Guwahati: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim- Isak-Muivah faction or, NSCN-IM, the largest Naga armed group in talks with the government, on Sunday released the 2015 framework agreement copy signed between the Centre and the group. The framework agreement was supposed to set the competencies for the final peace deal.
In the statement, NSCN-IM blamed the Nagaland governor and centre’s interlocutor in Naga peace talks RN Ravi for creating an “imbroglio” in the peace talks. The group said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mandated that the discussion should continue at the Intelligence Bureau (IB) level but it doesn’t mean the peace process is downgraded.
“On the current status of the talks, NSCN put on record that PM-level talk has not gone down to Intelligence Bureau-level talk. The Interlocutor carries the mandate of the PM. NSCN has been talking to Ravi as Interlocutor and not as Governor,” said the statement.
The group said that the talks with the IB is for a fast-track channel for communication and clear the pending points in the competency.
“Once everything is clear, the agreement will be at the political level of the Prime Minister,” it added.
The NSCN-IM leaders who are currently in New Delhi have held talks with the government officials over the last week.
The statement by the group further adds, “Given the nature of Ravi’s handling of the Indo-Naga political issue, it is pertinent to point out that talks are on political issues for all Nagas and covering all Naga areas. But surprisingly, Mr. Ravi reduces the talks to the state of Nagaland only. This is not only a mockery of the Framework Agreement, co-authored by him while representing the Prime Minister of India but an insult to Nagas as a whole.”
The “differences” between NSCN-IM, RN Ravi, and Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) — a cluster of seven Naga groups — have slowed down in the 23-year-old Naga peace dialogue.
On August 14, the chief of NSCN-IM Th Muivah, said, “the Nagas will co-exist with India but will not merge with India.” Muivah also raised the demand for a separate flag and constitution. However, the Centre has ruled out on the issue of a separate flag and constitution.
In the Independence Day speech, Ravi blamed the “vested interest” in the state for not allowing the Centre to reach the common people in Nagaland.
While the group accused Ravi of trying to connect the Naga political issue to the constitutional law and order problem.