KOHIMA: The working committee (WC) of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), has accused the NSCN-IM of turning into an “anti-solution group” in the Naga peace process.

The NNPGs said that the demands of the NSCN-IM of a separate Naga flag and a constitution were not part of the original talks that began decades ago.

“…out of nowhere, the IM leadership changed the goalpost and brought the subject of flag and constitution, which did not feature in their last 22 years of talks,” the NNPGs stated.

It maintained that the government of India (GoI) on October 31, 2019 had announced that the talks with negotiating Naga groups, including the NSCN-IM, formally concluded.

The NNPGs pointed out that after two years of dedicated political parlays with the then GoI interlocutor RN Ravi, both the negotiating parties came out with the ‘Agreed Position,’ which would define the future relationship between GoI and Nagas.

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“There was heightened anticipation that an inclusive acceptable political solution for all Nagas was around the corner,” it alleged.

The NNPG asserted that with the signing of Agreed Position on November 17, 2017, the WC-NNPG “corrected the political mistake of IM and reaffirmed the political and historical rights of the Nagas to self-determine their future in consonance with their distinct identity”.

“Today, there is a clear intention to deviate, discourage and deny the Naga people a just and honourable political solution,” said NNPGs.

It further asked: “What turned IM leaders into anti-solution group?”

The NNPGs alleged that the NSCN-IM leadership could not accept the fact that the WC-NNPG, in robust consultation with apex Naga civil societies and others had meticulously achieved in two years what the NSCN-IM failed to do so for over two decades.

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“IM does not wield any sovereign power to share with GoI and therefore sharing of sovereign powers denotes acceptance of Indian constitution. On the other hand, Agreed Position was a launch pad where WC-NNPGs placed lndo-Naga conflict at a higher trajectory and GoI acknowledged Naga right to self-determination,” the NNPGs stated.

“Let IM leaders continue their struggle but the rest of the Nagas must accept what is acceptable, practical and honourable at a present time. It is unwise to allow few men with despotic agendas and narrative to hold the Naga people at ransom,” the NNPGs said.

“It is more than eighty years of Indo-Naga conflict. The struggle is for restoration of Naga political right, history and identity. Political negotiations did not begin with the sole agenda to achieve flag or constitution. The nature of political agreement will decide how Gol will honour Naga Flag and other symbolic elements,” it added.