Naga peace accord: Former interlocutor RN Ravi misleads the Naga people & Centre says, NSCN (IM)

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• Apr 13, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Ravi, who signed the Framework Agreement on the behest of the Centre with the NSCN (IM) in August 2015, was accused of attempting to pressure the NSCN (IM) to sign the agreement. 

Digital Desk: Ahead of the expected resumption of talks for the ongoing Naga peace agreement later this month, the Isak-Muivah-led National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) accused former interlocutor and current Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi of misguiding the Centre and the Naga people by claiming that the Indo-Naga talks concluded on October 31, 2019.

"The Indo-Naga talks were never completed on October 31, 2019.  It was nothing more than a request issued to the NSCN to follow his (Ravi's) Naga solution line. As seen today, we have been experiencing ongoing negotiations to resolve the core issues, without which no possible future agreement can be reached," the group said in a statement. 

Ravi, who signed the Framework Agreement on the behest of the Centre with the NSCN (IM) in August 2015, was accused of attempting to pressure the NSCN (IM) to sign the agreement under the Indian Constitution without the Naga flag and the Yehzabo (constitution), the two key issues that continue to hinder the signing of a final agreement between the Centre and the Naga group. In September of last year, Ravi resigned from his position after Naga groups refused to meet with him.

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"Ravi threatened the NSCN with dire consequences and declared that an agreement had to be signed on or before October 31, 2019, with or without the NSCN," the NSCN (IM) claimed, adding that when he failed to persuade the NSCN (IM), he adopted a policy to confuse the people.

"What followed was the application of implicit stresses on the NSCN in particular and the Naga people in general.  Ravi used psychological warfare. Military drills were held, with jet fighters flying over Naga areas and bombing, and large tanks and rocket launchers brought in as if a real war was about to break out. Uncountable Indian security forces were poured into the Naga areas and stationed. The Nagaland state police were also instructed to keep rations in stock for at least two months, and the Nagaland state police Special Branch (SB) department was instructed to identify NSCN members and their residents," the statement read.

While the NSCN (IM) stood firm, it said that, sadly, Naga leaders on Ravi's side were carried away by his "deceptive tactics" and spread the rumour that the Naga talks had ended.

The group also maintained that the Framework Agreement, which was signed based on the core issues between the Centre and the NSCN (IM), should be thoroughly investigated to avoid becoming confused with grounded implications.

"It is with immense satisfaction that dialogue between the Government of India and the NSCN has been successfully finalized, and we are confident that it will provide for an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful coexistence of the two entities," the statement said, citing the agreement.

According to the NSCN (IM), the relationship between India and Nagas will begin fresh and new, unlike the current authoritarian agreements, and the two will coexist as two friendly entities under the principle of shared sovereignty.

But, it was pointed out that the more critical point for the final agreement was inserted in the following paragraph of the agreement, which reads, "The two sides agreed that within the Framework Agreement, details and execution plan will be worked out and implemented shortly."

"It refers to the competency that Ravi badly finds difficult to form the details as agreed upon," the NSCN (IM) stated, adding that he "skillfully crafted" another agreement called the "Agreed Position" with a group of seven Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) and began to attack the Framework Agreement and NSCN (IM).

"Contrary to the Framework Agreement, Ravi informed the Parliament Standing Committee led by Mr. P. Chidambaram that there is already Article 371 (A) for Nagaland state and that a solution for other Nagas in neighbouring states can be solved with little variation," the NSCN (IM) said. 

This is how he completely misinterpreted and misinformed Indian government officials about the Framework Agreement's content," the statement reads. 

"Significantly, because the Framework Agreement Agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high dignitaries who make a difference in running the government affairs, unnecessary confusion should not be made an issue, and the Framework Agreement should be kept away from becoming another betraying agreement as testified by the Indo-Naga history," it added.