Fifth anniversary of framework agreement: NSCN (IM) fires salvo at RN Ravi

Dimapur, Aug. 2 (EMN): On the fifth anniversary of the signing of the framework agreement (FA), the NSCN (IM) has trained its gun on the government of India’s interlocutor to the Indo-Naga talks, and governor of Nagaland, RN Ravi.

“It was today on August 3, 2015 when the historic framework agreement was signed under the dynamic leadership of the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. It was signed with much hype and anticipation in the political circle. There was much excitement and jubilation as Prime Minister Modi called up all the political leaders who matters that he has solved the longest political issue of Southeast Asia. But five years down the line the scourge of manipulation, misinterpretation and insincerity has kept the pot boiling,” read a statement from the NSCN (IM) on Sunday.

It stated that after several rounds of Indo-Naga talks, the framework agreement was signed at the official residence of the prime minister.

According to the group, the concluding remark of agreement stated: “It is a matter of great satisfaction that dialogue between the government of India and the NSCN has successfully concluded and we are confident it will provide for an enduring new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities. The two sides agreed that within this framework agreement details and execution plan will be worked out and implemented shortly.”

Ravi, it pointed out, was “given the honour” to sign on behalf of the government of India, and on the NSCN (IM)’s behalf, the agreement was signed by Isak Chishi Swu, now departed, and Th Muivah.

“Ironically, after five years while the FA has been put in cold storage, something unthinkable emanating from the Raj Bhavan in Kohima has taken over the scene. But the ulterior motive behind such move has forced the Nagas to point fingers against RN Ravi, India’s interlocutor to Indo-Naga political talks. As seen in the verbal tone of RN Ravi, he has upped the ante against the Naga political groups as he brazenly used slanderous terminology like ‘armed gangs’, ‘underground groups’.

“But what has directly pricked the consciousness of the Naga people at large is when Ravi went for the profiling. He made the Nagaland state government to issue office memorandum on July 7, 2020 to all the administrative heads of departments seeking information from employees about their relations with the Naga underground groups. But we put on record that there are no Naga families who are not connected with the Naga political groups in one way or the other,” the statement read.

According to the NSCN (IM), what has driven the Naga people far away from Ravi is his ‘deceptive manner of handling the FA as he deceitfully went beyond the call of interlocutor to indulge himself in playing divisive game among the Nagas to dismantle the very foundation of FA’.

This has created a huge trust deficit on the government of India, it stated. “The way forward with regard to the fate of FA is now faced with deep ambivalence. But government of India must undo the environment of mistrust being built over the time because it should not take recourse to unethical means to circumvent any conceived obstacles. What has been mutually agreed upon should be honoured in letter and spirit and that is the only way forward,” it asserted.