NSCN(IM) general secretary Th. Muivah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make arrangements for the outfit’s leaders to leave India if their stay is no more welcome and resume the political talks in a third country.
“In order to save the political dialogue, the talks should resume at the highest, i.e. Prime Minister’s level, without pre-condition; and outside India in a third country,” Muivah’s letter, written on February 25, 2020, said.
The letter assumes significance in the light of the NSCN’s demand for inclusion of Naga flag and constitution in the final agreement with them.
Muivah said he and then chairman of NSCN(IM) Isak Chishi Swu had come to India at the official invitation of the government of India in December 2002.
Also read: Three NSCN (IM) units resolve to defend Naga flag and constitution at any cost
He also reminded that the MoU signed between the two sides also included a conscious decision of the government of India “to discontinue the ban on the NSCN under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.”
Muivah said the NSCN(IM) agreed to hold political negotiations with the government of India only after the latter recognised Naga issue as political and not “India’s internal law and order issue.”
He also pointed out that when ceasefire was signed on August 1, 1997, both sides agreed that political dialogue “shall be at the highest i.e. Prime Minister level; without precondition and outside India, in a third country.”
However, 22 years of negotiations have hit the roadblock over Naga flag and constitution despite signing of the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, between the two sides, Muivah said.
He also said in pursuit of a lasting and acceptable and honourable political settlement “as per the principle of the Framework Agreement, we had mentioned in our proposal that Nagaland shall use its national flag, anthem, emblem and insignia”.
“Our proposal is not a demand, neither does it in any way deviate from the officially agreed Framework Agreement,” he said.
The letter accused the representative of the government of India, R.N. Ravi of “polarizing the Naga society instead of unity the Nagas for an honorable political solution”.
He said the Ravi was “segregating the Naga civil society” by leaving out “the main stakeholders including Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers Association and Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights including Naga Students Federation.
He further said Ravi has been “hobnobbing with the so-called NNPGs to make an agreement.”
Muivah expressed serious concern over the “activities” of agencies of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the government of India’s representative for the Naga peace talks.
If pragmatic political decisions are not taken over the matter, then there was no doubt that the “above mentioned are already jeopardizing the political peace process between the government of India and the NSCN”, Muivah added.