The Centre’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks, AK Mishra, along with other Union government representatives, arrived in Nagaland on Thursday to hold separate meetings with Naga groups.
Upon arrival, Mishra, who also serves as the Northeast advisor in the Ministry of Home Affairs, met with the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) in Dimapur.
In a statement following the meeting, the media cell of WC NNPGs said that its leaders, led by the newly inducted convener MB Neokpao and working conveners P Tikhak Naga and Isak Sumi, met the Centre’s representatives led by AK Mishra at Dimapur.
During the meeting, the WC NNPGs leaders apprised Mishra and his team of the recent developments and also the need for an early consolidated and inclusive political solution to the conflict, it said.
The meeting also deliberated on developing political consensus among Naga political groups and stakeholders so as to expedite resolving the issue in a broad-based manner without excluding any stakeholder, it said.
“The ongoing efforts by various Naga civil society organisations to bring unanimity among conflicting NPGs has also been reviewed. Further, the house stressed on the need to maintain consistency and continuity of the process with patience, commitment and clarity until the logical conclusion of the issue,” the NNPGs statement read.
Further, the meeting between central representatives and WC NNPGs also stressed the need to maintain consistency and continuity of the process with patience, commitment and clarity until the logical conclusion of the issue.
The Centre’s representative is likely to meet NSCN-IM representatives on Friday, according to sources .
The Centre and NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire in 1997, beginning negotiations for a political resolution to the long-standing conflict. After more than 70 rounds of talks, the Centre signed the Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM in 2015.
However, the Centre has not accepted NSCN-IM’s persistent demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas, which has led to prolonged negotiations.
The Centre also entered into parallel negotiations with the WC NNPGs, a coalition of seven Naga political groups, in 2017, and inked the Agreed Position in the same year.
While the WC NNPGs have expressed willingness to accept whatever is possible and continue negotiations on other contentious demands, the NSCN-IM has declared it will not accept any solution without a separate flag and constitution.
Mishra is also reported to have met the parallel working committee led by N Kitovi Zhimomi.
Zhimomi, impeached by his group – the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Unification) – in April 2024, continues to claim legitimacy of his group under the same nomenclature, and his position as the convener of the NNPG working committee. The NSCN-U was since taken over by Zhimomi’s former colleague Alezo Venuh, and Neokpao was appointed convener of the working committee.
(With inputs from agencies)