6 Naga rebel outfits to talk peace in Delhi

The Centre has called the working committee of six Naga rebel groups for talks in New Delhi from Monday.

Sources said that the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) would be presenting their charter of demands to R.N. Ravi, Prime Minister’s envoy for Naga talks, and added that though talks have started on substantive issues, it may take some time to thrash out differences on contentious issues.

In December last year, the six NNPGs had signed a joint statement saying that they have agreed to come together in the interest of the Naga people and formed an interim platform called the “Working Group”.

Clarifying that the Government of India was very clear that the Naga peace-process has to be inclusive, involving all stakeholders, security sources said that the six Nag rebel groups took a bold decision to come together and be part of the peaceprocess.

Admitting that the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) was reluctant to sit for peacetalks with other groups, security sources clarified that the NSCN(I-M) is not opposed to an

inclusive peace process and solution as they also appreciate that for an enduring solution all stakeholders need to be involved.

Pointing out that talks with the NSCN (I-M) were at an advance stage, sources said that few issues remain to be resolved.

Two years ago the Narendra Modi government had signed a “framework agreement” with the NSCN(I-M) in New Delhi to arrive at a peace accord to resolve the over six-decade-old Naga issue.

Informing that only NSCN-K is out of the peace-process, sources said that the Centre is confident that the Khaplang faction would also join the ongoing comprehensive peace-process.

Refusing to divulge more on the government’s initiative to rope in NSCN-K, officials said that Naga civil societies and tribal bodies have been a positive force in the ongoing peaceprocess. Mr Ravi, who was in Dimapur recently, said, “I thank Naga civil society and tribal groups for their cooperation. Being closer to the people and the contemporary realities, they are more pragmatic than the armed groups who at times seem trapped in the rhetoric of the past. However, some civil societies are still at the fence. I would urge them to play a proactive role in bridging the differences between the parties. Merely being a facilitator, which some of them claim to be, is not enough.” Security sources also clarified that no time frame has been fixed for concluding the Naga peace-talks. About the next round of talks, security sources said that the working committee of six rebel group has an agenda but the Government of India’s job would be to thrash out a mutually agreed comprehensive solution.