By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury
NSCN(I-M) chairman Isak Chisi Swu (left) and General Secy T. Muivah.
New Delhi, Oct 28 : The Centre and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) should reach an in-principle agreement to resolve India's oldest insurgency before the assembly elections in Manipur in mid-2012, Naga Ho Ho president Keviletuo Kiewhuo has suggested.
Naga Ho Ho is the apex body of various Naga tribes.
Peace talks between the Union government and the biggest Naga insurgent group have been going on since the past 14 years, ever since the two sides entered into a ceasefire agreement in 1997.
But innumerable rounds of negotiations between the two sides have not yielded any result.
"Fourteen years in any negotiations between a state and a rebel group is not a small period. Consensus in politics is never an easy task. But the two sides should take into consideration the views of the majority and arrive at a framework or an in-principle agreement that will form the basis of a future agreement to address all tricky issues," Kiewhuo said.
His views probably reflect that of a large section of the Nagas yearning for an end to the negotiations and a settlement.
The Naga Ho Ho has been pushing for an early settlement fearing obstacles in the coming months. The next assembly elections in Manipur will be held in mid-2012. This will be followed by elections in Nagaland in early 2013.
According to Kiewhuo, it will be difficult for the government to announce an agreement on the merger of Naga majority areas of Manipur with Nagaland, a key demand of the NSCN (I-M), once elections in Manipur are announced.
"Similarly, during the Nagaland elections, Nagas will be divided as some will support one political party while others will support another. This will adversely impact the peace process. And any mid-term elections in the Lok Sabha will further delay the process. Under such circumstances a framework agreement should be worked out that will fulfil demands like unification of Naga areas in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh with that of Nagaland," the Naga Ho Ho president said.
The Manipur government, civil societies and student organisations in the Manipur valley have been opposed to any bifurcation of the hill districts.
The Centre, whether led by the BJP or the Congress, has not been able to convince Manipur in making any concessions. Asked if granting of hill council status to the Naga majority districts of Manipur could be an interim solution, Kiewhuo replied in the negative. He said such an arrangement would weaken the demand of the Nagas.
Kiewhuo warned that vested interests in Nagaland could get active as the elections approached in order to sabotage the peace process.
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