New Delhi: A group of 21 MPs have written a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah seeking an update about the status of the Naga peace process, pointing to the lack of a full-time interlocutor for talks and negotiations, and said that such an approach threatens to derail “nearly three decades of painstaking progress, jeopardising the trust and goodwill.”
The Hindu reported that the letter dated February 3 stated that since 2021 there has been no full-time interlocutor, which are essential for achieving lasting stability, “shouldn’t be relegated to bureaucratic manoeuvring devoid of democratic oversight.”
“It is deeply perplexing that despite the widespread recognition of the Naga peace process as a crucial pillar of national security and stability, Parliament remains uninformed about the status of negotiations since the signing of the Framework Agreement. The persistent secrecy surrounding the agreement and the perceived impasse in subsequent negotiations raise serious concerns,” the letter said.
The MPs in their joint letter underlined that “such stagnation” may undermine “the hard-earned trust and support built over decades. The Naga peace process has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, transcending political spectrums, a reflection of its national importance.”
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The letter comes months after the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) in November issued an ultimatum, warning it may resume violent armed resistance if the Union government does not honour the 2015 Framework Agreement, signed to address the Naga political issue.
Signed by NSCN-IM’s general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, the statement had said that the 2015 Framework Agreement, signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recognised the Naga issue as a political conflict between two entities, thereby implying the need for a unique solution that respects Nagalim’s sovereignty.
No new interlocutor has been appointed since former Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi, who signed the 2015 Framework Agreement, was transferred in 2021. Ravi is now the Tamil Nadu governor.
“This absence of a dedicated full-time interlocutor leads to an unsettling inconsistency, with channels of communication reportedly disrupted and meetings between the negotiating parties occurring sporadically. Such a fragmented approach threatens to erode nearly three decades of painstaking progress, jeopardising the trust and goodwill carefully nurtured over the years,” the MPs said in the letter.
“Given the profound significance of this matter for both the northeastern region and the nation as a whole, it is imperative that the government provides clarity and updates Parliament on the current status of the Naga peace process, including the details of the negotiations and developments since the signing of the Framework Agreement and the reasons for the perceived stagnation of the process,” the letter added.
