Naga peace talks: Centre emissary, NSCN-IM hold informal meet


Centre’s emissary for Naga peace talks and former additional director of Intelligence Bureau, A K Mishra, on Tuesday held an informal meeting with Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) in New Delhi to break the stalemate over the decades-old Naga political problem, people familiar with the matter said.

Official talks between the Union government and the Naga outfit are likely to be held in the next few days. The outfit has reportedly expressed their desire to meet Union home minister Amit Shah to discuss the matter, the people added.

A seven-member delegation of NSCN-IM, the largest Naga rebel group, is currently on a visit to the national capital to resume the peace talks which were halted due to lack of consensus on a few core issues, particularly over the recognition of the Naga flag and constitution.

NSCN (IM) leaders remained unavailable for comments.

The outfit, meanwhile, said the time has come for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet the Naga people’s aspirations as per the August 2015 Framework Agreement (FA) signed between the Centre and NSCN (IM).

In an editorial in its monthly bulletin which was released on Tuesday, the NSCN (IM) recalled how seven years ago, Modi generated hope by announcing that “he has solved the longest insurgency movement in Southeast Asia”.

The Prime Minister had declared the day as one that marks the beginning of a new age, it said.

“The credit he (PM Modi) has taken in bringing about FA should be unerringly interpreted to take forward in solving the Naga issue. The stand of the NSCN on FA has been distinctly stated time and again….. The unifying principle of One People One Nation symbolised by the God given Naga Nation Flag is non-negotiable in the name of Naga political solution,” the editorial said.