Naga peace talks: All hopes on Centre as peace talks resume

Kohima: With Naga peace talks officially resuming last month between the Government of India representatives and the Naga negotiating groups–NSCN(IM) and NNPGs in Dimapur, all eyes are now on the Centre to fastrack the talks for an early solution.

Sources informed EastMojo that NSCN-IM general Secretary Th Muivah along with a team has left for Delhi on Tuesday. The NSCN-IM team is likely to meet with the new interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks AK Mishra in Delhi.

As per sources, the NSCN-K Niki group led by its chief Niki Sumi and the NNPG working committee led by Kitovi Sumi reached Delhi last week. Although uncertain, the talks with the Centre’s representatives in Delhi is likely to take place soon.

Nagaland deputy chief minister Y Patton told a section of reporters on Tuesday that the ‘Core Committee on Naga Political Issue’ has sought an appointment with the Prime Minister and Home Minister to discuss the matter. As per sources, the committee is likely to leave for Delhi this week.

Patton informed that the committee is also set to meet with the NNPGs this month. The committee had recently met with the NSCN-IM. After the meeting, member secretary of the committee Neiba Kronu had informed EastMojo that the meeting ended on a positive note.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA)–Nagaland’s opposition-less government which was recently formed over the pretext of the Naga political issue, held its first official meeting on Tuesday at the State Banquet Hall in Kohima.

According to Patton, it was reiterated that an appeal will be made to the Centre and the Naga negotiating groups to arrive at an early conclusion on the protracted Naga political issue.

Then interlocutor RN Ravi was officially relieved of the charge as interlocutor a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met with the NSCN-IM led by its general secretary Th Muivah in Dimapur in September.

With the official visit of Mishra to the state last month, marathon talks in Nagaland were held between the Centre representative and Naga negotiating groups.