In order to rehabilitate the cadres of the Isak-Muivah faction of NSCN-IM, which signed the Naga Framework Agreement with the Centre in 2015, a parliamentary panel has recommended the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) prepare a generous rehabilitation-cum-settlement scheme.
A report published recently by The Hindu stated the parliamentary panel wondered at the delay in concluding the Naga peace talks “when all other stakeholders other than the Government appear to be eager to conclude it.”
The panel stated that any further delay may harm the progress achieved in the last few years.
It has been reported that the panel, which has been headed by Congress leader and former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram, submitted its report to the department related Standing Committee on Home Affairs in the Rajya Sabha on February 7.
The panel has been quoted as saying in its report: “The committee, keeping in view the historical dynamics of insurgency, wishes to remind the Government that the most important aspect of any agreement with insurgents is the adequate rehabilitation and settlement programme for the cadres of the insurgent outfits. NSCN (IM), being the largest group in the entire region, would have thousands of cadres who must be adequately settled to make the agreement successful and to prevent the emergence of any splinter groups…. the government should, nevertheless, stay prepared for any scenario that may emerge in the aftermath of this agreement, and keep security forces on the alert.”
The central government, which signed a Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM, further signed a preamble in November 2017 with six Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) to hold discussions to find a solution to the issue lingering on for decades.