Nagas urge PM Modi to quickly finalise solution to peace talks and honour pact
The United Naga Council, the apex organisation of Naga people in Manipur, has urged the Modi-led Central government to quickly find a solution and finalise the 2015 Indo-Naga Framework Agreement for the sake of “enduring peace”.
This appeal was made through a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after thousands of Nagas in Manipur took out rallies on August 9, pressing for the successful conclusion of peace talks between the Centre and Naga groups based on the August 2015 Framework Agreement.
The rallies, which were called by the UNC in the Naga-inhabited areas, were held simultaneously in the Naga district headquarters of Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong amid tight security. Thousands of people also participated in rallies in Senapati and Chandel districts.
The rallyists held placards demanding conclusion of the peace talks and that Naga areas must not be disintegrated.
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The UNC also urged the PM that “Naga areas” should not be touched while attempting to address demands of “any other community”. The memorandum stated: “We would also like to place that the Naga people will not accept disintegration of Naga land or any act that will adversely affect the interest of the Naga people while attempting to address demands of any other community.”
And, the UNC warned that “such misadventures” will have “serious ramifications that will provoke further senseless violence with different communities”.
Stalemate in Naga peace talks
The Naga peace talks had hit a roadblock over a demand by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) (NSCN-IM) that Nagaland be allowed a flag and a chapter in the Indian Constitution. The NSCN(IM) is the key Naga group negotiating with the government and the talks had largely stalled over issues of ‘sovereignty’.
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There are some clauses in the agreement on ‘sharing sovereign power’, which according to the Naga group means that they are different and they insist that difference has to be maintained.
“The NSCN argued that according to the Framework Agreement, which was signed in August 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, its sovereignty has to be retained and any final agreement should be for peaceful coexistence of the two sovereign powers.
The Naga body’s appeal comes in the wake of the demand for “separate administration” by the Kuki community in Manipur.
Naga national flag and Constitution
In the memorandum to PM Modi, the Nagas said that it has been past eight years since the signing of the Framework Agreement and they are well aware that it has run into a stalemate on interpretation and accommodation of the principal issues of flag and constitution.
“We therefore call upon the GOI to honour the Framework Agreement in letter and spirit by accepting the universal fact that Sovereignty lies with people and by extension, that the Naga National flag and Constitution must be an integral part of the shared sovereignty,” read the memorandum.
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No disintegration of Naga areas
The UNC had earlier told Union Home minister Amit Shah through a memorandum that they are steadfast over not accepting any “disintegration of Naga areas in attempting to address any appeal or demand by any community”.
The hill areas of Manipur constitute 90 per cent of the geographical area of the state and are inhabited by two Naga and Kuki-Zo tribes.
In an earlier statement, the UNC, said that the peace process made significant progress with the signing of the historic Framework Agreement between the Centre and the NSCN(IM) on August 3, 2015. “The inordinate delay in signing the final agreement is a cause of concern and has the potential to derail the peace negotiation,” it had said.
