Naga talks interlocutor expresses concern over deteriorating relations between hill, valley people

Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, who is also the interlocutor for the talks with Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM, expressed concern on Friday over deterioration of "traditional brotherly relations" between the hill and the valley people in Manipur, saying the vexed issue cannot reach its logical conclusion without taking all neighbours into confidence.

In a statement, he said as desired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a comprehensive resolution of the Naga issue with due regards to the sensitivities of all the stakeholders, including the neighbours, he met the leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) Manipur, the apex body of Naga tribes of Manipur, at Kohima on Friday.

"The government of India interlocutor expressed concern over deterioration in the traditional brotherly relations between the hill and the valley people of Manipur in recent decades due to the politics of vested interests.

"The reality that the Naga political issue cannot be resolved in isolation or reach its logical conclusion without taking all stakeholders, including the neighbours, into confidence was re-emphasised," the statement said.

Ravi said the imperatives of restoring the traditional harmonious relation among the hill and the valley people of Manipur were adequately emphasised.

"The UNC leaders were exhorted to take effective measures to reach out to the valley people in the spirit of mutual love and understanding for an enduring peaceful co-existence," it said.

According to the statement, the UNC leaders were briefed about the current status of the peace talks, including the significant development of amicably settling all contentious issues between the negotiating parties' queries of the UNC leaders, were clarified.

"When the Naga political issue is at the stage of settlement, the UNC leaders were reminded of their responsibility in ensuring that the Naga tribes of Manipur maintain a cordial relationship with the fellow communities of the state," it said.

Hectic negotiations to find a lasting solution to the seven-decades-old insurgency problem in Nagaland have been continuing with Ravi holding discussions with the NSCN-IM regularly in the recent months.

A framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah and Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Modi.

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