Nagaland government, stakeholders urge ministerial-level interlocutor for Naga peace talks

KOHIMA — At a crucial consultative meeting on Thursday, representatives from across Naga society called for a renewed push to break the deadlock in the long-running Naga peace talks.
A key resolution adopted during the meeting, included an appeal to the government of India to “elevate the ongoing dialogue and peace process to the highest political level by appointing an interlocutor of political level/ministerial level, who has the confidence and mandate of the Government”.
The meeting, convened by the Nagaland government, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including tribal organisations, civil society representatives, church leaders, political parties, government officials as well as the Political Consultative Committee (PCC) headed by the Chief Minister along with his council of ministers, and the state’s two MPs.
Power Minister and government spokesperson, KG Kenye, briefing the media after the meeting, stressed the need for a renewed and more proactive approach from the Centre to address the decades-long issue.
He highlighted the widespread concern over the current stalemate in the peace talks, saying that the people of Nagaland “are tired of waiting” for a resolution.
Kenye conveyed that the participants expressed a pressing need to revitalise the peace talks and a desire for the central government to demonstrate a serious commitment to reaching a resolution. There was a shared concern that a continued impasse would take a heavy toll on the Centre, state and the Naga people, he added.
He went on to say that while the government has been directly engaging with the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) over the years, the consultative meeting represented a concerted effort to involve the wider public in shaping the way forward.
Kenye elaborated on the resolution calling for a higher-ranking interlocutor and noted that while initial talks were held in third countries, current discussions are taking place solely within India. Following the signing of the Framework Agreement, there have been no further discussions at the prime ministerial level, with all interactions occurring at the interlocutor level.
At present, the current representative, AK Mishra, was appointed only as a representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He said the state government believes that appointing an interlocutor at the Union Minister level would be a positive step. The state government is not suggesting a specific individual for the role but will leave the decision to the central government, he added.

Stop factionalism and split

Another pressing concerns voiced during the meeting was the lack of unity among the Naga political groups (NPGs) themselves. On this, the house resolved to appeal to all the NPGs and national workers “to refrain from any further factionalism, the formation of breakaway groups, or the creation of new organisations”.
Reiterating the appeal for unity and understanding among the NPGs, he said that the house urged the groups to set aside their differences and approach the government singularly and with a single document “so as to leave no room for confusion or any unwanted manoeuvring in between”.
Conveying the house’s appeal for greater unity within Naga society, he stated that the participants agreed on the importance of strengthening unity and fostering understanding among all stakeholders involved in the peace process. They acknowledged the need for renewed efforts to achieve a cohesive Naga society.

Stricter adherence to ceasefire

Kenye also noted that there are 26 recognised groups, with only five currently in a ceasefire agreement with the central government.
The house lauded the efforts of both the Indian government and the NPGs involved in the ongoing peace dialogue for upholding the ceasefire agreements and preventing a breakdown of the talks, despite facing numerous challenges over the past two decades.
He went on to say that many organisations and individuals stressed the need for stricter adherence to the ceasefire ground rules and raised concerns over the free movement of certain cadres in populated areas, which has not only vitiated the peaceful atmosphere but is also detrimental to the overall peace process.
Adding to the complexity of the situation is the differing stance of the government and the NPGs on the status of the peace talks. While the government maintains that talks concluded in 2019 under the then-interlocutor RN Ravi, this assertion is disputed by many NPGs, he said.
He emphasised the need for clarity and a unified approach from the NPGs, suggesting that the people of Nagaland should play a more proactive role in encouraging collaboration and consensus among the groups.
Stating that both the state government and the Nagas feel that “things cannot remain as it is”, he said that the Political Consultative Committee (PAC) and the government will review the suggestions and concerns raised during the consultative meeting as a top priority.

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