Naga peace talks: The Centre's emissary and the NSCN-IM meet informally

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• Sep 21, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

 Digital Desk: A K Mishra, the Centre's emissary for Naga peace talks and
a former additional director of the Intelligence Bureau, met with the
Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) in
New Delhi on Tuesday to break the stalemate over the decades-old Naga political
problem, according to people familiar with the matter.

Official talks between
the Union government and the Naga outfit are expected to take place in the
coming days. According to the sources, the group has expressed a desire to meet
with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the situation.

A seven-member
delegation from the NSCN-IM, the largest Naga rebel group, is currently in the
national capital to restart peace talks that were halted due to a lack of
agreement on a few key issues, most notably the recognition of the Naga flag
and constitution.

Leaders of the NSCN
(IM) were unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, the
organisation stated that the time has come for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to
meet the Naga people's aspirations in accordance with the August 2015 Framework
Agreement (FA) signed between the Centre and the NSCN (IM).

In an editorial
published in its monthly bulletin on Tuesday, the NSCN (IM) recalled how, seven
years ago, Modi inspired hope by declaring that "he has solved the longest
insurgency movement in Southeast Asia."

According to the
report, the Prime Minister declared the day to be the start of a new era.

"The credit he (PM Modi) has taken in bringing about FA
should be unambiguously interpreted in order to move forward in resolving the
Naga issue." The NSCN's position on FA has been clearly stated numerous
times..... "In the name of Naga political solution, the unifying principle
of One People, One Nation, symbolised by the God-given Naga Nation Flag, is
non-negotiable," the editorial stated.