muivah and Shangnyu Shangwang Khaplang formed the NSCN. However, the faction was torn apart and was split into NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K).
Also Read: Naga Peace Talks- a Damp Squib
