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Human Rights

Rebels begin closing down offices as final Naga accord is imminent

The NSCN-U is one of the seven insurgent groups which joined the peace process under the banner of Naga National Political Groups or NNPGs.

Official sources said the offices and messes of all insurgent groups would be shut down phase-wise and their occupants would be asked to return to their designated camps.

Recently, Lt Gen (retired) Shokin Chauhan, who is the chairman of Ceasefire Monitoring Group and Ceasefire Supervisory Board, had directed the various extremist groups to close down their offices and messes.

These are mostly located in public places.

Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM, which spearheaded the Naga talks, urged the Nagas to be prepared for the final agreement.

“…The NSCN, with open heart, appeals and invites all our brothers and sisters in different groups to get on board the bus of Framework Agreement and be a part of the final solution in the greater interests of the people and peace and progress in the land,” the NSCN-IM said in a statement.

In neighbouring Manipur, the protestors, who are miffed over non-disclosure of contents of the Naga talks, have decided to stay away from all government “activities”.

The Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which is leading the protests, said they had been forced to launch the non-cooperation movement as the state’s BJP-led government had failed to ascertain the terms of agreement reached between the Centre and Naga rebels on October 31 in New Delhi.

The COCOMI was annoyed that the state government paid no heed to its repeated appeals to convene a special session of state Assembly to reaffirm the protection of Manipur’s territorial integrity.

New Express News Service

Human Rights

Naga peace talks end on positive note

Kohima, October 31:

The Naga peace talks concluded on a positive note on Thursday after the final round of discussions between NSCN-IM and interlocutor RN Ravi. According to the sources, the parties arrived at a “mutual understanding” after days of inconclusive negotiations.

The meeting between a 15-member delegation of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) and Centre’s interlocutor RN Ravi — Nagaland Governor — on the issue of “Greater Nagalim” and Naga peace talks concluded on Thursday. Unconfirmed reports state that the deadlock over separate flag and Constitution has been broken and they had agreed to sign a peace accord without a separate Naga constitution and with a “conditional flag”. The flag can only be allowed for non-governmental purposes.

According to the sources, the second session of the meeting on “Naga Peace Talk” took place in New Delhi at around 3 pm on Thursday and it lasted for an hour and thirty minutes. Among other things that were discussed include creation of Greater Nagalim, comprising regions of Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The Nagas are demanding India not to compromise on their territorial integrity.

The 15-member team of collective leadership of NSCN (IM) met with the Central government representative in the national capital on Wednesday twice, but could not reach to any conclusion on their issues. Following this, they met with the Centre’s interlocutor RN Ravi again twice and pressed their demand for a national flag and a separate Constitution.

With several attempts of the peace agreement signed and failed between the Nagas and Indian government over the years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his previous tenure in 2015, signed a framework agreement with NSCN (IM). Due to this, six other Naga armed outfits under the banner of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) joined talks in 2017. However, NNPGs — a conglomerate of seven other Naga groups — made it clear in 2016 that they would sign the agreement without the separate flag, constitution and the territorial integration of Naga-inhabited areas outside Nagaland.

Since the details of the agreement were never made public, there is hardly any information on it. On one side, the government of India stated that it recognised the unique culture, tradition, history and position of Nagas, while on another hand, it doesn’t want a territory to be parted from its geopolitical map.

Former Nagaland chief minister and Nagaland opposition leader of Naga People’s Front (NPF), TR Zeliang tweeted, “I congratulate the Hon’ble PM Sh @narendramodi and the Union HM Sh @AmitShah for having the resoluteness to solve the Naga Issue. Also a hearty congratulations to Sh RN Ravi, the interlocutor and the NSCN(IM) and 7-NNPGs for arriving at a mutual understanding. ( Source: TNN & HT)

Indigenous no-state people

NSCN (IM) Vows to Defeat ISIS in Case They Choose to ‘Attack’ Nagaland

National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), a north east based rebel group, has said that it is ready to protect its people if Islamic State (IS) attacks in Nagaland. After the serial bomb blasts in Sri Lanka, the group has sounded an alert on its’ arms wing ‘Naga Army’ and their intelligence.

Speaking to mediapersons, V Horam, the executive member of the Steering Committee of NSCN(IM), said, ‘‘Our Naga Army is ready to defeat the ISIS. A strict order has been issued and our intelligence wing is active.’’

‘‘If outside forces want to disturb peace, we won’t sit quietly. We will defeat such forces. That’s why we have alerted our Naga Army,’’ Horam added.

The attackers in Sri Lanka targeted churches on Easter Sunday.

Nagaland’s population is 1.978 million, out of which 88 per cent are Christians. The census of 2011 recorded the state’s Christian population at 1,739,651, making it one of the three Christian-majority states in India along with Meghalaya and Mizoram. Huge churches can be found in Wokha, Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung districts in the state.

On April 22, Nagaland chief secretary Temjen Toy directed the Director General of Police to review the preparedness in case a similar incident happens in the hill state. In a letter to DGP, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (North) and Joint Director, SIB, the chief secretary wrote, “The bomb blasts that took place in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, needs to be examined in the right perspective as the possibility of such incidents occurring even in Nagaland can’t be ruled out. Director General of 
Police, Nagaland may, therefore, have a thorough review of the States preparedness on preventing similar incidents in Nagaland”.

Meanwhile, the Christ Council of Nagalim (CNC) will show their solidarity to the Sri Lankan victims on April 21. CNC has announced that all its churches shall have a special prayer in the first hour of Sunday Worship Service on April 28. (Source: News 18)