Cadres of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) perform a drill. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
For the first time since signing a framework agreement in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) has issued a statement threatening to “resume violent armed resistance against India”. The NSCN-IM warned it would resume the struggle if the Centre does not agree for third-party intervention to address its demands, which include a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.
It said that that “the violent confrontation shall be purely on account of the deliberate betrayal and breach of commitment by India and its leadership to respect and honour the letter and spirit of the framework agreement (FA) of August 3, 2015”.
Signed by T. Muivah, general secretary, NSCN and “chief political negotiator”, the statement said that NSCN shall defend and protect the unique history, sovereignty, freedom, territory, flag and constitution for the Nagas “come what may”.
A government source said the statement has been drafted in the name of Mr. Muivah by his two China-based aides Phunthing Shimray and Pamshin Muivah. The 90-year-old is not keeping well and has not been part of recent negotiations with the government, the source added. He is presently at his residence at Hebron camp in Dimapur.
On September 20, Pamshin Muivah was appointed as national security adviser of NSCN.
The armed insurgent group signed a ceasefire agreement with the Union government in 1997.
The statement said that Mr. Muivah and his friend late Isak Chishi Swu joined the negotiations in 1997 to resolve the “Naga political issue” through peaceful negotiations.
It said the broad principles of the 1997 pact were that the talks would be unconditional and held at the highest level of the Prime Minister, would be held in a third country, and before a third-party witness. He said more than 600 rounds of political negotiation have taken place between the Government of India and the NSCN based on those principles and the 2002 Amsterdam Joint Communiqué recognised and acknowledged the unique history and situation of the Nagas. He claimed that the 2015 framework agreement recognised and acknowledged that the Naga issue is a “political conflict of two sovereign entities” as it spoke about sharing of “sovereign powers” in a “new relationship”.
NSCN-IM accused the “authorities and the leadership in the Gol” of deliberately betraying the letter and spirit of the 2015 agreement by refusing to recognise and acknowledge the Naga flag and constitution.
“After betraying the letter and spirit of the framework agreement, the Gol will attempt to impose conditions and terms of surrender on the NSCN…. Gol will impose a political agreement that will not respect and honour the letter and spirit of the agreement…… or sign a political agreement without the flag and constitution. Thirdly, the Gol will resort to brute military force,” the statement said.
The agreement was signed by Naga peace talks interlocutor R.N Ravi in 2015. Mr. Ravi, who is presently Tamil Nadu’s Governor, held the charge of Nagaland Governor till he was transferred in 2021. No new interlocutor has been appointed since then and the Naga groups interact with former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer A.K. Mishra who is the Adviser, Northeast, in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The NSCN demands creation of ‘Greater Nagaland’ or Nagalim by integrating Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to unite 1.2 million Nagas.
Published – November 08, 2024 07:38 pm IST