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'Solve issues of flag and Constitution for Nagaland'

Last Updated 24 August 2019, 17:55 IST

NSCN (IM) on Sarurday stressed on addressing the core issues of having a separate flag and Constitution for Nagas for reaching the final agreement and resolve the decades-old Naga conflict. In a statement emailed to DH, the Naga outfit said any solution would be far from honourable without the two core issues solved because the pride and identity of the Naga are deeply entrenched with those.

"Three years is a long period but the Framework Agreement is yet to have its fruition as the Government of India is going slow in taking its stand on core issues forward. This changing situation and other developments compelled NSCN Chairman Q. Tuccu and General Secretary Th. Muivah to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the doubt and confusion raised by Naga people if an honourable political solution can be arrived at. This is in reference to the core issues like Naga flag and constitution which are yet to be agreed upon between the two parties. Without these two core issues solved, any solution would be far from honourable because Naga’s pride and identity is deeply entrenched here," said the statement.

The Naga outfit, which is in ceasefire with the government since 1997 had signed a broad framework agreement on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Modi that accepted Naga identity as unique.

The statement comes days after Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, who is also the Centre's interlocutor said Modi asked him to complete the Naga peace process within three months. Ravi, who signed the framework agreement said all "outstanding issues" were solved barring the "symbolic issues," for which Centre offered options to the stakeholders representing the Nagas.

Nagas had declared Independence after the British had left and subsequently launched an armed movement saying they are an independent entity and was never part of India.

The NSCN (IM) statement also condemned the action taken by Assam Rifles (AR) personnel including search and arrest near its designated headquarters at Hebron, situated in the outskirts of Dimapur.

"How beautiful things would have been if Ravi could have made his presence after being appointed as Nagaland Governor by working in tandem with the Indian Army (Assam Rifles) and rein on them to exercise restraint from what they are doing now. The pictures are almost back to pre-ceasefire period with the ubiquitous AR showing up in aggressive postures. As days passed, AR have become more unruly and going towards the direction to sow seeds of another bloody conflict with the Nagas.

Now, leaving aside Doyapur areas, the AR personnel are seen in many areas of Dimapur frisking passerby and entering residential areas and taking photographs. Such manner of intensified operation by AR makes the whole scenario unbecoming of Ravi’s search for the earliest solution as advised by Prime Minister Modi," said the NSCN (IM) statement.

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(Published 24 August 2019, 16:51 IST)

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