The Working Committee (WC) of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) has welcomed the recent tripartite agreement signed between the Government of India (GoI), the Eastern Naga People’s Organisation (ENPO), and the Nagaland State Government, while cautioning that the larger unresolved Indo-Naga political issue must remain central to ongoing political processes.
In a press statement issued by its Media Cell, the WC, NNPGs described the February 5 agreement as a development that has “rekindled hope in eastern Nagaland” and acknowledged it as a step toward addressing longstanding administrative and economic concerns in the region.
The group stated that the new arrangement should correct what it termed “historical injustice” and called on Eastern Nagas to establish a transparent and effective mechanism to ensure that commitments made in the agreement are implemented on the ground.
While acknowledging the announcement related to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), the NNPGs stressed that the broader Indo-Naga political issue encompasses Nagas across Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The group asserted that negotiations with the Government of India had officially concluded on October 31, 2019, and maintained that negotiated charters are already with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.
According to the statement, the “Status Paper” reflects an inclusive framework covering Nagas across different states. However, it added that “if the Nagaland state government has a separate agenda to negotiate with the GoI and desires a new interlocutor, that is a different matter”.
Reaffirming its position as a negotiating entity, the WC, NNPGs stated that all core political issues had been thoroughly deliberated during the negotiation process and cautioned against any attempt to “downgrade the Agreed Position.”
“Naga people have walked and talked beyond Interlocutory phase and now all eyes are on the Indian political leadership to consider the final phase: Announcement and signing of the Political Agreement in consonance with the negotiated and agreed terms,” it stated, adding, “This step is the only rational and practical path towards an enduring peaceful co-existence”.
