Peace accord soon, all Naga armed groups on board: RN Ravi

January 19, 2019 2427 Views No Comment

Naga Republic News

Against the backdrop of recent speculation that the Indo-Naga peace process was faced with a deadlock situation over ‘symbolic issues’, the Government of India’s Interlocutor has directly addressed this concern by pointing out that a peace accord is expected soon.

“A proposed accord with Naga armed groups is expected to be concluded soon…it’s nearing conclusion with all. In fact, there is nobody left out. Everyone is part of it”, Deputy National Security Adviser R N Ravi said Saturday.

“There are eight armed groups which are now talking to Government of India. NSCN (I-M) plus seven others, they are all part of it. There is no one left out,” Ravi, who has been involved in the process, told reporters at Hyderabad.

The efforts to conclude the accord are expected to fructify “soon”, he said.

RN Ravi was speaking on the sidelines of a national conference on ‘Self Reliance in Defence Manufacturing’, organised by the Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS) held at Hyderabad.

In this file photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seen speaking during the signing of the Framework Agreement on August 3 , 2015. Also seen in the picture are NSCN (IM) General Secretary Th Muivah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Delhi’s Interlocutor for the Naga talks RN Ravi

The latest public statement from Delhi’s Interlocutor for the Naga peace talks is significant with Lok Sabha election just round the corner and the term of the Narendra Modi government nearing its end.

All expectation of a peace accord within the present term of the Modi government has been slowly fading and the Winter Session of Parliament concluded recently without any mention of the Indo-Naga Framework Agreement.

Now with RN Ravi making an important public declaration of an accord soon, it will be interesting to wait and watch how the Modi government will push through an agreement even at this late stage.

The long silence of the Government of India and also conflicting media reports have also not helped in bringing clarity about the Naga peace process.

A recent news report filed from New Delhi had this to write: “Even after three years of the signing of the historic framework agreement with the NSCN (IM) and separate talks with the other Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) , the Narendra Modi government has not been able to conclude negotiations due to a tough position taken by the Nagas on some of the ‘symbolic’ issues”.

The Indian Express went on to report that the talks have not seen any progress for almost a year as the Naga groups have refused to change their views on ‘Church’ and ‘separate flag’.

According to the report, the current logjam was largely due to the Church which is at the forefront in articulating the political position of the Nagas.

The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) on the other hand talked about a ‘deadlock’ in the peace parleys and called on the need “to re-imagine the Indo-Naga Peace Process with one that encompasses and compliments the political exchanges in Delhi between the Government of India and the Naga political groups by raising Naga peoples’ voices through inclusive participation and transparency”.

Meanwhile, echoing the latest statement of Delhi’s Interlocutor RN Ravi, the Working Committee (WC), Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) has claimed that there were continuity, clarity and progress in negotiations with Government of India (GoI).

In a recent statement issued by its media cell, WC clarified that there was no stalemate or deadlock in the peace talks, and that “it was not indulging in a political monologue”.

“A clear approach was laid on the ground allowing collective wisdom to seep through in consonance with our history, supported by logic, reasoning and practical reality of the day.”

Mentioning that every issue was processed jointly and transparency, proactive argument and healthy debate preceded each round of negotiations, the committee asserted that this was a “tectonic shift” from the usual Indo-Naga political dialogue.

WC said it believed that political and historical rights and aspiration of Nagas residing in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam would be honoured and fulfilled. It also solicited prayer support from all Nagas, irrespective of domicile status or political, religious and tribal affiliations.

It may be mentioned, the Government of India’s representative for Naga peace talks, RN Ravi, held an informal meeting with Khango-led NSCN (K) on January 10, 2019.

Ravi had told Nagaland Post newspaper that NSCN (K) will participate in the peace process along with Working Committee of the NNPGs”.

With inputs agencies