Naga Peace Talks: Centre, NSCN-IM Dialogue Resumes Today In Delhi


A seven-member envoy from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IMIsak-Muivah )’s group, led by the collective leadership representatives, is scheduled to meet with Union home ministry officials in New Delhi on Tuesday to try to resolve obstacles in Naga peace negotiations.

The meeting may possibly include AK Mishra, the Centre’s envoy for the Naga peace negotiations. On Monday, the NSCN-IM team travelled from Nagaland’s Dimapur to Delhi.

Since May, talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) have halted.

On Saturday, members of the core committee and delegates from the NSCN-IM met for two hours in Chumoukedima.

The conference was called after the Centre ordered the core panel, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, to persuade the organisation to continue peace negotiations and reach a final agreement, PTI reported.

Since 1997, the union government has held two different talks with the NSCN(IM) and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), which include seven organisations.

On August 3, 2015, the Centre inked a framework agreement with the NSCN(IM), and in December 2017, it reached an agreement with NNPGs.

“They are not happy with interlocutor A K Mishra over the omission of some of the politically important points, which were included in the formulation paper submitted by former interlocutor NN Ravi,” Nagaland’s United Democratic Alliance Chairman T R Zeliang was quoted by PTI in its report. 

According to the UDA chairman, the NSCN-IM notified the core committee that it would begin peace negotiations provided “it is based on the framework agreement and formulation documents submitted by Ravi and the Centre’s current interlocutor A K Mishra.”

The core committee’s function as a facilitator, according to Zeliang, remains unaltered.

“Things are working out and we hope that the talks will resume very soon,” he said.

Rh Raising, a member of the NSCN-IM leadership, informed reporters that the organization’s team will soon depart for Delhi to begin talks with the government.

The framework deal negotiated by the Centre and the NSCN-IM occurred after more than 80 rounds of discussions since a ceasefire accord was inked in 1997, following decades of insurgency in Nagaland, which began shortly after independence in 1947.

However, the ultimate solution has yet to be implemented.

The NSCN-insistence IM’s on a distinct flag and constitution for the Nagas has caused a delay in reaching a definitive agreement.

(With Inputs From Agencies)