Failure of Indo-Naga talks may revive human right violations in Nagaland: NSCN-IM

The Naga rebel outfit has written a note to the churches about the present situation of the Indo-Naga political talks. The outfit reiterated that the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, should be implemented at the earliest.

New Delhi: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-Isak Muivah) has said that in the event of failure of the current talks, the organisation is apprehensive that the human rights violations will return in Nagaland.

“In the event of failure of the current talks, we are apprehensive that the human rights violations will return in Nagalan. The Naga people are convinced that this prolonged Indo-Naga political talks should be concluded honourably,” the NSCN-IM said in a note sent to the churches across the country.

After decades of conflict, the Government of India (GoI) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) finally resumed political talks in 1997 culminating in the signing of the historic Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015.

“In spite of all these commitments and agreements, the Government of India is trying to backtrack and disown the Framework Agreement by creating situations through the agencies of its surrogate Naga factions, opportunists and the neighbouring people, who are hostile to the cause of the Nagas. The Government of India is buying time. But, the Naga people under the banner of the National Socialist Council of Nagalan stand firm on the historic Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015,” the outfit said.

It alleged that betrayal of the Framework Agreement would amount to murder of peace and progress in the region. It is worth mentioning that the decades-long talks with the Naga outfit were at a standstill as the government denied giving a separate flag and a separate constitution for Nagas.

“We are welcoming the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, which accepted for a separate flag and a separate constitution. And these are our two core demands,” said a senior NSCN-IM functionary.

Nagas believe that the Framework Agreement will certainly bring durable peace to the land and a lasting relationship between the people. It will also guarantee the security of India and the future of the Nagas, the NSCN-IM functionary said.