Naga political issue: MP for restraint from all sides

Lone Rajya Sabha member of Nagaland, K G Kenye, on Saturday urged upon the central government and the Naga negotiators to exert maximum restraint in dealing with the decades-old Naga political issue.

Kenye's statement came a day after interlocutor for the Naga talks and Nagaland Governor R N Ravi said the Centre has ruled out a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas as demanded by the NSCN-IM, and made it clear that the endless negotiations with the insurgent group under the shadow of guns are not acceptable.

"Whatever be the contentious issue in the Naga peace talks, it does not worth another war. It is the general public who suffer and bear the brunt," Kenye said at a function here.

Peace has been elusive for many decades for the Naga people and currently there are significant turns in the ongoing peace process, the Rajya Sabha MP said and appealed to all the stakeholders to take into consideration the yearning of the public.

"Respecting the Naga people's wishes, the Government of India is determined to conclude the peace process without delay. Endless negotiation under the shadow of guns is not acceptable," a statement issued by the Nagaland governor said here on Friday night.

To resolve the Naga political problem, a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and the government's interlocutor Ravi in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Unfortunately at this auspicious juncture, the NSCN-IM has adopted a procrastinating attitude to delay the settlement raising the contentious symbolic issues of separate Naga national flag and constitution on which they are fully aware of the Government of India's position," the statement read.

The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years, with the first breakthrough made in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland which started soon after India's independence in 1947.