Guwahati: The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Nagaland Governor and the centre’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks RN Ravi. The group accused him of creating tensions among the parties involved in peace negotiations.
The representatives of the group are currently in New Delhi to hold talks with the centre. Moreover, the NSCN-IM’s general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who flew to the national capital last month following a health check-up is expected to lead the Naga-side in the talks.
However, on Tuesday, the group in a statement, said, “The Indian government should come out with an undertaking that FA [Framework Agreement] is still alive in its original form and will be handled by somebody other than RN Ravi, who is sensitive enough to understand and respect what has been achieved during the past 23 years.”
This attack on Ravi comes after the senior NSCN-IM members and representatives of Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) — a cluster of seven Naga groups — are expected to bid the final settlement in the 23-year-old peace dialogue from next week.
They further added, “Indo-Naga political talks which have come down in modern history as the most high-profile peace process in Southeast Asia is in a state of simmering tension and reaching the tipping point all because of RN Ravi’s vitriolic attack on Naga issue.”
“All the hard work of 23 years of Indo-Naga political talks having passed through six successive prime ministers is coming to a nauseating end because of the mischief that keeps boiling in the hands of this interlocutor who has become more a liability than anything,” they added.
New Delhi had set a deadline of Oct 31, 2019, to come with a final settlement in Naga peace talks, which started in 1997 after the Government of India and NSCN-IM signed a cease-fire agreement. On Aug 3, 2015, the NSCN-IM and Centre signed a 2015 Framework Agreement.
Sources have informed us that the Centre and the group led by Th Muviah has begun the talks. “The informal and induction talks has begun from Monday as to how the upcoming agenda will be discussed. The meeting began without RN Ravi’s presence.” However, we didn’t source any official statement from the MHA in this.
