NSCN-IM Ready to Resume Peace Talks with Centre, To Leave for Delhi on Sept.19

KOHIMA: The chairman of the United Democratic Alliance, Nagaland T.R.Zeliang said in a statement on Saturday that the NSCN-IM is ready to resume the peace talks with the center that have been on hold since May this year. 

Zeliang is also the co-chairman of the Nagaland state government's committee on Naga political issues. He also mentioned in the statement that a delegation of NSCN-IM will be flying to Delhi on Monday to take part in the peace talks. 

A two-hour long meeting discussing all the facets of peace in Nagaland for the state's development was discussed between the core committee of the government and the leaders of NSCN-IM in Chumoukedima on Saturday. 

It is to be mentioned here that Nagaland is among one of the poorest states in the country as it battles terrorism which has been a hurdle to its development. 

The meeting on Saturday when it was decided that the outfit would be going for the peace talks was convened after a directive from the central government which directed the chairman of the core committee and the present chief minister of the state Neiphiu Rio to convince the outfit to come out for the peace talks and ink a final solution to the long pending issue. 

The framework agreement signed between the center and the NSCN-IM came after over 80 rounds of negotiations since a ceasefire pact was sealed in 1997 after decades of insurgency, which started in Nagaland soon after Independence in 1947.

A final solution to the long pending insurgency issue in Nagaland is yet to see the light of the day. It is hoped that after this round of talks in Delhi, something can be worked on to ink that final solution and put an end to this matter. 

The Centre and NSCN-IM are not coming to a decision as yet because the outfit has been demanding a separate flag and a constitution that gives Nagas a separate identity but the center is dead against such a measure. 

The Prime Minister of the country envisions a united Northeast so it is unlikely that Nagas would get a separate flag or a constitution of their own. 

Also Read: Naga peace talks: NSCN-IM, NNPG pledge to 'move forward and overcome cynicism'

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