Nagaland govt. reiterates call for new interlocutor in Naga peace talks

KOHIMA — Minister for Power and Parliamentary Affairs KG Kenye on Wednesday reiterated Nagaland government’s push for a new interlocutor for the Indo-Naga talks.

‘AK Mishra (the current Centre’s representative) is very good man but doesn’t come from a political background’, he told a press conference in Kohima on Wednesday.

Kenye pointed out that since RN Ravi, the Union government has not appointed any official interlocutor.

He put across the state government’s contention that since the ‘agreements are in place’, they have to be driven to a logical conclusion.

In such a context, he explained, Nagaland government feels that ‘a political personality with enough influence on the corridor of powers in New Delhi’ would do well for the Nagas.

Also, he referred to the accusations against the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and clarified that the state government and the PAC does not have any intention to scrap whatever has been achieved or agreed so far in the Indo-Naga process.

Kenye asserted that the state government’s policy has been clearly spelled out in the Independence Day speech: to continue its role as a facilitator based on the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017.

With the resumption of talks between the NSCN-IM and the government of India, Kenye exuded hope for the best.

He also informed that the state government giving a facelift to the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama.

With uncertainty surrounding the ENPO’s demand for FNT and the possibility of non-participation in the festival, Kenye expressed hope that the ENPO would not resort to such a move.

Also, Kenye informed that ‘people were being contacted’ and the move for auction of Naga ancestral remains in the UK has now been reversed.

Furthermore, he maintained that the FNR has been working very closely with the government on the Naga political issue ever since its inception and asserted that the state government will extend assistance and help for repatriation of the Naga remains.