Naga groups say demand for new interlocutor is another ploy to delay political solution

Kohima: The working committee of Naga National Political Group (NNPG) claimed that the demand for a new interlocutor at a consultative meeting convened by the state government to solve the decades-old Naga political issue was nothing but another ploy to "intentionally subvert and delay political solution." The working committee of the NNPG is composed of at least seven Naga groups.

"The pre-mediated and pre-drafted resolution of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) demanding appointment of new interlocutor at the political level is nothing but another ploy to intentionally subvert and delay political solution," the working committee of NNPGs said on Tuesday in reference to the resolution adopted on September 12 consultative meeting on Naga Political Issue convened by the state government’s PAC.

"Rather than resolving to urge the Government of India to expedite a solution on the basis of the concluded talks, demanding for new interlocutors is nothing new but as expected to sabotage the solution and to drag the Naga political process back to square one," it said.

The working committee of NNPGs entered into negotiations with the Centre in 2017 and inked the Agreed Position in November the same year.

"It is common knowledge to the central government, the Nagaland government PAC, the negotiating entities and the Naga people at large that the Naga political dialogue has officially been concluded on October 31, 2019," the working committee of NNPG said in a statement Tuesday.

The working committee of NNPG also said that it must be understood that former Interlocutor R N Ravi was fully empowered by the PMO with the cabinet status, however, with the completion of interlocution phase A K Mishra has now been tasked by the Centre as its representative to fast-track solution and therefore the need for new interlocutor do not arise at all.

The Centre and the Naga political groups entered into a ceasefire in 1997, and held separate talks with different groups for a solution to the decades-old political problem.

After almost 70 rounds of talks, the Centre entered into a Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM in 2015, and also signed the Agreed Position with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC NNPGs) in 2017.

In October 2019, the then interlocutor of the Centre for Naga peace talks and Nagaland Governor R N Ravi declared that talks had concluded.

However, the Centre has not accepted the NSCN-IM's persistent demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.